Mr. Randy Appell

By John Morrow

When he was in high school, he would harass his teachers and delight in making jokes in their classrooms. Currently, he has been teaching biology and chemistry for over two decades, including Regents Living Environment, AP Biology, and all levels of chemistry from regents to AP. Originally at Great Neck North High for 22 years, this is Mr. Randy Appell’s first year in the Science Department at South High. 

When Mr. Appell was growing up in Woodmere, Long Island, he immediately gravitated towards science and math. He always liked teachers he could joke around with, either with them or at their expense. As such, many of his experiences with subjects revolved around the teacher’s attitude, which is how he came to love biology and chemistry. “I had some great teachers that were playful back and forth. My chemistry teacher was a very fun guy. My favorite class for all of high school was my honors chemistry class.” 

Through his growth as a student and teacher, Mr. Appell concluded that he wanted to teach differently. He disdains repetition, which had defined much of his own education. He instead wanted to build a community within the classroom around common understanding and the desire to learn. He said, “I never fully respected the teachers that couldn’t handle the joking and got angry… I definitely am a teacher that could joke around with the kids, but I am also the teacher that knows when it’s time to shift back into full teaching mode.” 

On the weekends, Mr. Appell loves playing the acoustic guitar, a hobby he picked up while attending the University of Michigan, when he wanted to be able to play every Pearl Jam song. He also hosts a podcast called High School Matters, where he talks with alumni about their high school experiences. He teaches because, “If I see kids smiling in class, that’s what makes me happy. I hope they’re learning… I try my best, but if they’re smiling and they have a good experience in my class, that’s most important.”

Ms. Alexandra Camarda

By Alexis Pawlow 

An avid beach-goer, a loving aunt, a highly competitive tri-athlete. An iced coffee addict, a hot-Pilates and yoga junkie, and peanut M&M’s biggest fan. She also happens to be Great Neck South’s junior varsity girls volleyball coach. Introducing Ms. Alexandra Camarda, South’s new Physical Education teacher.

Being from Long Island herself, Ms. Camarda has never ventured too far from home. She started her teaching career at Commack High School, which she herself attended, as a physical education substitute. In her time at Commack, she gathered the fundamentals and experience she needed to further her teaching career.          

When she’s not coaching an undefeated junior girls varsity volleyball team, Ms. Camarda can be found darkening her tan at the beach or participating in any sort of outdoor physical activity. Being a former varsity athlete herself, she continues to enjoy playing volleyball, basketball, or softball. More recently, she practices hot pilates and hot yoga. Absolutely anything athletic or outdoorsy fits Ms. Camarda’s interests like a glove.

Dealing with her own sports-related injuries during her high school years, Ms. Camarda has become an advocate for encouraging her students to stay both mentally and physically healthy and most importantly, making sure they succeed. Inspired by the kindness of her own teachers, she stands as a beam of support for students at Great Neck South. “My PE, health teachers, coaches, and guidance counselors always went above and beyond to make sure I was passing my classes and I was doing okay. So because of that, they inspired me to do the same for my students and players.”

She deeply understands the struggles her players face on a personal level. Struggling with her own self-deprecation, Ms. Camarda always encourages her players to “be a goldfish,” a saying the team holds very close to their hearts. “A goldfish has a 10-second memory. So if during a game, or during a drill, you mess up and you get in your head about it, you only start messing up even more. Just like a goldfish, let it go, move on and rely on your teammates to pick you up. Focus on the next point, not what’s in the past.”

Often referred to as the “best coach ever” by her players, she also heavily emphasizes the importance of collaboration and communication in any sport, especially for volleyball. “Having the girls become close with one another on the team, we make team bonding super important. It actually helps us become successful as a group and as individuals. We consider ourselves a family.”

Ms. Camarda’s selflessness is just one of her many attributes that shines through in both her coaching and teaching. “I put the team first no matter what. We all went through a lot this season, but each player was there for one another as well as there for me too. I know they appreciate me.”

Mrs. Candice Chan

By Ayaan Efat

From sleeping in tents in Africa and seeing animals up close, to zip-lining in Costa Rica and finishing 22 out of her “30 Things To Do before 30” bucket list, Mrs. Candice Chan, the new office staff associative, has seemingly done it all.

Growing up in Bayside, Queens and graduating from Townsend Harris High School, Mrs. Chan chose a traditional college and career route, with sights set on majoring in Marketing and International Business at New York University (NYU). What Mrs. Chan didn’t know was that her path was about to veer sharply in a new direction. 

Her story took an unexpected turn when she faced a tragic loss at the age of 22—the passing of her mother. “I had to become an adult really fast. I feel like when you’re in your twenties, even though you’re ‘considered an adult,’ you still need guidance; you still yearn for that parental support. I feel like I had to self-learn a lot, and it taught me not to sweat the small stuff,” she said. The passing of Mrs. Chan’s mother left her with an extremely valuable lesson: life is both precious and short. She chose to honor her mother’s memory by embracing the beauty of life and living it to the fullest. Her adventure-filled life started all with a bucket list. She called it her “30 Things To Do before 30” bucket list.

Only being in her twenties, Mrs. Chan started locally with a cross country trip that began in South Dakota, with stops at Mount Rushmore; Yellowstone National Park, Montana; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Salt Lake City, Utah; and ending in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mrs. Chan also did a 35-mile bike tour in NYC.

Mrs. Chan has traveled the world: going to Belize with her college friend, doing an African Safari in Kenya with another college friend and seeing exotic animals up close, all the way to skydiving in Long Island and ziplining in the rainforests of Costa Rica. She’s also been to Korea, France, Japan, England, and honeymooned with her husband in Bora Bora—where she stayed in an overwater bungalow.  

Although she enjoyed taking fun trips with friends all over the world, Mrs. Chan also emphasizes how important it is for her to prioritize herself. She has taken salsa classes and pottery classes on her own, all as a means of learning “to be comfortable doing things [herself].” To financially support these adventures, Mrs. Chan had an accomplished decade-long career in corporate retail working for companies such as Bloomingdale’s, Ann Taylor, and Coach.

One of the key lessons that Mrs. Chan got from her mother’s passing was the importance of cherishing relationships. Her own children serve as a significant source of inspiration. “I felt very protected having my mother around, and I think my children feel that way, and it goes back to why I want to raise them to be good adults, so that if something happens, they can stand on their own two feet.” Mrs. Chan devotes all of her time to her two daughters. 

Mrs. Chan feels like the word that best describes her is well-balanced. Although she has lived a life with adventure and memorable experiences, one thing that she emphasized was being responsible. “While I’ve had adventurous experiences in my youth, it was important to me to remain responsible and accountable. As a parent to two daughters, I strive to instill a balance of a good work ethic and responsibility while ensuring that as kids, they get to be kids and play and have fun.” 

“I think that while you’re young, before you have a family and before you have kids, it’s important to experience life. And in your twenties, I think it’s important to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, whether it’s a career choice, a school choice, or maybe not going the norm that everybody else is going. Walk your own path, make your own choices. Logically and rationally of course! With good reason, but also having fun, if you have the opportunity to travel and have different experiences, I find that experiences are more important than material goods and will leave memories that you can carry forever.”

Ms. Amber Chen

By Victoria Wu

Standing before her students, Ms. Amber Chen remembers when she was in the same position: an ambitious student eager to ace her exams. She frequently thinks about “whatever [she] was doing in class compared to what [her] students do to [her].” Her experiences—growing up nearby and holding the same academic drive—allow her to relate to her students. Although not all of them want to delve into the field of science, she hopes to bond with her students and affect their lives for the better, even if it’s just a tiny bit.

All branches of science enthrall Ms. Chen, tracing back to high school: she has roots in biology, chemistry, and physics. A graduate of North High, Ms. Chen attended Stony Brook University, later transferring to the University of Michigan to pursue biochemistry and obtain a Bachelor of Education degree. Having been inspired by her AP Chemistry teacher, she also enjoys being a positive influence for her students. “I feel like being a teacher is really satisfying for me,” she said, “Especially for science, because when I was back in high school, it’s not something that’s covered as important for women.” 

Ms. Chen’s favorite aspect of teaching is interacting with her students. “Luckily, I got students that like talking to me a lot, and we’re not only talking about classes,” she said. “Sometimes they also talk about colleges or their concerns about it or their hobbies.” She is still getting used to being friendly with students while simultaneously keeping a professional distance.

In her free time, Ms. Chen watches soccer and anime, plays videogames, and practices drums. “I have learned [drums] for twenty years already, so it’s something embedded in my life,” she said. “I haven’t got the chance to share my interest in drumming with [my students] yet. Maybe later in the [school year].” 

Ms. Chen describes her first impressions of South High positively. “It’s an amazing place,” she said, adding, “I feel like my stereotypical image is [that] it’s competitive. Everyone just likes learning, learning, learning. But I realized there’s actually a lot of fantastic activities going on.” She noted all the fundraising held, something she felt was lacking in her high school, and how the bubble tea is always sold out so quickly. “I didn’t get the chance to buy it every time I went out,” she said.

She also highly praises South students, saying that “every student here is really concentrated” and that they have eased her adjustment. “They’re all really friendly. They’re trying to help you as students, which is the most fantastic thing that you don’t get that often in schools.”

Ms. Jessica Cuevas Alba

By Joanne Lee

Growing up in a large family in Mexico cemented the importance of deep-rooted connection and relationships for her. Although now over a thousand miles from her family, Ms. Jessica Cuevas Alba’s core values have stayed the same.

Ms. Cuevas Alba, the new Spanish teacher, always felt that she would be teaching. As she puts it, “I always had that feeling. The same way I knew I wasn’t going to be in my hometown forever, I kind of felt that I was eventually going to leave. That feeling didn’t make sense then, but you have to listen to your intuition.” Ms. Cuevas Alba’s passion for teaching started back when she was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science in her hometown, which required her to teach some classes. In the United States, she has taught computer classes for ENL students, and now she teaches Spanish classes for high schoolers.

Ms. Cuevas Alba has been inspired by the many teachers she has had over the years. In college, when she was struggling in math class, her teacher would answer all of her questions regardless of how long it took. She recalls, “That really inspired me because it was his time; he wasn’t getting paid for that, but he really wanted me to learn.” She finds teaching to be rewarding when her students are enthusiastic to learn, and she wants to help her students just like her math teacher did for her.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Cuevas Alba enjoys doing yoga, going for walks on the beach, and cooking (especially tamales). She also frequently calls her family who lives in Mexico, as family is important to her. She admits that it has been hard being apart from them, but she tries to stay connected to them as much as possible, in passing moments like when she is driving back home.

Ms. Cuevas Alba also values emotional connection in her teaching. When talking about her students, she unconsciously grins as she depicts memories of her past classes. Ms. Cuevas Alba puts in effort to make learning fun, recounting when she taught second grade and created a pretend airplane travel scenario with passports. On her desk is a handmade diorama for Día de los Muertos, which she plans to use in her upcoming lessons.

Ms. Cuevas Alba is motivated and excited for the future, especially to see the progress of her students and their interest in Spanish: “I’m trying to motivate the students to learn Spanish. Besides me teaching them, I want them to be interested in the culture and the language.”

Dr. Scott Eckers

By Phoebe Mark

The spotlight shines on a bespectacled young man in a collared shirt and sweater vest entering the stage. The audience members are overtaken with warm emotions as the man sings a heartfelt confession to his lover. This young man is none other than Dr. Scott Eckers, performing his all-time favorite lead role as Seymour in the musical Little Shop of Horrors.

As a social studies teacher who enjoys teaching world history at South High and American history at North, Dr. Eckers has always been drawn to the subject. Growing up in both East Meadow and a part of Sullivan County called Swan Lake, his exposure to many different cultures and groups has impacted him in terms of understanding backgrounds and cultures as a history teacher. Dr. Eckers wishes to influence his students in the same way by helping them understand how to get engaged in civics and their community. “I hope that my students can really come to appreciate different people’s ways of thinking and their cultures and understand everybody. I think if more Americans understood everybody in the world, we’d have far fewer wars and conflicts and hate for each other.”

Initially considering computer science as a major, Dr. Eckers turned towards teaching after an internship program where he mentored elementary and middle school students. He then started an extracurricular drama club in the village of Johnson City, where he really “caught the bug” for teaching. Before coming to Great Neck, he spent years as a member on the East Meadow Board of Education, a teacher at Binghamton University, an administrative chair of social studies in the East Williston School District, and even a middle school principal at a private school. Finding himself drawn to the classroom, he came to Great Neck a year later to teach.

“Nobody closes their door and says, ‘Okay, it’s my class, and that’s it.’ You’re always working with people in terms of your team or your department, and I like the interaction with other people.” To Dr. Eckers, inspiring young people to be their best both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities is very rewarding. He also loves the fresh start that the fall brings with the new school year, providing a new opportunity for both students and teachers for a renewal.

Dr. Eckers hopes to be viewed as a complex thinker, not limited to preconceived notions or neat little boxes in terms of subjects like politics. “I think it’s important for everybody to really be their own person and form their own opinions and not just go along with what their crowd goes along with.”

Everything theater-related, he’s your man. From stage lighting and sound design, to singing and performing, Dr. Eckers is an expert on both sides of the curtain. Performing in many shows growing up, he went on to do lots of regional community theater productions and sang in nightclubs throughout the Borscht Belt Catskills for many years. He ultimately got an equity card to be a professional actor and is on the board of the New York State Theatre Education Association, where he advocates for theater education. Here in Great Neck, he is immensely involved in the theater program at North as well as many recent productions at South. Dr. Eckers has pursued his passions outside of education as well. He has written two books on the history of his hometown of East Meadow, dedicating several years to research. This author of Hidden History of East Meadow has curated a local history museum and helped create historical markers.

Throughout Dr. Eckers’s career in education, certain moments have stayed with him. He has heard from students whom he had over 20 years ago telling him how much they enjoyed his class and how they apply the information he taught in their own careers and lives. “I think that it makes it worthwhile when you get a little note from somebody saying you know, thank you.”

Ms. Michelle Fast

By Ash Chung

As a third-generation teacher in her family, Ms. Michelle Fast has been surrounded by teachers her whole life. Her grandmother was a social studies teacher and a guidance counselor; her mother was a speech teacher; and two of her aunts were teachers as well. “I had a lot of inspiration with all of the amazing women in my life,” Ms. Fast said. It’s not a surprise that she would end up at South High as a social studies special education teacher.

Before teaching, Ms. Fast worked in a law office, but she knew that it wasn’t a good fit for her. “I just felt like everything when you work in business is about clients, about money,” she said. “It really wasn’t about putting people first, and I knew that was something that I really cared about.” Ms. Fast wanted to make an impact on others. She wasn’t happy sitting behind a desk and looking at numbers when she wanted to be prioritizing people and having those interactions.

Ms. Fast had always been interested in history: getting her bachelors from SUNY University at Albany, her masters in social studies from Hofstra University, and her post master’s advanced certificate in teaching students with disabilities from Queens College. Before coming to the Great Neck district, Ms. Fast worked in a private school. She currently teaches at both North and South High, and though she never went to either school herself, she did have some friends that went to North since she grew up in East Meadow, which isn’t too far from Great Neck.

Ms. Fast is aware that many students at South High have issues falling asleep and that they have a lot of work to do. “It’s important to keep a good balance to make sure you’re putting yourself first and that you are prioritizing your mental health,” said Ms. Fast. To her, students taking care of themselves is a top priority. She understands that students want to get into good colleges and that it takes effort. “[But] you’re not gonna learn anything if you’re tired and hungry.” If students don’t have a lunch period, “go get lunch during [her] period.” Ms. Fast is there to help students: She doesn’t want to make their lives harder, she wants to make them a little easier.

Outside of school, Ms. Fast enjoys playing board games with her husband, biking, and cooking. She loves trying new dishes when she cooks. “It’s a great way to explore other cultures from your own home,” said Ms. Fast. She also has two cats that she and her husband adopted from a shelter. Callie, a tortoiseshell, and Sammy, a tabby/calico mix, are two-and-a-half years old now. Ms. Fast is a fan of Taylor Swift as well: Her current favorite song is “Karma,” and around 85% of what she listens to now are Taylor Swift songs.

Ms. Fast is ready to help students, especially when it comes to finding a balance between their mental health and their schoolwork. “Don’t be afraid to speak up,” Ms. Fast said. “Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers. We are here to help you apply different strategies so that you can learn. Everyone learns in a different way.”

Mr. Christian Guevara
By Sam Fong

A former wide receiver for the Glen Cove High School football team, Coach Christian Guevara was influenced by his own coaches to become a physical education teacher and coach. “I want to be a teacher to help out students who need it,” he said. His main goal is “to teach [the students] about integrity and how to become a better individual.”

As a teacher and coach, Coach Guevara emphasizes the connections between sports and life. He believes that everything you do in PE class—from counting reps to cooperating with team members—teaches you important life lessons. Coach Guevara aims to maintain a positive atmosphere. “I like cracking jokes,” he said. “I like putting a smile on your faces and just making sure that you guys are okay.”

This year, Coach Guevara coaches football at Glen Cove High School, where he played just seven years ago. He enjoys helping the athletes improve their physical skills and character. Coach Guevara is proud that Glen Cove’s football team reached the playoffs this year for the first time in a while.

Before coming to South High, Coach Guevara worked as a PE teacher at Lakeville Elementary School. When he first came to South, he was very confused about the layout. He had trouble finding many of the gyms and classrooms where he needed to be the substitute teacher. He said, “It’s one confusing school. The first day I came in here I was like, where’s the gym? Where’s the main entrance? Where’s the exit? Which is the West Gym? Which is the East Gym?” But the welcoming community helped him navigate the confusing corridors. He noticed that everyone gave him a warm welcome and all the students were super polite. “They’re very kind and genuine. The kids are awesome.”

Outside of school, Coach Guevara has many hobbies as well. He enjoys working out and watching football. He likes the simple things in life, taking walks and spending time with loved ones. “[This includes] basically anything that involves me moving around and spending time with people that I care about most.”

Ms. Amanda Kenigsberg
By Maksim Goodman

When many of us were asked as kindergarteners, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, we said things like baseball player, firefighter, chef, and Spiderman. But not Ms. Amanda Keningsberg. She always knew she wanted to be a teacher. “I love helping others and learning. And with teaching, you never stop learning,” she said.

Ms. Kenigsberg chose to teach special education so she “[could] help the most students.” She loves directly helping students understand subjects and ideas, which is why she was a special education one-to-one TA in an elementary school and a high school. She also values the opportunity to teach students to be self-advocates, a skill that will serve them long after they graduate from high school.

Ms. Kenigsberg was most inspired by her ninth-grade algebra teacher, Ms. Carmen. “[Ms. Carmen] was always so exciting; she loved math and loved teaching, and it really made me love math and love teaching math,” Ms. Kenigsberg said. One thing that Ms. Kenigsberg learned from Ms. Carmen is that students “can still have fun learning even if learning is hard for them.”

Outside of school, Ms. Kenigsberg loves doing yoga, reading books, doing puzzles, and especially going on hikes. “I travel far to go on different hikes and took a two week Pacific Northwest hiking trip this summer.” Some of her favorite hiking spots are in Utah, where she has been to all five national parks. She has been to 13 total national parks.

Though Ms. Kenigsberg loves teaching and has many hobbies, she does believe that “teaching is not as easy as most people see, or think that it might be.” Being a teacher can be extremely stressful, and keeping lessons fun and exciting is no easy job. “Sometimes when students are going through things, you feel responsible for helping them and that can really take a toll on your mental health when you leave school.”

Even though teaching is challenging, Ms. Keningberg’s passion for the career motivates her every day. “I definitely try to show my students how much I love teaching. And we can have fun while learning, even when it’s hard.”

Ms. Joanne Kostopoulos
By Brian Liu

She’s a Ted Lasso fan, a Rangers fan, and a die-hard Swiftie. Having followed Taylor Swift since her origin as a country-pop star, Ms. Kostopolous has several favorite songs, including “Willow,” “Bejeweled,” and “Delicate.” If you pass by a sea of soothing Squishmallows and find Ms. Joanne Kostopoulos swimming around, you aren’t lost: She now works at South High.

Growing up in Queens, Ms. Kostopoulos first attended Bayside High School before enrolling at Hofstra University. And you probably never would have guessed, but she started off as a business major. So how did she end up teaching English? The answer winds down a long path.

After Ms. Kostopoulos graduated, she initially worked in an advertising firm before taking a stab at law; however, neither profession felt right for her. By chance, she reconnected with the possibility of a career in education when she remembered her experience working at camp. “I really enjoyed helping kids and working with them,” she said. After completing her master’s degree at Hofstra, she began working as a student teacher at Herricks before finally landing a job at South Middle.

Because Ms. Kostopoulos became a sort of permanent fixture there, who could have guessed she would have ended up teaching high school? Ms. Kostopoulos cites her reason for the transition as the desire to take on a new challenge. “Change pushes you to do things differently . . . I have to adjust and try new things and change what I used to do.” Though she is teaching different novels, she still wants to incorporate a safe space where everyone can accumulate fond memories of enjoying class while still learning and being challenged.

So how well is her transition to South High going? Even though she expected to adapt to a significantly different environment, seeing her former students made that changeover easier than expected. “The reception was really lovely because a third of this building most likely had me as an eighth-grade teacher,” Ms. Kostopoulos explains.

For Ms. Kostopoulos, students aren’t just here to learn; they’re here to be supported and understood. “Everyone should feel seen and have a voice so that they feel like they’re in a space that’s comfortable,” Ms. Kostopoulos says. “I want to connect [with my students] because when I was younger, I was very insecure, and I didn’t have a lot of friends. And I sometimes noticed in my own students that the way to make them feel comfortable and make friends is to have a teacher who can help nurture [their belonging].”

Ms. Peri Litt
By Lana Miao

Ms. Peri Litt sits across from me, hands clasped loosely in her lap. She leans slightly to her left and smiles, giving a small wave. We’re stationed in the AV room, and we have to talk a little louder to be heard over Great Neck South’s passing period bustle. Ms. Litt’s voice, though it leans toward the softer side, has a bright edge to it typical of people who know what they’re doing. With a quietly self-assured nod, Ms. Litt both confirms my musings and signals her readiness. Though I’m asking the questions, the interview begins at her cue.

A graduate of Hunter College and a current student at Queens College, Ms. Litt is kicking off her education career as Great Neck South High’s library teaching assistant. Though perhaps “kicking off” isn’t the right phrase to use—Ms. Litt has considerable experience in education, specifically at The Autism Society, a learning center for adults with cognitive disabilities. She worked at their Taiwan branch while studying abroad, making lesson supports for their classrooms and organizing a fundraising event for World Autism Day. Her fluency in Mandarin, which she has passionately studied since middle school, made communication easy.

“I’ve always been really self-motivated,” Ms. Litt says. “It’s just innate in me to be proactive and go after things I’m interested in… When I was younger, I wanted to study Chinese, for instance. I went all the way with it.”

With a degree in Chinese Language and Literature (and another degree in Psychology), Ms. Litt certainly has gone all the way. Her proficiency in Mandarin currently allows her to help new students who are more comfortable speaking Mandarin than English. She teaches them to set up their iPads, use Notability, work out school lunch payments, get new ID cards—the list goes on. With a natural inclination toward both language and teaching, this job seemed inevitable. And perhaps it was—Ms. Litt’s mother is a teacher, and her father works in IT. Blend these two career paths, and you get Ms. Litt: a student-involved, tech-smart library TA.

“I definitely think my mom [influenced me].” I grew up seeing her and all her endeavors in the classroom, and it was very inspiring to see her learn new things. Teaching is one of those careers where you never stop learning. You have to keep learning in order to teach others, you know?”

Ms. Litt’s passion for knowledge has carried over into her personal life. In her free time, she is a voracious reader. Though she is currently working at Great Neck South and pursuing a grad school education, she has, in true librarian fashion, somehow found the time to read seven books at once. Ms. Litt is also fond of eclectic music, vintage clothing, and thrifting. Her love for thrifting arose when a middle school friend showed her a thrift haul video on YouTube, and thanks to thrifting’s sustainability aspect, this love has only grown. To top this all off, Ms. Litt enjoys arts and crafts. But not any old arts and crafts—she owns both a drop spindle and a rigid heddle loom. She does, of course, needle felt the occasional tiny creature, though.

Ms. Litt has enjoyed her time at Great Neck South High so far, and she hopes she’ll keep enjoying it. “I think Great Neck South is the perfect place for me to begin my career as an educator, and I feel like I’m getting a lot of valuable experience and lessons here. Pretty much all the teachers I’ve encountered are teaching me things… I just hope to always do something that makes me happy. I really don’t want a job that I dread, so if I’m going to be spending so much time doing something, I want to be passionate about it, and I want to enjoy it. And I really do feel like I enjoy this.”
Ms. Litt has had to cut herself loose from unfulfilling situations in the past, though. After realizing that a prior teaching program was not serving her, she made the difficult decision to withdraw from it. “I was sobbing when I did it, but I’ve been so much happier since. . . . That was a huge turning point for me.”

Knowing when to let go is an essential life skill, but it is incredibly difficult to learn. However, Ms. Litt, not even out of grad school, has developed a personal philosophy that has helped her live life on her own terms.

“It’s hard to know what you want. It’s hard to know what the right choice—if there even is a right choice—is. But knowing what you don’t want is a huge part of knowing what you do want, and sometimes it’s much easier to know what you don’t want. Let that guide you.”

Ms. Nicole Miranda
By Charlene Lin

Each day is nothing short of hectic for Ms. Nicole Miranda as she begins her mornings power walking to start her first class of the day at South High. Between South High’s fifth and sixth periods, she runs to South Middle but returns to South High before the day ends. Her busy schedule reflects her genuine desire to teach her students and to help them grow and achieve.

Ms. Miranda, a recent addition to the South High School Social Studies Department, teaches ninth-grade Global History at South High and seventh-grade Social Studies at South Middle. While pursuing her undergraduate studies at Molloy University, Ms. Miranda grappled with choosing a focus subject for her education major, wavering between social studies and English several times. Driven by her deep passion and interest in history, she eventually graduated with a degree in social studies education. Following her graduation, she embarked on her professional journey in Great Neck, enthusiastic to connect with students.

Ms. Miranda prioritizes building connections with her students and supporting them through various challenges. “When a student struggles, I find it challenging because I genuinely care about my students’ success. Whether they struggle academically, personally, or socially, I immediately brainstorm ways to support and help them,” she said. Ms. Miranda’s impactful support was evident when a student sought her guidance through personal drama with friends. She not only provided guidance on navigating the complexities of teenage relationships but also explored ways to prevent similar issues in the future.

In both the classroom and in her personal life, Ms. Miranda’s vibrant personality shines through. Ms. Miranda’s habit of using different decorative attachments for the straw of her Stanley Cup and spontaneous jokes create an engaging atmosphere. Outside of school, she finds solace in nature through serene hikes and deeply cherishes diverse music genres. Moreover, her passion for reading mysteries and fantasy books, currently centered on the magical world of Harry Potter, underscores her love for literature.

In the heart of Ms. Miranda’s classroom, the walls echo with vibrant discussions on the French Revolution, World War Two, and the Cold War. As her students engage passionately, her love for history permeates the atmosphere. Ms. Miranda emphasized that in teaching, unlike a predictable nine-to-five job, every day brings unexpected and exciting moments in the classroom. Ms. Miranda said, “There’s something really special about being able to work with the youth, our future generation.”

Mr. Matthew Rosenberg

By Zachary Dorf

The house is pitch dark. As the music plays, the audience lives collectively in one singular moment with the stage, unaware of the magic behind the curtains. For the last five minutes of the show, Mr. Matt Rosenberg couldn’t even breathe—the intensity of those final but unbelievably crucial moments gripped him with the pressure to be perfect. The pressure to hit the lights and sound correctly, the pressure to ensure every single key, switch, and button is twisted, flicked, and tapped in precise time with the musicians. This is not just stage crew—this is stage sorcery. The wiz? Mr. Matt Rosenberg, the newest addition to South High’s performing arts department.

Mr. Rosenberg comes to South from over fifteen years of experience in theater, working for various companies across Long Island. Among his professional work, Mr. Rosenberg has been a stage manager, director, producer, and actor since his time at the BroadHollow Theater company in Elmont and East Islip, where he worked as a stage manager. After working there for seven and a halfyears, he left to join the EastLine Theatre based in Wantagh. Since then, he has expanded his work to a multitude of theaters across the island. He has directed about a dozen shows on Long Island, stage managed over a hundred, and has acted in about six plays as well. Along with his new position at South High, he is still with EastLine, now based in Babylon, as a member of their board of directors. In his own words: “I’ve done it all in Long Island theater.”

As far as working in Great Neck, this is his first real education-focused career choice, and he is ecstatic. “Oh, I am loving it. I am loving it beyond what I could’ve ever imagined it being. The faculty and staff here are wonderful. All of the students are so talented and nice and have such a great vast knowledge of what they’re doing. The tech and stage crew are extremely knowledgeable and hardworking. I know something beautiful is being created and just to be a part of that is really just wonderful.”

As Mr. Rosenberg navigates through his new position, he hopes to utilize his prior professional experience to help bring 21st-century innovations to Theater South and the performing arts department. Alongside his colleagues and student mentees, he hopes to enhance South High’s Theater department through the addition of new high-tech equipment, including but not limited to new and improved stage lighting in the Ruel E. Tucker Auditorium.

Even from his high school days, Mr. Rosenberg has always been entranced by the theater. For Mr. Rosenberg, a theater is a second home, and he wants to make it that way for each and every student under his wing. “I found the theater, and I found my home,” says Mr. Rosenberg, “and I think that is just a beautiful sentiment of why I wanted to do this, and if I could make my students and the students here at Theater South have a home to go to, then I have done my job.”

Mr. Rosenberg’s main goal is this: to share the passion that he had as a high schooler with the next generation. “The opportunity to work with young people who have the same passion that I have, and have the same passion now that I had when I was their age, and to be able to impart maybe a little bit of my knowledge on to them, is just a wonderful opportunity, and I’m really blown away that I get to do it.”

Mr. Rosenberg is extremely proud to be making his journey at South the next part of his long-winded adventure, and he is excited to apply his vast experience as a professional stage manager to South High as well. “I’m thrilled to be here. This came about at the perfect time in my life, and I cannot wait to be a part of the Theater South community for a long time to come.”

Mrs. Melissa Strugatz
By Colin Wong

She is a mother of two and loves to ski. She loves cooking and listening to audiobooks. From actuary to data analyst to math teacher at South High, Mrs. Melissa Strugatz is one of the newest additions to South High’s faculty this year.

Mrs. Strugatz has always been interested in math. When she was young, she did Sudoku puzzles and math problems with her dad. Math always came to her naturally, and she always enjoyed playing with numbers. After having her children, Mrs. Strugatz didn’t want a desk job; instead, she opted to do something she loved. “I thought about what I liked from my careers, and I realized I liked helping people. I really liked working with new interns or new hires or helping someone see a problem I had just solved,” she said. Mrs. Strugatz talked to her mom and sister, who were both teachers, to get their perspectives, and they both encouraged her to go back to school and get her masters in education.

Growing up, Mrs. Strugatz wanted to be an actuary (someone who analyzes risk). “I was probably the only 16-year-old who would say they wanted to be an actuary,” Mrs. Strugatz said. As a senior in high school, she met with her guidance counselor, who discouraged her from pursuing this career path. She was instead advised to be a math teacher or to be a stay-at-home mom because she is a woman. “I think that’s why I didn’t want to become a math teacher [initially] because no 17-year-old wants to be told they can’t do something. I wanted to prove him wrong. And I think that’s why it took me so long to become a math teacher,” she said.

Mrs. Strugatz always tries to be cheerful and optimistic, always leaving happy at the end of the day. “I want my students to see me as a positive teacher, someone who’s helpful, someone who’s encouraging them. And someone who’s letting them be, you know, enabling them to be the best student and person they can be,” said Mrs. Strugatz.

In the winter, Mrs. Strugatz likes to ski in Vermont, and in the summer she plays tennis with her friends. She also spends her time with her children, doing arts and crafts with her daughter or playing on the Nintendo Switch with her son.

Ever since Mrs. Strugatz started teaching, she has been the happiest she has been in a long time. “This makes me feel fulfilled. I leave every day having pride in what I do,” she said. “I am living the dream. This is exactly the life I want.”

Mr. Brijen Sureka
By Angela Chow

Just as his father helped and inspired him, Mr. Brijen Sureka, a new social studies TA at Great Neck South High, continuously strives to help his students improve inside the classroom and out. Mr. Sureka explains that there is more to teaching than giving out tests and lectures, there is an opportunity to look after and guide the upcoming generations.“Part of being a teacher, like instead of just being the educator, you’re there to help them throughout life,” he said.

An understanding professor who positively impacted Mr. Sureka’s high school years made him certain that he wanted to go down this career path. This professor always tended to Mr. Sureka’s needs and went out of his way to help. His teacher understood that students deal with non-academic issues and that being there for the children was important. Now, Mr. Sureka wants to be there for his students as his teacher was for him. He is always eager to answer questions and help students learn. “I’m an open book,” he said. “They can ask me anything…”

Mr. Sureka hopes all his students remember the importance of respect and community. Being a school community and appreciating each other’s opinions even if they aren’t the same as yours is something that Mr. Sureka feels strongly about. To achieve this, Mr Sureka suggests that students voice their perspectives and experiences while also being open to the perspectives of others.
When Mr. Sureka isn’t teaching, he enjoys bike rides, playing tennis, walking around museums, watching documentaries, and admiring nature. Even when he is outside of the school environment, he is always on the hunt to learn. “I like to watch documentaries, especially about history that we don’t get to really learn about in high school or college.” He has always been eager to learn and improve his knowledge. He has also always wanted to start a car company. “As a kid, I always opened up my mom’s hood of the car and looked at it,” he said. One day he would like to explore that interest, but for now he wants to put everything into teaching.

Mr. Sureka has always been willing to adapt to his students’ needs and help guide them through their years at high school. “You have to always see the good in people,” he said.

Ms. Lige Zhaomu
By Sohpia Wu

The blazing sun bounces off the concrete as Ms. Lige Zhaomu runs towards the finish line of a marathon; she finishes second in her age group in the 10k race. Ms. Zhaomu is a member of the Great Neck Running Club, where members share their love for running by running around South High every Sunday. She also participates in CrossFit, visits the gym almost every day, and dedicates time to her daughter—all after she gets home from teaching Chinese at South High.

Ms. Zhaomu was born and raised in Inner Mongolia and spent two decades in Beijing before immigrating to America. Ms. Zhaomu, now a Chinese teacher, has Mongolian as her native language. Growing up, Ms. Zhaomu had no thoughts of becoming a teacher, despite both her parents being teachers. “I never liked [the idea of becoming a teacher] because my mom and dad are teachers. My dad is a professor at university, and my mom is an elementary school teacher, and their jobs [seemed] so boring.” Because of this, her parents never encouraged her to become a teacher.

Ms. Zhaomu’s journey to becoming a teacher in Great Neck originally started with a job involving coding. (Her favorite subject in school was math.) Then, she worked at Microsoft as a marketing account manager for more than 10 years. A few years after coming to New York, Ms. Zhaomu decided it was time for a career change, primarily because she had become a mother for the first time. “I wanted to learn more about the education system here,” she said. Ms. Zhaomu secured a part-time job as a Chinese teacher, where she discovered a genuine passion for this job. Ms. Zhaomu then attended Hofstra University, where she received her master’s degree.

She worked in the North Shore School District before she came to Great Neck South. A difference between these two schools lies in the students’ interests. In North Shore schools, the focus is more on the cultural aspects of China, since the population of students who take Chinese is predominantly non-native speakers. However, at Great Neck South, students already have a solid understanding of Chinese culture. As a result, Ms. Zhaomu aims to enhance and expand their vocabulary and go deeper into more advanced aspects of the Chinese language.

Ms. Zhaomu has taught students from sixth to twelfth grade. Regarding South High students, she said, “Here, all the kids have the motivation to learn. I love that they have passion. They can all be engaged in my class.” Ms. Zhaomu loves being with kids, and talking to them about their lives and interests no matter what grade the students are in. Ms. Zhaomu wants to inspire them to be positive—because that’s why she loves teaching.

At South High, Ms. Zhaomu wants to share Chinese culture. In the future, Ms. Zhaomu would love to fulfill her dreams of running a marathon in different countries. She also loves traveling, especially to warm-weather locales like Cancun. Ms. Zhaomu also dreams of being able to observe how other teachers teach in different countries. “I am really just so happy. I always stay positive. I don’t like to keep memorizing the bad moments. I want my kids to be positive.”