Ms. Zangrilli and Her Impact on Gen Z

RACHEL DEANDREA, Contributing Writer

Ms. Victoria (Tori) Zangrilli is relatively new, as this is only her third year at NBTHS. Despite this, she has already made quite an impact on her students. Zangrilli works in the history department teaching U.S. History II, and this year she took over teaching the elective Gen Z!

Gen Z debuted as a course last year, taught by Mr. Ryan Watters, before Zangrilli took over. It is a very fun course that talks about the many events that took place from the 90s through the 2000s. It features units about the politics, economics, demographics, the changing tech industry, and even pop culture in America during the time period of Generation Z.

Teaching such a unique course does not come without challenges, however. The course curriculum was first developed by Watters, but Zangrilli explained that, as she has taken over, she has personalized most of the lessons. She says, "The process of teaching and developing the new course has been fun, but still challenging. If you think about it,  I was a little kid when a lot of the content I am teaching now happened, and when I was in school, my history classes never covered these recent years. So, at first, I was very unfamiliar with a lot of the content, and I am still learning more and more each day."

Zangrilli's hard work in developing the course and overall as a teacher is reflected by the many positive things her students have to say about her! Senior Mariah Murry-Hicks, who had Zangrilli for Gen Z last semester, describes her experiences with Zangrilli by saying, "She is really fun to be around and she truly cares that all her students do well in her classes" and says that "because she's closer to our age, she's more relatable than most teachers in the building." Abby Eisner, a senior, had Zangrilli for both U.S. History II and again for Gen Z, and says, "She's a great listener, such a fun person in general, and the work she gives and her lessons are easy to follow!"

Overall, Ms. Zangrilli has left an impression on many students throughout her few years at NBTHS. Her bright, fun personality, as well as her relatable mannerisms, make all students feel welcome and accepted. Her ability to take a subject that many find uninteresting and approach it in a way that is fun, unique, and enjoyable is truly revolutionary! She says, "Even though I can't retire for another 41 years, I couldn't be happier with where I am now!"