Being an educator is much more than teaching students from a textbook. It is about making a connection and impact on their students that will stick with them for years to come. North English teacher Julie Fornelli always wants to make a strong connection with her students and wants the best for them. 

Teaching was basically her first job, and she was inspired by Mr. Rideout, her high school junior year English teacher. After Fornelli took that class, she fell in love with the idea of becoming a teacher.

“I had a lot of ideas of what I wanted to be growing up, but Junior year is what flipped the switch,” Fornelli stated. “My teacher was very eccentric and passionate about English which inspired me to pursue teaching.”

Finding which education level suited her the best took some time. She has taught at the middle school level, but she really enjoys teaching older students because of the discussions and lessons that she can teach them.

“I like teaching high school because of the conversations we have,” Fornelli said. “The universal themes presented in the stories we read provides a way to talk about truth even when reading fiction.” 

Fornelli has made an impact on her students, and she goes out of her way to make that connection with her students. She wants to meet every one of her student’s feels included no matter how hard she might have to try to get them to open up.

“I make sure I can do all I can to meet my student’s needs,” Fornelli said. “Everyone has different needs and I know I may not be able to cater to all their needs, but I do what I can to connect and watching my students grow is the best feeling.”

For students, coming to a new school or moving up a grade level can bring a lot of uncertainty. When they first step into the classroom, they never know what to expect. There are some teachers that help the students feel comfortable and make them excited to learn. Current students like freshman Gavin Seno feel lucky to have Fornelli as a teacher that makes him excited and ready to learn.

“With the whole online situation, I think it’s been hard for any teacher to make a huge impact on students,” Seno said. “However, I do already appreciate the teaching style of Mrs. Fornelli and her inclusiveness in class.”

Fornelli likes to know what her former students are up to and she always loves when her student update her on what they are doing in life.

“One of the joys is keeping in touch with students like ‘Hey, I had you five years ago, and now I’m doing this’, and it’s really rewarding,” Fornelli said.

Fornelli likes to bring out the best in her students and try to ignite something in her students that may have not been there in a while. She helps students rediscover a lost love for English or discover a liking for English class. She does this through her experience and her passion for teaching.

“My first impression of her was that she was very kind and really knows what she is doing,” junior Ethan Lenning said. “She also made me realize that I actually do like English class, even if sometimes I don’t enjoy specific assignments. She really helped me love English class again.” 

Fornelli wants to keep teaching as much as can before her teaching career comes to an end. She does not know where she will end up teaching to finish her career, but she does not have any plans to stop teaching. 

“I will teach until I retire,” Fornelli said. “I wonder if I will end up teaching overseas one day. There are a lot of opportunities for teaching English overseas.”

Teaching is difficult, and it is not for the faint of heart. But even though being a teacher may not be the ideal career choice for many people, there are some hard-working and passionate teachers out there. Fornelli admits that teaching is not the easiest job and offers advice to aspiring teachers.

“Become a teacher for the right reasons,” Fornelli said. “You have to deal with parents, stay after for hours and the workload isn’t always easy. So, if you are going to teach, do it for the right reasons.”