Founding Director
Stacy Steyaert
Stacy Steyaert (she/her) specializes in arts experiences for ages 0-10, and firmly believes that play is the heart and driving force of all learning for the young. She has received local, national, and international recognition for her work and arts advocacy, including a Presidential Citation from American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) and honors as a Steering Committee member of the inaugural American Theatre for the Very Young Digital Festival. Stacy has also mentored drama instructors and aspiring educators across the world, most notably working with educators from America, Canada, China, India, and Turkey. Prior to founding Soaring Starts, Stacy worked as the Early Childhood Program Coordinator at Imagination Stage, overseeing 20+ classes a semester, mentoring hundreds of artists and school educators, and teaching thousands of students in the DC area. Her work has also been seen at institutions such as Adventure Theatre MTC and Chicago Children's Theatre, spanning over a decade's worth of experience in teaching and program administration across the Denver, Chicago, Hartford, and DC Metro areas. She holds a M.Ed in Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University, and a BFA in Theatre Management from DePaul University. Now also a proud Arlington mom, Stacy founded Soaring Starts Early Learning & Arts in early 2021.
Faculty & Staff
Daisy Rudin, Education Program Specialist
Jamie Borris, Education Program Specialist
Jamie Borris (she/her) is overjoyed to be on the Soaring Starts faculty, and while this is her first formal teaching position, Jamie has been working and volunteering with young children since she was 10. Jamie loves watching kids' faces light up when they connect with an activity or concept. When not brainstorming fun new activities, you might catch Jamie at a photoshoot or on a runway as a fashion model, and she also likes to cook, bake, and pet sit in her spare time.
Jessica Poole McCurdy, Education Program Specialist
Jessica Poole McCurdy (she/her) has been working with students as young as 3 months old through high school age for the last 14 years. Jessica has a master's degree in Early Childhood Education, with years of experience teaching Montessori, teaching theater along with the occasional theater job. She spends the majority of her time chasing after her own two children and getting to watch her studies in development before her own eyes. She loves how Soaring Starts is a fun integration of learning and playing, rooted in childhood development and interests and led by theater and songs to catch the interest of a variety of ages of children.
Teaching Artists
Kelsey Brown, Liv Dinter, Leigh Lolos, Madeleine Barry, Stania Shaw
Founders Circle
Soaring Starts would like to thank the below individuals for going above and beyond for us as we strengthened and solidified our organization in our inaugural year. We are forever grateful for the support and guidance this compensated committee of educators, advocates, and business professionals provided for us, and we cannot wait to show you just how far we will soar next.