Adventures in Toy Town
About Our Summer Camp Counselors
Emily Olivieri Fashionista and Candy Creations
An East Aurora native, Emily became familiar with the Toy Town Museum while volunteering there in her teens. From an early age, fashion became an important part of Miss Olivieri’s life. During high school she attended classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology and interned in the garment district in New York City. A graduate of Nardin Academy elementary and high school, Emily was involved in many extracurricular activities and focused on leadership throughout much of her high school career. Upon graduation, Emily attended Marymount University in Arlington, VA with a major in fashion design. After one year at Marymount, she transferred to Heriot-Watt University with a major in Fashion Design for Industry. Located in Galashiels, Scotland, Heriot-Watt is a fashion and textiles school which has a world-renowned reputation for its various programs. Emily looks forward to applying the various creative approaches she’s learned to inspire campers this summer
Ryan Sturm Playing with History
Currently a 4th grade teacher at Main Street Elementary School in East Aurora, NY. He is an Intermediate Elementary Teacher with six years experience and a Masters Degree from the University of Minnesota. In his teaching he has used games and role-playing to design original, engaging and meaningful Social Studies experiences. According to Mr. Sturm's students, America history has never been more fun!
Michele Meissner Cartooning and Green America
Michele is no starnger to toys and the Toy Town Museum. She was formerly an artist at Fisher-Price and the Director of the Toy Town Museum. Michele's extensive background in art and toys includes design of many of the Toy Town Museum's ToyFest posters, toys and exhibits. An avid toy collector and artist, she will bring many fun stories and talent to both her camps!
Steven Andresen Art Makes You Smart
As a credentialed K-8 art teacher for the past 16 years, Steven Andresen has developed an extensive visual arts curriculum that integrates art and math and visual literacy. He has presented his curriculum in workshops to hundreds of enthusiastic teachers throughout California through the California Arts Project, the California Math Council, and the Bay Area Math Project. He also wrote the Visual Arts Standards (K-5) for the Oakland unified School District and was honored by the district as an “Arts Educator of the Year” in 2004. Steven is a practicing artist with an extensive resume of exhibitions of paintings and is currently a resident at redfish Art Gallery & Studios in East Aurora. He resides in North Java, NY.
Tess Lojacono Mornings with the Masters
Tess received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. There she exhibited her paintings and sculptures at various galleries including the Carson Street Gallery, Mendelson Gallery, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Studio Z Gallery and at the Three Rivers Art Festival. In Buffalo Tess has shown her work at Art Dialogue and with the YWCA of WNY, in an all women’s show, which she helped to organize. Her work has also been featured as part of an educational slide show for the Breast & Cervical Health Partnership. Tess has given art lessons for children through Big Brothers and Sisters of Pittsburgh, as well as designing and teaching art workshops for the residents of Wilkins House, a personal care home. Under the auspices of her company “Fine Art Miracles”, she continues her work with children, teaching art workshops and after school programs in her East Aurora studio and at the Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy; and with the elderly, taking fine art classes to nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout Western New York.
We are pleased to have such great counselors for this year's summer camps!
The Toy Town Museum's "Adventures in Toy Town" Summer Camps have been made possible through support from NYS Senater Dale Volker and 