Kelsey Zammuto

Teacher: Kelsey Zammuto

Subject: Chemistry and Environmental Science

School: Hononegah Community High School (Rockton)

Teaching experience: 9 at Hononegah, 15 total

What did a nominator or recommender say about this teacher?

• “She always makes sure to hear both sides so she can correctly address conflict. She is my role model and I am now going to go into college for education because she has been such an amazing teacher to me.” – a student nomination
• “She is a caring person who understands the challenges students face as adolescents and helps them find success in her classroom, showing them that they are capable of high achievement. She understands the demands of education and uses kindness, relationship-building, effective communication and hard work to meet those demands.” – Principal letter of recommendation

What does this teacher say? “This career chose me. I wake up every morning choosing it and fighting for it just like I do for my marriage and my family. The content I teach is challenging in itself for many. I also understand that it will not be everyone’s niche, so I utilize storytelling, real world connections, humor and compassion to help them achieve understanding at the same time as encouraging the skills to make success possible. The key is helping them realize they can accomplish anything they set their minds to with effort and a little assistance. I push my students to think critically about the world around them down to the small atoms that make everything in this world possible.”

What else do we know? Last year, she helped re-initiate the Science Olympiad team, requiring hours of preparation, coaching and support, demonstrating her “dedication to providing students with opportunities to explore their interests in science, compete at high levels and develop skills that will serve them throughout their lives.” A few years ago, recognizing the importance of social and emotional wellbeing in student success, she created “Mindful Mondays,” picking a topic related to mindfulness, social health and/or emotional health. “I stress that when you are able to better care for yourself in these categories, learning becomes more accessible to the brain and challenges feel excited rather than scary.”