With the 2020-2021 school year underway, Hawthorne High School is home to 11 new teachers. One of these wonderful new additions to the HHS family is Ms. Nicolaou, who teaches History…

CLARION: Where did you go to college?

MS. NICOLAOU: I attended Rutgers University. I visited the school as a freshman in high school while my sister was touring colleges, and I fell in love! I knew right from that visit that I wanted to go to Rutgers, and I was so confident in that decision that it was the only school I applied to!

CLARION: Why did you decide to become a teacher?

MS. NICOLAOU: I always wanted to be a teacher, I feel like it’s my calling. Even when I was a little kid, I enjoyed teaching different things to others. I knew I wanted to teach history because I’m a self-proclaimed history nerd, so there was never any doubt that this was the career path for me.

CLARION: What classes do you teach here at HHS?

MS. NICOLAOU: I teach 4 sections of World History CP, as well as 2 sections of US I CP.

CLARION: How are you doing with the hybrid schedule due to Coronavirus?

MS. NICOLAOU: It’s definitely been an adjustment for everyone. Trying to plan assignments for classes that you only see in person 1 day a week is challenging. It’s so important to stay organized, but I’m getting used to this new routine.

CLARION: If you were not a teacher, what job would you love to have?

MS. NICOLAOU: I would be a chef, because I love to cook! I would love to have my own breakfast/lunch eatery that combines both of my backgrounds, Greek and Puerto Rican, and serve some of my favorite dishes.

CLARION: Do you have any fun facts that you would like to share?

MS. NICOLAOU: My sister and I are adopting a dog together soon, we’ve always wanted one! I’m also really good at accents, especially British and Scottish.

So there you have it, an interview with Hawthorne High School’s very own Ms. Nicolaou!