“Samantha has started the Reading Buddies Program for our school with our high school students and elementary students. Within this program her high school students are paired up with a student from our elementary classroom. The high school students will read to their assigned elementary student and they encourage the younger students to read.”   – Lindsey Russo, Operations Manager, and Ronda Turcotte, Education Director, High Road School of Norwalk

  • BA in Hispanic Studies with a concentration in Childhood and Special Education; MS in Special Education with a concentration in Emotional and Behavioral Disability

Why did you become a teacher?
I have always had a passion for seeing others succeed. Working with children is something I have always dreamed of doing. I can proudly say I’m living the dream. The feeling I get in seeing every small achievement my students accomplish is one I cherish every day. In every bad situation, I like to find the good because my students need to see that they are capable of making positive changes in their lives and choices, and more importantly, that they have the support to do so.

What do you love most about teaching for Catapult Learning?
I love that working for Catapult Learning allows me to provide my students with what they need, when they need it; be it an incentive, emotional support, someone to talk to, someone to calm them down, a job, an appropriate education, a solution to a problem, being a Catapult Learning employee allows me to provide each one of things and more.

What is your greatest teaching success story?
My greatest teaching success story would have to be my first few months teaching high school at High Road School of Norwalk. When I was offered the position as the high school teacher, I was shocked, excited, nervous, and happy, all at the same time; I was also feeling completely unprepared. With the support of all of the staff, I was able to grow in my position and take on all of the new responsibilities the job entailed. I have enjoyed getting to learn more about adolescent education and getting to know each of my students in the process. I have learned so much about something I never thought I would ever explore, and I’m grateful that it has helped me achieve more than I thought I could.

What have you learned from your students?
My students have taught me to strive in order to succeed. When presented with an opportunity I wasn’t prepared to take on, I took it anyway. I wanted to push myself to succeed despite an education concentrated in lower grades, just as I push my students to do things they think they can’t. My students achieve many milestones despite the countless obstacles they may face. They teach me to see the potential in every situation and keep trying.