Veronica Ciastko is an experienced educator, writer, and comics-artist. She has worked with students of all ages, from first graders to Ph.D. candidates, and is passionate about helping her students communicate clearly and effectively through writing.

Veronica’s teaching experience began with AmeriCorps’ City Year program, where she served sixth graders in a low-income literacy classroom. Following this experience, Veronica continued to serve students often left behind in traditional educational settings. She taught both academic and creative writing with the Boys and Girls Club, the Writer’s Exchange, and Stratford Academy. In each of these roles, Veronica honed her skills for building strong relationships with students and teaching effectively.

Veronica attended college at the University of British Columbia, where she was the recipient of the International Leader of Tomorrow Award, a prestigious scholarship that fully funded her degree and honored her skills in leadership and community service. At UBC, Veronica studied Education and Creative Writing. She was honored with the TREK Excellence Award for graduating at the top of her class and the Grant McWhirter Poetry Prize for excellence in the Creative Writing program. While at UBC, Veronica also worked as a Writing Peer with the Center for Writing and Scholarly Communication, where she coached college-age students writing across a wide array of disciplines. In the summer of 2023 Veronica attended the Soaring Gardens Artist Residency, funded through the Ora Lerman Trust. She is a regular participant in writing workshops across NYC, including with the Writer’s Rock. She loves one-on-one coaching (with both kids and adults!) because she loves to see students find their voice and recognize their own brilliance.

In her free time, Veronica is writing a novel about the Midwest, playing with her cat, and making visual art. She’s excited to be a writing coach with Hewes House.