NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Alyssa Dembek, who has taught English at New Rochelle High School for eight years, has been named a 2017 Educator of Excellence by the New York State English Council.
“I try to make English fun for students who don’t always love English,” Dembek said.
The honorees from across the state are being celebrated today at a luncheon in Albany.
Dembek is known for more than her English lessons. She is also the coach of the varsity volleyball team that has wowed fans with a 16-0 season.
Dembek talks with equal passion about teaching and coaching.
“I love when I see kids understand a difficult task – that lightbulb moment,” she said. As for sports, she added, “To see a player learn a particular skill and then put that into practice in a game is just amazing.”
She likes to connect literature to students’ lives. When her students study The Glass Menagerie, for instance, she highlights the aspect of unsettled pasts with a poem, the “Ex-Basketball Player,” by John Updike and an article about a promising NBA player who wound up working in a fast food restaurant.
“One of the qualities that makes Alyssa such an outstanding teacher and coach is the profound respect she has for her students,” said New Rochelle High School Principal Reginald Richardson. “She also has shown the remarkable ability to develop high quality, rigorous lessons while making sure the material is relevant and accessible to all of her kids.”
The New York State English Council congratulated Dembek on her award with a letter. “You have implemented best practices that you know to be true, and challenged your students to become skillful readers and writers,” the letter read. “Your work has shown a dedication to your own learning and to your profession that inspires your students and your colleagues.”