EMILY VASSALLO, English Teacher

Q:  What do you do here at Wakefield?

A:  I am an English teacher. I have one class of English 4, seniors, and I have two classes of English I, freshmen.

Q:  What brought you to Wakefield?

A:  I was born and raised on Long Island in New York. It’s a beautiful place to live but it’s also very crowded and expensive. There are not many job opportunities there so I said, “You know what, let me leave New York and start somewhere totally fresh.” I wound up coming to Wakefield because I was applying to different schools in North Carolina and this was available to me.

Q:  What made you decide to start teaching?

A:  Ever since I was a little kid, it was one of my favorite games to play to be a teacher. My dad used to tell me that he would explain something to me and I would explain it back to him in different words. I really enjoy learning new things and passing that knowledge on to other people.

Q:  What are you enjoying about Wakefield so far?

A:  I like the sense of community and the atmosphere, I’ve met some wonderful people here. All of my coworkers that I’ve interacted with are sweet, helpful, and supportive. I like the feeling that you can rely on your coworkers. I like the students too, everyone just seems friendly. I get a sense of pride from this school.

Q:  What do you like to do outside of school?

A:  I like to read young adult novels, fantasy books, and sci-fi books. I also enjoy video games that have a plot and characters. I also love music; I enjoy going to concerts and getting to see live music.

Q:  What advice do you have for students taking your class this year?

A:  I think one of the hardest things for students right now is the fact that a lot of students have been virtual and gotten into that mindset of being behind a screen and restricted to their bedroom. I think it’s important to remember that most likely everyone is feeling that way, especially freshmen, and I want my students to realize that if they would try to talk to the people around them more, they can find some new friends and enjoy school more.