When kids feel left out, their confidence suffers. Our groups give them a safe, supportive place to learn how to connect—and friendships follow naturally.
Make real friends, learn how to start conversations, share, and build confidence.
Make real friends, practice independence, navigating friendships, and handling social challenges.
Make real friends, build confidence, independence, and learn to navigate relationships.
Every child is unique. That’s why we take time to match students based on age, independence, personality, and goals. This way, no one feels out of place, and every child gets the most out of their group.
Ms. Heather Fareri, M.S. Ed
Heather has spent 28 years with the NYC Department of Education, where she has helped students grow in their reading, writing, and communication skills.
At Victoria’s Educational Services, she especially enjoys leading Friendship Confidence™ groups and watching students gain confidence, strengthen their social skills, and form real friendships. She believes every child deserves to feel valued and supported as they learn and connect with others.
Mr. Chris Maddaluno, M.S. in Applied Psychology, Licensed School Counselor
Chris is a licensed school counselor with over six years of full-time experience, most of it at the high school level. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in History from SUNY University at Albany before pursuing his Master’s degree in Counseling in New York.
At Victoria’s Educational Services, Chris brings a strengths-based and solution-focused approach to helping students grow. He values creating a safe, inclusive space where students feel supported, connected, and empowered to be themselves.
Ms. Elena Beregevoya, M.S. Teaching Students With Disabilities
Elena is an experienced NYC DOE educator with over five years working across diverse K–12 environments. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies and two master’s degrees, one in Teaching Students with Disabilities and another in Teaching Russian.
At Victoria’s Educational Services, she has been leading Friendship Confidence™ groups for about three years, where she creates engaging sessions that blend games, team-building, and meaningful conversations. Elena’s goal is to help students build friendships, gain confidence, and feel comfortable connecting with others.
Ms. Angela Rosario, A.A.S., Certified Behavioral Health Technician
Angela has over a decade of experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and autism through her work at The GRACE Foundation of New York. She specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and has supervised social, recreational, and educational programs that help students build confidence, communication, and independence.
At Victoria’s Educational Services, Angela brings her passion for empowering students to connect, express themselves, and have fun in supportive group settings.
Ms. Victoria Bennett, M.S. Teaching Students With Disabilities
Victoria is the founder of Victoria’s Educational Services and holds a Master’s degree in Teaching Students with Disabilities, with licensure in both general and special education. With nearly a decade of classroom experience across public and private schools, she has specialized training in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and a passion for weaving social skills into everyday learning.
Through her Friendship Confidence™ Groups, Victoria created something truly unique for Staten Island—a welcoming space where kids, teens, and young adults can build confidence, practice real-world social skills, and form genuine friendships. She believes every student deserves a place to belong, and her mission is to make sure no child feels left out.
My son looks forward to going to Victorias group each week. He is provided with an opportunity to connect and socialize with a group of wonderful teens. They discuss what’s going on in their lives and share laughs while making jokes and playing different games together. He always comes out so happy and is excited to catch up with the friends he has made there every week!!
Victoria is great! I cannot say enough wonderful things about her and the services she provides. The social groups are so on point. My son is making real friends who he actually talks to outside of the group. He looks forward to the group every week. It's been a real game changer for him. I highly recommend trying a group with Victoria. You'll be glad you did!
Registering our (then) 12 year old autistic son for the social group at Victoria's was one of the best decisions we have made for him. Like many autistic children, new things can be intimidating for my son, but Victoria and her amazing staff made him feel right at home instantly. In less than a year, my son has made some great friends who he has been socializing with outside the weekly group meeting. And the detailed, weekly recaps from Heather are so insightful and very much appreciated. In addition to the weekly social class, my son has also been taking a creative writing class as he wants to be an author when he gets older. If you're looking for ways to get your autistic child to socialize more and make some new friends, I can't recommend Victoria's enough.
My son attends Victoria's social skills group since the fist day she created this class. Attending the social skills group has been a truly transformative experience. From the very first session, the environment felt welcoming, supportive, and inclusive not only for the students but for the parents. Victoria were not only knowledgeable but also deeply empathetic, creating a safe space for everyone to share, learn, and grow. The group sessions were thoughtfully structured, blending interactive activities, role-playing, and open discussions. Each week focused on a different theme—such as active listening, conflict resolution, or non-verbal communication—which helped build a well-rounded skill set. What stood out most was the emphasis on real-life application; the students were encouraged to practice these skills outside the group and reflect on our experiences. One of the most valuable aspects was the sense of community. It was reassuring to connect with others who were also working on similar goals. The group dynamic fostered mutual encouragement and accountability, which made the learning process more engaging and less intimidating. Overall, I highly recommend this social skills group to anyone looking to improve their interpersonal communication, build confidence in social settings, or simply connect with others in a meaningful way. It’s a great investment in personal growth and emotional intelligence. Victoria is an absolute gem!
Over the years when we've signed up our son for a class it is either hit or miss. We heard great things about Victoria's class and decided to give it a try. Well it is the best move we've ever made as our son looks forward to attending every week and has made friends during his time there. Our son is very shy and now is always texing his friend from the group something he would never do before he started this class. Victoria has a great way of relating to the class and makes it enjoyable for all. As a parent we totally recommend Victoria's classes and parents can feel at ease with her instructing our children. They will enjoy the classes...
My child is participating in the social groups, and I cant say enough good things! Victoria cares so much about the kids, ensuring that they “mesh” well with one another. Her facility is comfortable and welcoming. My daughter has already made a friend connection from the social group. I would recommend VES to anyone without reservation.
Love going to Victoria’s for the Wednesday meet. I have gone and met some of my good friends always a blast 100 stars out of 5.
Definitely 5 Stars. My son has been going to Victorias program for almost one year now. He really looks forward to the weekly classes and enjoys all the activities that Victoria has planned. This is a great example of learning made fun. Highly recommended!
Victoria is absolutely amazing. She is a very sweet and very caring person. I can’t recommend her enough. I just started joining a group at Victoria’s Educational Services a few months ago and I always have fun. I would give VES 10 stars out of 5. I have autism and I can definitely improve myself in many ways if I have the urge to do so when being in VES.
Victoria is great! She is extremely knowledgeable and thorough. My son looks forward to each session. She offers our young adults the opportunities and empower them with key social skills. Each social group session is very well organized in a comfortable environment and she provides an overview to parents after each session, which is very helpful. I would recommend VES to anyone without reservation.
Victoria's Educational Services offers a warm and friendly atmosphere for people who are meeting up with special goals in mind. Victoria's knowledge and openness will help all to soar!
Victoria offers a wide arrange of services, she is extremely knowledgeable, thorough and compassionate. I highly recommend reaching out to her for tutoring or if your child suffers from any social disabilities.
Helping kids, teens, and young adults build confidence, friendships, and belonging.
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