GIANT Spotlight: Meet Rebecca!

Name: Rebecca Schifilliti

Tell us a bit about yourself… Hi! My name is Rebecca Schifilliti. I am from Long Island, New York. A fun fact about me is that I hiked to the top of an active volcano.

What topics are you excited to teach about? I am excited to teach about music, storytelling, public speaking, starting a business, and web design.

What is your favorite thing to do in New York City? I love taking long walks and exploring different areas of the city!

Tell us about your work. What projects have you worked on in the past? Are there any favorite projects you want to share, or favorite moments teaching? I am a flutist, teaching artist, producer, and social entrepreneur. As an artist, I aim to break traditions, bring joy, and exalt the human spirit.

I am the founder and director or MUSES: Music for Extraordinary Students, a program that teaches music to children in foster care and prevention services in NYC. Also, I am the co-director of Art Beyond the Ink, an organization that pairs music with other art forms to show the stories that music can tell.

My favorite teaching moment was when one of my students from MUSES performed his own composition at our annual Winter concert. He was so proud of himself and when he left the stage, he shouted, “Oh yeah! I just did that!” There is no greater feeling for a teacher than that. Empowering children no matter what they are learning or doing is one of the best parts of life.

What is something you want to learn, or are learning right now? I really want to learn JavaScript! That’s my goal for this summer.

Website: http://rebeccaschifilliti.com/