Milly Camarena

“Children need the freedom to appreciate the infinite resources of their hands, their eyes and their ears, the resources of forms, materials, sounds and colors.” – Loris Malaguzzi

Milly has been in the field of childhood education since 2008. Her journey began after the birth of her niece and earning a BA in Art for the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos de Lima, Peru, where is is from. Continuing her education in the U.S., Milly pursued a Master Teacher certificate, earned an Early Childhood Education Teacher Certificate with a Special Education focus at Long Beach City College while still firmly rooted to her arts practice.

Milly discovered her combined passions for working with children and art while working at the L.B. City College Child Development Center and other local preschools. She as worked at Little Owl as a sub for 2 years prior to her gaining teacher status. She believes children are social beings who need a nurturing place to imagine, create and play. She has a deep appreciation for their honesty and spontaneity and enjoys using the arts as a tool to facilitate their process in a warm and encouraging environment. Recently Milly earned a Family Development credential through the University of Connecticut Center for Study of Culture, Health and Human Development. When not working, Milly loves to spend time with her friends and family, making art, dancing, riding her bike and cooking and eating good food.