Melanie Tercilla-Allen

Cuban-American educator dedicated to creating inclusive and engaging learning environments that empower students to achieve their college and career aspirations. Passionate about English language and literature and leveraging research and policy to drive systemic change, I am committed to advancing educational opportunities for all students.

For the past six years, I’ve taught both AP Literature and AP Language at the School for Advanced Studies, Florida’s #1 public high school. My students, many of whom are first-generation, multilingual, and from underrepresented communities, have consistently earned AP exam pass rates averaging 90% or higher. I attribute this not only to rigorous, standards-based instruction, but to the inclusive, engaging, and affirming classroom culture I work hard to build. I believe that any text can become transformational when students feel seen, valued, and safe enough to engage with it meaningfully. Connection, whether it be intellectual, emotional, and personal, is at the center of my teaching philosophy.

2023 - PRESENT

Doctoral Candidate in Ed.D. Educational Leadership & Policy Studies

Florida International University

2014 - 2018

Bachelor of English, Master of Secondary Education, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) 

University of Florida