Mr. Rosenberg recently retired in June 2016 and was a beloved art teacher by many of his co-workers and students. However, Hawthorne High School has hired a new art teacher named Ms. Rachel Ambrogio. You may have seen her face around town before since she has lived in Hawthorne all her life and even graduated from Hawthorne High School. With school just beginning, many of her students have quickly grown to know her as a great teacher. As said by many of her students, they enjoy coming to her class because they are able to relax and have a good time while still focusing on their artwork.

The Clarion has had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Ambrogio and asked her,” What inspired you to become an art teacher?”

She stated,” When I was a freshman I had Ms. Russo and Mr. Rosenberg…and from then on I realized that art was my passion and that being an art teacher is the coolest job ever….teaching at Hawthorne High School is my dream job.”

From an early age, Ms. Ambrogio knew she was always interested in the arts. At one point in her life she wished to be part of the fashion world, but soon realized that this was not the path she had wanted to go down. Instead, she began to recognize her talent as an artist and began to draw almost everyday. She then said,”Once I knew I wanted to pursue an art degree I knew I wanted to be a teacher as well.”

Aside from her new teaching job, she has also been promoted as the new freshman volleyball coach of Hawthorne High. Trying to get adjusted to a new routine can be stressful enough, but she still manages to devote much of her time towards her girls on the court. From attending countless practices and games, she has watched her girls grow each and every day to become a better player. The Clarion then asked,”How do you balance being a first time teacher and coaching the freshman volleyball team?”

She responded back by saying,”I love teaching and I love Volleyball. In college I worked two jobs and went to school full time so I feel like I need to be busy. I have a very strong work ethic and I am driven to be the best art teacher/ coach I can be. I try not to stress the small stuff, take one day at a time, learn from my mistakes, and I ask a lot of questions, that’s how I balance teaching and coaching.”

We can see that Ms. Ambrogio is a hardworking person who is dedicated to her job on and off the court. Both the students and faculty are glad to welcome her back to Hawthorne High School and can happily say she is an official bear once again.