She might sometimes think she is toiling in relative obscurity in a second floor Huntington High School classroom, but social studies teacher Lauren Desiderio’s reputation has carried a little bit further than she ever could have imagined.
The veteran district faculty member has captured the Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award, which “recognizes educational leaders who exemplify the professional work of thousands of outstanding, progressive teachers and innovative educators striving to attain New York standards and success for all of their students,” according to the award criteria.
“Lauren continues to do an outstanding job in and beyond classroom,” Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky said. “She gets the most out of every child with whom she works. She continuously guides each in terms of finding his/her interests. She maintains the highest of expectations for all. They know that she genuinely cares about them as students and as individuals. She is a role model in every sense.”
The Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award is formally bestowed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Four state officials were on hand during a Monday afternoon high school faculty meeting to announce that Mrs. Desiderio is one of only 60 teachers out of more than 200,000 in the entire state to win the award this year.
Humbled by unexpected award
“Words cannot express how humbled I am by this unexpected award,” Mrs. Desiderio said. “I’m honored to represent Huntington High School and our entire district. Huntington is a phenomenal district to be a member of. The teachers of our district provide amazing educational opportunities that I wish were available when I was growing up! Over 10 years ago, I moved to Huntington to start my career as an educator and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”
The award carries with it a stipend of $5,000 that Mrs. Desiderio can use for future study and professional pursuits. She will have an opportunity to share her insights with other New York teachers and advise regional officials on educational trends and university leaders on teacher education.
“Lucky to work with Huntington faculty”
“I’ve received immense support over the course of my career from administrators, especially Humanities Chairman Joe Leavy and each and every one of my colleagues,” Mrs. Desiderio said. “I’m so lucky to work with the members of the Huntington High School faculty, who are not only my colleagues, but like family. They have been my support system as I’ve relied on their advice, collaboration and encouragement as I’ve pursued new lessons and professional opportunities. And most importantly, I’m thankful to my students, who challenge and make me a better teacher with every passing day. I’ve developed so many meaningful relationships with my students that I will always treasure.”
Huntington Principal Brenden Cusack nominated Mrs. Desiderio for the award. She was asked to supply a substantial amount of information about her philosophy and practices, including how she:
• Exemplifies the dedication, mission, skill, expertise and talent of outstanding teachers
• Inspires and motivates all children and makes learning exciting
• Makes a difference in children’s lives
• Levels the playing field and create a climate for learning where every child can succeed
• Holds high expectations for every student and provide access to higher levels of learning for all learners
• Prepares children for a changing economic workforce and a lifelong journey of learning
• Is a continuous learner eager to pursue professional growth opportunities throughout her career
Surprised to learn of award
Mr. Cusack learned late last year that Mrs. Desiderio was a finalist for the award. About two weeks ago, Governor Cuomo’s regional representative, Brian Sapp called to say Mrs. Desiderio had won, but that the public announcement had to wait.
Dr. Guillermo Linares, the acting president of New York State’s Higher Education Corporation along with Mr. Sapp and other state officials formally announced the award at Monday’s high school faculty meeting. Dr. Linares shared a message from Governor Cuomo during the ceremony, which came as a complete surprise to Mrs. Desiderio.
“I nominated Lauren Desiderio for her amazing work with our students both in the classroom and for her work with the National History Day initiative,” Mr. Cusack said. “Lauren goes above and beyond to bring new experiences in research and debate to her students. I am grateful to be part of such a fantastic and dedicated faculty. So many of our teachers go the extra mile every day for our students. I wish I could nominate all of them, but I am so proud that Lauren has received this prestigious award. It is truly well deserved.”
Earned BA and MA degrees at Fairfield Univ.
A graduate of Wyoming Valley West High School in Plymouth, Pennsylvania, Mrs. Desiderio obtained a BA degree at Fairfield University in political science with a minor in history. She played on Fairfield’s NCAA Division I field hockey team and was selected as the college’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2004.
Mrs. Desiderio also earned a Master of Arts degree at Fairfield in secondary education. While pursuing a graduate degree she worked in the college’s athletic department as the academic assistant for student athletes and also served as the assistant field hockey coach.
After completing her student teaching requirements at Derby High School in Derby, Connecticut, she began her teaching career at Huntington High School in 2007.
Mr. Desiderio currently teaches Advanced Placement World History, Global Regents 10 and Psychology. She’s the co-faculty advisor for the Class of 2018 and the coordinator for Huntington’s National History Day program. A Long Island History Day board member, she’s also a high school varsity field hockey coach and the vice president of the Suffolk County Field Hockey Coaches Assn.
“Get students excited about learning”
“One of my goals as an educator is to get students excited about learning,” Mrs. Desiderio said. “In order to do this I’ve strived over the years to create authentic learning opportunities for my students. One of my favorite activities that I’ve introduced over the last few years are Harkness discussions, which are entirely student-led discussions. I’ve eagerly embraced the Harkness teaching method and incorporate it as often as I can in my classroom. Harkness discussions have become one of my students’ favorite activities and perfectly reflect our classroom atmosphere of mutual respect. I’ve done my best to create an open-minded classroom where peer-to-peer interaction happens in a variety of positive and productive ways. It is wonderful to know that I’ve inspired other teachers within my department to also incorporate this teaching method with great success in their classrooms as well.”