Nelly Quijano
Teaching Artist in Training & Board Member
Nelly Quijano holds a degree in Spanish, English, and French and was born in Bogotá, Colombia. With 23 years of teaching experience—18 in Colombia and 5 in the United States—she has taught students of all ages, from kindergarteners to high schoolers and adults. Over the course of her career, she has traveled to various cities to lead educational projects entrusted to her by different institutions. These projects have taken her to places like Panama City in Panama, Cartagena in Colombia, and Austin, Texas. In 2023, she was honored as a speaker at the Colorado Congress of Foreign Language Teachers (CCFLT) in Denver. Additionally, in May 2024, she was interviewed by the Krystal 93 station in Summit County after being recognized by a group of parents from her school as one of the best teachers of the year.
Faith, family, and community are central to Nelly’s life, with God, her husband, and children being her top priorities. She also finds immense joy in singing and dancing, which are often integral to her teaching strategies. By incorporating music and dance into lessons, she has helped many children overcome fears and grasp challenging concepts more easily through the power of the arts. She enjoys playing the piano and other instruments, composing songs, writing poems and stories, and mimicking the voices of artists and animated characters. Her love for nature and outdoor activities complements her passion for reading literature, geography, and history, as well as traveling to learn about new cultures, fostering empathy and open-mindedness.
Nelly’s teaching philosophy aligns closely with Celebrate the Beat's mission. She deeply values inspiring children to believe in themselves, overcome their fears, embrace happiness, and achieve success.
Fun fact about Nelly she is the great-great-granddaughter of Fulgencio García, a composer and performer of stringed instruments such as the guitar, tiple, and bandola. García is the creator of “La Gata Golosa,” a famous Colombian pasillo. The pasillo, a music and dance genre rooted in the New Granada Andes of the 19th century, evolved from the European waltz and gained its distinct rhythmic identity during Colombia's independence era.