Nicole Buongiorno

Tell us why you became a teacher

Teaching is in my blood. My grandfather and mother were teachers in Italy, and while I was in high school, I held a position as a dance teacher, and that sealed the deal for me. From that moment on, I wanted to work with the you and inspire them to be positive influences in today's society and that of the future.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I have many memorable teaching experiences! From Teacher Lip Sync Battles to science field trips in Catalina and San Francisco, but if I had to share one moment, it would be when my 6th grade ELA students performed scenes from Shakespeare's Play, The Taming of the Shrew. They recorded their production and dressed the part in what is called a "Tableau" or "Freeze Frame". I was so proud of the dedication and creativity in their preparation and performance.

What would you do with the $25,000?

This generous fund could help support my whole team of teachers! We are at a public school that is facing a budget crisis, so teachers are working closely to build our school's academic integrity as well as bring in as many new students as possible to join our dedicated and highly experienced staff of educators. Together, we could use this money to update the interior designs of our classrooms for an upgraded experience for o students, or we could take our students on a memorable field trip.