Humans of North Quincy

Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Sullivan, Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, ROTC 

Conducted and Composed by  Lin L

Photo by SMSgt. Sullivan

A brand new face has appeared in the fourth floor JROTC wing. Fresh from his retirement as the senior enlisted leader of the 101st Intelligence Group, Chief Master Sgt. Sullivan begins his new journey as the NQHS Air Force JROTC program's senior aerospace science instructor(SASI). When inquired on his career change, Chief Sullivan claimed to be “closing the loop on the circle of life” as he attended QHS, which he claims to be the “superior Quincy high school” and its then AJROTC program in the 1980s. Chief Sullivan greatly enjoyed his time there, but admits that he remains “..amazed we didn’t spontaneously combust during homeroom” due to the copious amounts of Polo cologne and Aquanet. 

Presently, Chief Sullivan compares his adjustment to North Quincy High School “like drinking from a fire hose”, and he understands this overwhelming feeling all too well. Despite this, he derives his motivation from “Naysayers, Negative Nancy’s, and those who generally preach doom and gloom.” Words of pessimism push Chief Sullivan to get out of bed in the morning. However, there is something about NQHS that he despises: the stairs. Many can relate to his detestment of the morning trudge up the stairs, especially due to his location on the top level.  Additionally, his goal for the year is “..to develop [his] sleeping skilz.” Rather than running or swimming faster, Chief Sullivan aims to shorten his sleep time to match his mile time.

Now, some quick facts about Chief Sullivan! When asked to describe himself in three things, he responded, “Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica.” He served in the US Air Force for 33 years and retired on August 23, 2025. Finally, here is a fun fact about him: “My wife and I both worked at the Burger King on Burgin Parkway after school. She worked at the drive-thru and I was working fries. The goal was to be the assistant to the assistant manager, which is where the big bucks start rolling in.”

Mrs. Claire Boudreau, Science Department Chair

Conducted and Composed by  Owen T

Photo by Legacy Studios

As a teacher of 26 years and as head of the science department for 5 years, Mrs. Boudreau is definitely an expert on how the school works. Beginning her education all the way home at the University of Glasgow then going to the University of Strathclyde, then finally finishing her education at Bridgewater University. This extensive education is an example of her love of learning even with the challenges she faced in school like researching for her undergrad dissertation.

She says that the thing that drew her to being a teacher was the enjoyment of teaching kids about the topics she was passionate about. In school, Mrs. Boudreau has taught every grade in classes like biology, anatomy, and forensics and is sad to see the seniors of every year go; however, for the seniors leaving for college she recommends that they take the opportunity to ask their professors for help during their office hours. 

Outside of school Mrs. Boudreau enjoys going out with her friends, reading, and traveling around the world. Primarily however, she loves driving her kids around to their extracurricular activities. As the head of the science department Mrs. Boudreau is very well versed in school matters so don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Mr. Ardian Mici, World Languages

Conducted and Composed by Beckah H

Photo by Legacy Studios

Meet señor Ardian Mici! Currently teaching CCP-Honors Spanish and Italian, he is an active and recent member of the foreign language department here at North Quincy. While he has only been working here for a brief time, he has left a lasting impact on both the students and staff, forming long-term relationships and educating active learners. Prior to his time at North Quincy, Mr. Mici had experience working in Hingham and Medford, but he has found the atmosphere surrounding the students and staff here to be much more welcoming and driven. Within his classroom, he was thrilled to see the active nature of the student community and their eagerness to learn. He found the administration and his colleagues to be much more inviting and understanding towards differences. Outside of school, Mr. Mici loves to travel. He is originally from Vlorë, Albania, and in his youth, he traveled and explored multiple parts of Europe. In addition to traveling, Mr. Mici is multilingual (fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and Albanian) and enjoys learning languages on his own time. He is currently learning Greek and hopes to master it later on. In terms of education, he first attended a university in Albania, where he earned his bachelor's in linguistics and later attended the University of Trento in Italy, where he majored in sociology and earned his masters in international relations. Before becoming a teacher, he was interested in pursuing a political career, but his plans changed upon arriving in America. Nonetheless, Mr. Mici is grateful to be a dedicated and honored staff member of our school, and enjoys enriching minds in both Spanish and Italian. Specifically, he finds Spanish to be his most enjoyable class to teach because he believes it resonates more with the community of learners. His favorite part of teaching is learning along with the students through the curriculum. Since neither Spanish nor Italian is his first language, he embraces mistakes similarly to his students, as he believes you should, “Always embrace change, change makes you young. After all, you make the most progress by learning what you absorb, not by resisting what is presented” -Mici. As a final word of advice to his students, Mr. Mici hopes to convey the importance and freedom of choice. Being given the opportunity of choice is what has allowed him to truly find happiness in his everyday life, leading him to become who he is now. To ensure this, he provides a comfortable and safe atmosphere for his students where they are given the ability to choose fostering growth and enjoyment within the classroom. 

Mrs. Sarah Casimiro, English

Conducted and Composed by Rose C

Photo by Legacy Studios

The English Wing of NQHS is filled with amazing teachers, one of them being Mrs. Casimiro, who teaches English Language Arts classes, and a combined Journalism and Yearbook class. She has been a teacher at NQHS for 23 years! What she loves the most about teaching is how every day is unique and different, and is never boring. Every day is its own opportunity! She loves to teach Journalism because she loves to write about things that have happened, and she loves to be able to keep things up-to-date! Even if it’s not on the “world scale,” it still is exciting to be able to cover all of the exciting activities and events that happen at NQHS! She values students who are able to communicate well with others, those students who are trustworthy---who don’t procrastinate, those students who are honest (honesty is the best policy!), and she values hard-workers. She loves how every student is both the same and different in their own unique way, and finds it absolutely surreal that students she had earlier in their time at NQHS are now seniors! Her proudest moment with her students was the time when she had an advanced sophomore class who became published authors! These students wrote personal pieces about themselves---who they were--- and their works were published in an anthology titled We are America. She said, in her interview, that she was so proud of her students and what they accomplished. When she went back into school after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic had passed, she found it difficult to teach at first---she found that isolation had sapped her students of their confidence and focus! With time, however, she was able to do an amazing job making her students come out of their shells and be the most amazing students they are! She told me in her interview that if she could take an additional teaching job, she would teach 3rd-5th graders---the “more mature,” grades of elementary students, she told me. Outside of the classroom, she has trained in and performed at the Improv Asylum in Boston’s North End, has run a half marathon, and is the contributing writer for the Boston Moms Blog! My final question for her was more of a “fun fact” question, but when asked where she would live if she could live anywhere, she told me she’d live in Cinderella’s Castle in Disney World. Don't we all wish we could live in Disney World? Stop in and say hello to Mrs. Casimiro if you have the chance to! I promise you won’t regret it!

Mrs. Nicolette Phelan (DeBernardi), Film & TV

Conducted and Composed by Madison C

Photo by Mrs. Phelan

Meet Mrs. Phelan (or formerly Ms.DeBernardi), who teaches all of the film related classes at North Quincy Highschool. Ms.Phelan is a creative, friendly, and trustworthy mentor who takes her time and puts in the effort to teach her students.

She grew up in Waltham and attended Waltham Highschool when she herself was a teen. Her favorite subject was (fittingly) Tv Broadcasting, which influenced her career path. Not to mention, she had been passionate about teaching even since elementary school. Playing school with her brothers was a key memory for her. Overall, her teenage and young adult years were very positive. She remains close with her friends from high school (and even kindergarten!) as well as with her family.

Mrs. Phelan had worked in the film and television industry for 8 years. She pivoted to teaching after getting a bit tired with the routine and repetitiveness that comes with working at the same place for a long amount of time. Mrs. Phelan even considered a job in nursing! She could handle anything regarding it…except needles.

Mrs. Phelan has been teaching at North Quincy High for 4 years and has had a satisfactory experience so far. On a scale of 1-10, she rated her experience here at North as a 9. It has been her first experience as a teacher, meaning Mrs. Phelan has had to face a multitude of trials and tribulations and cannot compare it to other schools. A challenge she’s had to face as a newer teacher includes forming and adjusting a solid curriculum as she develops her class and teaching style.

As her life goes on, Mrs. Phelan does plan on continuing to teach. She has been taking classes for her professional teaching license and overall has been taking the time to hone in on her skills as an educator. Her improvements in her teaching abilities have helped her gain confidence and knowledge in how she manages her class and herself.

One word that Mrs. Phelan would use to describe herself is "indecisive." While it may be a “negative” quality or connotation, she wishes to better it and improve upon it. Some hobbies that she enjoys include hanging out with her dog, crafting, or even just chilling out on the couch. Having a project or craft is something that Mrs. Phelan really enjoys.

One piece of advice Mrs. Phelan would give to her younger self is, do not get caught up or worry about the minor things. Once you get older, a lot of those things don’t matter. In retrospect, I’m sure a multitude of students will soon, or already do, relate to this advice. It takes one to know one, and teachers have been students too! 

If you’re ever curious about the film department, or simply want to stop by, Mrs. Phelan is always a friendly face to see! 

Mrs. Laura Walker, World Languages

Conducted and Composed by Carol Z

Photo by Legacy Studios

Introducing Señora Walker! One of the nicest teachers in the language wing. As a devoted Peruvian, she absolutely loves teaching Spanish. She wants to continue connecting with her students and give them the motivation they need to keep learning. She considers her students as her big advice givers and a source of inspiration. 

Señora Walker attended college at Santa Barbara University (UCSB) and San Diego State University (UCSB), which are both very high class schools in California. In five years, if somehow she’s not thinking about staying in Massachusetts, she hopes to go back and stay in California. 

Not only does Señora Walker have one brother, who currently lives in Peru, but she also has nine sisters spread across various countries around the world. Coming from a family with a hardworking military father and a beautiful, loving mother, she has always valued strong connections and a sense of belonging.

Before coming to NQ, she used to teach at Quincy High School! She later on applied here to continue her teaching career in a warm, welcoming environment. Specifically thanks to Señora Tenpow for making Señora Walker feel very welcome working here and connecting with her coworkers. 

In Señora Walker’s class, she’ll always share with you her funny experiences. One time, her husband mistook salt for sugar and accidentally served her a salty cup of coffee. She took one sip, made the most dramatic face ever, and nearly spit it out across the room. Now, every morning, she double-checks her coffee like a detective on a high-stakes case—just in case her husband decides to surprise her with another “special blend.” Speaking of specials, she loves a Peruvian dish called Lomo Saltado. It’s a delicious beef stir-fry with tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and some amazing spices. She says you have to eat it with rice on the side and she suggests it as her very own flat dish, that you 100% have to go try! 

As the kind loving person she is, she does lots of non-profit work and helps volunteer at organizations as much as possible. She loves to commit to services where she is able to help people in need. In her free time, she likes to participate in social activities that focus on helping those who struggle. Señora Walker enjoys staying active and giving back to the community. She is currently president for a non-profit organization, goes Zumba dancing, and loves reading and hiking. In addition, she enjoys playing basketball. 

With her funny personality, dedication to teaching, and passion for helping others, Señora Walker is truly an inspiring presence at NQ. Whether she’s sharing her culture, motivating students, or staying active in the community, she brings energy and kindness to everything she does. Be sure to say hola when you see her in the language wing! You’re guaranteed to be greeted with a smile and maybe even a funny story or two.

Mrs. Jennifer Hanson, English

Conducted and Composed by Tyler Z

Photo by Legacy Studios

As a member of the English department at NQHS, Mrs. Hanson teaches English in room 243, right by the rightmost stairwell. She grew up in the North Shore of Boston with her brother and her parents, who had careers as teachers. Mrs. Hanson hadn’t been sure what job she wanted, but she always knew that she wanted a career where she could help people. Starting from high school, she began dabbling in public service as well as law and nursing, but, despite her efforts at law firm over the summer, law didn’t draw her attention, while nursing involved too much blood. Mrs. Hanson went to Providence college and achieved an undergrad Degree in humanities before heading onwards to Tufts, where she would earn a Masters of Arts in Teaching. Mrs. Hanson would decide to get her first teaching job at the age of 21. 

Since then, Mrs Hanson has been a proud member of the NQHS staff for over 20 years. She still remembers the day of her interview, where a student had opened the door for her unprompted. As Mrs. Hanson observes, NQHS still has that same welcoming environment. Among the joys of teaching at NQHS, Mrs. Hanson notes how “all the kids are smart,” the staff is welcoming, and everyone is always ready to help others. 

Mrs. Hanson’s favorite moments in teaching combine two of the things she loves most, her family and her job. Shortly after Mr. Hanson started teaching at NQHS, Mrs. Jorgenson, who knew Mr. Hanson from graduate school, introduced the him to Mrs. Hanson. Later, the two would marry and start a family together. While pregnant with her twins, Mrs. Hanson remembers trying to pull a party to celebrate after an AP exam. As she was going to bring the pizza, her class, in collaboration with some teachers,  surprised her with a baby shower along with small children’s books adapted from the material they had read in class. 

Outside of class, Mrs. Hanson enjoys spending her time helping her kids, attending their basketball and soccer games, and just being with her family. She also loves to walk with Mrs. Shaw and Mrs. Greer during lunch, and she enjoys reading books, particularly historical fiction like Kristin Hannah books. Her favorite book in recent memory is The Frozen River. As for her favorite meals, Mrs. Hanson loves chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, eggplant parmesan for dinner, and ice cream for dessert. 

When it comes to English, she enjoys the different facets of AP Language, from syntax (the arrangement of words) to the many interesting topics that she explores in class. Her biggest concern while teaching is how valuable her class is to each and every student. She wants to have a positive impact each student with her teaching. That includes helping students reach their academic goals, providing a safe environment, having fun class, and everything else a teacher can do for their students. 

Ms. Marisa Smith, Dean

Conducted and Composed by Caroline P

Photo by Legacy Studios

If there’s a staff member you’ll always see with a cup of Dunkin’ Donuts while traversing the halls, it’ll be Mrs. Smith, the current dean of the Class of 2027 and advisor to the Class of 2026 student council. Mrs. Smith has always had a fancy for teaching specifically math, which was encouraged by her math teacher in her junior year of high school. She also participated in her own school’s student council and danced outside of school. From there, she pursued a math major at UMass Amherst and minored in education. At Fitchburg State, she obtained her first masters degree, and her second at American International College. She was a math teacher for 17 years, and when the opportunity presented itself, she became a dean. This year marks her 19th year of working in education! Though to some teaching may seem repetitive, Mrs. Smith finds her joys in meeting new and old students, and loves when she bumps into her old students in the sphere outside school. Throughout all her years of teaching, she has always had a fondness for learning and advises others to continue (and never stop) seeking further knowledge. She also believes that though the title of dean may seem intimidating to students, she is a positive, welcoming person who is always willing to lend a helping hand. 

Moving away from school, Mrs. Smith still has an attachment to dancing, and often watches her daughter dance. A few years ago, Mrs. Smith also taught dancing at the NQHS Renaissance Club, where students would collect together to participate in the arts and theatre. These days, you may find her on the second floor of NQHS in her very organized office, and you just might catch her munching on her favorite food of all time: chocolate!

Ms. Dolores Tranquillino, Math Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Danny N

Photo by Legacy Studios

Mrs. Tranquillino is a dedicated AP Calc AB, AP Calc BC, and AP Stats teacher who has been a part of North Quincy High School since 2001. Sadly, she will always remember her first full week at North including the tragic events of 9/11 as it happened that Tuesday. She recalls how the administration handled the situation very well, this left a lasting impression on her.

A UMass Boston alumni, Mrs. Tranquillino began her teaching career in Boston. However, her experience there was challenging, and she even considered quitting teaching and switching to a different job. However, after speaking with her career counselor from UMB, she made the decision to join North Quincy High, where she found a supportive and respectful environment. She credits the kindness of the staff and students as a key reason why she has enjoyed teaching here for over two decades.

Mrs. Tranquillino initially taught honors Statistics and CCP Pre-Calculus at North. Her journey into teaching AP-level courses began when the former AP Stats teacher asked her to take over a section of the class. She accepted without hesitation, and when the teacher retired the following year, she fully took over the course. Later, she was thrilled to step into teaching AP Calc AB when it opened up for North which she has been teaching ever since. Most recently, she played a big role in adding the AP Calc BC course to the curriculum. According to her, with the administration’s support, the program launched smoothly last year.

She says that it makes her proud to see her students succeed and loves to hear back from them. A former student of hers came back and told her that her class really prepared her for college (MIT!) and got her college credit which is what Mrs. Tranquillino loves to hear. 

Known for her commitment to her students, Mrs. Tranquillino constantly seeks to improve her teaching methods and tries to involve collaborative group work and practical problem-solving into her lessons. Balancing the AP curriculum with other more engaging work, such as projects, is a challenge she takes on to prepare her students thoroughly for success, both in exams and in real-life applications. Even in her time outside of the classroom and in the summer, she talks with AP readers and learns from them to try to improve her teaching style to help her students. Her passion for teaching and her dedication to maintaining a respectful and supportive classroom environment have made her an invaluable part of the North Quincy community.

Mr. Edward Merrigan, English Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Francesca L

Photo by Legacy Studios

A loud and positive teacher of English, Mr. Merrigan, teaches classes of Early College and CCP for seniors and sophomores. He used to go to North Quincy High School when he was a student and graduated, and then he would teach in this school for the next three years. Mr. Merrigan taught two years in a different school before he moved and taught at North Quincy. He enjoys the literature of romanticism and gothicism and loves teaching about it because of the symbolism and characterized form of art to understand and learn. Mr. Merrigan hopes what he teaches in his class would affect his students and apply them in any way in their life. A fun fact about Mr. Merrigan has a sister in NQHS, who is now a senior. He voices in each class with passion and joy to each period and reads out for students to pay attention. Mr. Merrigan pushes his teaching methods to be both safe and positive for students and their class environment; and builds expectations of the workload for colleges or any jobs.  

Ms. Samantha Smith, Math

Conducted and Composed by Thy L

Photo by Legacy Studios

Ms. Smith is a teacher at North Quincy high known for teaching math. She became a teacher at NQ because, “I had some great teachers when I went here. They made high school an enjoyable experience and I hope to do the same for the next generation.” Ms. Smith chose to teach calculus because it is challenging. It really reflected on her that as a teacher, it has helped her learn it in a new way and really appreciate “how cool it is”. As an alumni of NQHS many students look up to her and relate to the same things she experienced in high school. She even calls NQHS a community. In college, she minored in psychology because of her own AP Psychology teacher, Mr. D’Amore. Also while in college, she played softball for her school’s team, continuing her sports career from NQHS. Outside of school, Ms. Smith enjoys spending time with her family, visiting friends, exercising, and reading. Out of all the things Ms. Smith loves about North Quincy, she loves the atmosphere the most. She thinks the teamwork among the staff and students “helps create a welcoming environment.” 

Ms. Tammy Dymtryck, World Languages

Conducted and Composed by Charlotte L

Photo by Legacy Studios

Meet Madame Dymtryck! Currently teaching French 1-4 spanning from CCP, Honors, and Advance classes. She also runs the Interior Design Club and Scrapbooking Club and implores anyone interested to join! Mme. Dmytryck came to teach at NQ not that long ago. She started teaching at NQ about 3 years ago, but her passion for teaching has been true all her life. Teaching is actually a 2nd career for her. A fun fact about Mme. Dmytryck is that she used to teach Spanish as well as French, but she loves teaching French as she took the language throughout her adolescent and young adult life. She loves teaching foreign languages since she can speak to the students about themselves while still teaching the target language. She enjoys incorporating fun activities while teaching French, but knows the toughest part of teaching language is keeping students engaged. Mme. Dmytryck loves the NQ community, especially the friendly culture and students. She also enjoys watching the ROTC routines during the pep rallies and feeling a sense of school camarade.

In her free time, she loves hanging out with her friends and going out to concerts. Some of her favorites include Abba Tribute Band and Janet Jackson. She also enjoys hanging out with her cat and family. Mme. Dmytryck enjoys trying different restaurants all around Quincy and the Boston area. She encourages anyone to try out Alba’s in Quincy or Rosetta’s in Canton. Traveling is also one of her favorite things to do. She’s traveled all around the world including Paris, England, Florence, Austria, Australia, Nice, etc. One piece of advice she has for graduating seniors or any student in general is to study abroad and take any opportunity to travel in your future!

Ms. Robin Ross, Security

Conducted and Composed by Sophia L-H

Photo by Legacy Studios

Robin is one of our beloved security guards here at North. Often looked over, the security staff play a crucial role in creating the welcoming community we have. As the youngest security guard (& a recent graduate from Quincy High), she loves taking students under her wing- never hesitating to offer advice, steer you in the right direction, or even just chat for a little while. If there’s any staff member at North that’s able to match your energy, it’s definitely Robin. She’s stated many times that her favorite part of her job is connecting with students (even if they tend to get on their nerves) and giving them a place to vent or a friend to talk to. Her energy is absolutely contagious, and she never lets anyone pass her by without a smile and a wave. 

Outside of the work environment, Robin likes to hang with friends, read, play video games, and go to concerts around the Boston area. She loves to vibe to 2hollis, Carti, Yeat, & Lil’ Wayne. Her favorite books include thrillers, non-fiction, and sci-fi. Being the only black female security guard, Robin also loves to channel her welcoming, empathetic energy into being a mentor for young women in our community. She always stands up for what’s right, even if it means nagging at teenagers all day about taking their hats off.

Despite everything going on in the world, Robin has hope for a brighter future. She just wishes our generation would look up from their phones once in a while and realize how much good we can do if we use our minds & our hearts. Her advice to students at North is, “to grab your friends and hold them close, because you never know where life may take you.” Definitely stop by the security desk next time you see Robin and make sure it’s known how much we appreciate everything she does for us. 

Ms. Kristen Powers, Career & Business Technology

Conducted and Composed by Leah H

Photo by Legacy Studios

Mrs. Powers, who teaches Computer Applications, and Health  Care Technology at NQHS, is one of the funniest teachers in the community. With her bright and friendly personality, she’s been a familiar face at NQHS for a while now! Although she has been teaching for only three years, she’s an alumna of North. I had asked her what made her decide to come back but it was her love for the school and having an amazing experience here that drew her back in.

After North, she attended Assumption College for two years majoring in English but it wasn’t what she had hoped for so she transferred to UMB and worked for the City of Quincy at the same time. Powers finished at Eastern Nazarene College with a degree in Business Administration and later on spent about 20 years for the City of Quincy. She even contributed to the Hancock Adams statues! 

Here at North, Mrs. Powers was a student-ATHLETE. She played soccer, basketball, and softball, making her an all-season athlete. Fun fact: Mr. Doyle was actually her softball coach! (Oh, and did you know she met her husband here at North? High school sweethearts!) Some days it felt like the building had never changed for Powers but other days it felt completely different. Of course, all in good ways. But, she is particularly happy about the removal of raider rugs. (Who isn’t??) To Powers, North is a special place and community where there are so many programs for students and faculty members to participate in. If there’s one thing Powers had learned from being a teacher, it's that adults can always do better, and students always challenge educators to be better. 

In her free time—though, let's be honest, she doesn’t have much of that—she loves watching her kids play sports. But in the future, she hopes to add a bit more to her daily routine, like drinking more water, taking walks, and reading as much as possible. Be sure to check out her classroom in room 444!

Ms. Kariana Santos, Dean

Conducted and Composed by Alex G

Photo by Legacy Studios

One of the deans of North Quincy's is Ms. Santos. Her love of theater and the arts growing up ultimately led her to her current teaching position at North. Meeting new people and getting to know some of the incredible kids is her favorite aspect of North. She is in her fourth year as a Raider and her ninth year as a teacher. She likes to sing, play in the community theater, sketch, and read in her spare time. Finding your passion outside of school and making it a priority, along with looking after your friends and yourself, is her advice to every high school student. 

Mr. Michael Notarangelo, Physical Education Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Marshall G

Photo by Legacy Studios

This week, I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Notarangelo, our gym teacher here at NQHS, who has been teaching for 16 years. We talked about his passion for teaching, popular activities among students, and advice for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Next, I asked Mr. Nota what he enjoys most about teaching physical education. He enthusiastically responded, “I love working with the kids.” His enthusiasm for connecting with students is great and shows the importance of building good relationships in education.

When I inquired about the most popular activities and sports among his students, Mr. Nota listed several favorites: “Ping pong, badminton, and basketball.” These sports make gym class fun but also encourages students to engage in physical exercise.

I then wanted to know how Mr. Nota encourages those who may not be as excited about gym class. He then says to me, “I treat them with love and respect.” He believes that creating a healthy environment helps students understand the importance of physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Mr. Nota emphasizes that taking care of yourself is important, which can help motivate students to participate even when they might not feel like it.

During our conversation, I also asked about the biggest changes he’s noticed in physical education over the years. Mr. Nota mentioned two big changes. First, “the changing of their clothes has become more casual”, reflecting changing norms among students. Second, he pointed out the “diverse nature of sports,” explaining how students now have a wider variety of sports to choose from. This wide range of sports encourage more students to find activities they enjoy, enhancing their overall experience in gym class.

When discussing advice for students who want to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, Mr. Nota had some clear vocal points. He told students to “be aware of their diet, take care of themselves emotionally, and challenge themselves to become better.” These tips I think are great for anyone looking to improve their fitness and health.

Curious about the sports he played, I asked Mr. Nota about the activities he participated in when he was in school. He shared, “I was a football player, a baseball player, and a wrestler.” His background in sports adds a good background to his teaching and gives him solid advice to share with his students.

Finally, I asked Mr. Nota what his favorite sport or physical activity to teach is. He expressed, “I love all sports, but fitness training would probably be my favorite.” This shows his dedication to helping students develop a well-rounded understanding of fitness and being healthy in general.

Before ending our interview, I wanted to know if he had any tips for students on staying motivated to stay fit. Mr. Nota shared, “Of course, I have many tips. The big reason is for health, long term.” He emphasized that understanding the long-term benefits of staying active can motivate students to make healthy choices today.

In conclusion, I thought this was a great interview with Mr. Nota and I think he gave valuable advice that a lot of young people could benefit and learn from.

Mr. Zachary Innis, English Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Audrey A

Photo by Legacy Studios

Mr. Zachary Innis is an English teacher passionate about his craft, and has been a teacher at North for 12 years now. Even though he is currently dedicated to English, he originally started out at North as a Special Education instructor, and even got licensed in Biology. Mr. Innis eventually settled down with English, a subject he has always wanted to teach. He says he likes how you are always learning about life and yourself through reading. His AP Literature class in high school is what really cemented his choice in subject, though if he had to pick another subject to teach, it would be biology, as he loves to enjoy the earth and animals. You may also spot him during our culture festivals, as he takes part as an advisor for the event. 

Outside of school, Mr. Innis explores his creativity through his band, the Honeybees, composed of him and five of his closest friends from home. This six member troupe was formed as a tribute to Tom Petty after his death, and they honor his memory when they perform his songs in the summertime. Aside from being in the Honeybees, Mr. Innis also sings in the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, a talented group that performs in front of over 10,000 audience members per season. Mr. Innis greatly enjoys expressing himself through music, believing it to be a form of communication that transcends words. Performing and creating music excites his soul, and allows him to bring people together through shared happiness and experiences. 

Mr. Innis’s advice for our readers is to pursue your heart’s desires. He says that, “Whenever you find something you really enjoy, you should follow that path, and it will lead you to a lot of surprising things that may become really important parts of your life.”

Mr. Alberto Costa, Social Studies Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Caroline P

Photo by Legacy Studios

Mr. Costa, the teacher of the America in the Modern World course at NQHS, describes himself as a kind, laidback, and easygoing teacher from Italy! His mellow personality as a teacher did not stem from nowhere, but came after self introspection and questioning. In his earlier years, he claims he boyishly dreamt of becoming a well-seasoned war general or a chef. This then changed to wanting to pursue film production in college, but his experience with a film production changed his mind, in which he finally settled on becoming a teacher. He first earned a degree in teaching special education, and then obtained his history degree later on. He enjoys the “high school schedule” that high-schoolers have, pertaining to waking up and going home relatively early in the day. Throughout his 24 years of teaching at NQHS, his most memorable and humorous experience was a prank that was terribly misinterpreted. Ten years into teaching, just after he had taught the staged Gunpowder Plot of Guy Fawkes that was supposed to occur on November 5th, 1605, his students decided to post signs around the school that read “Beware the 5th of November!” These signs worried the staff, leading to an investigation of the students, and they were eventually suspended. 

Many years earlier on his educational path, Mr. Costa used to be part of student government at his high school sophomore year and on, and played football, lacrosse, and winter track for all his years of high school. He also played in the varsity wrestling team for his freshman year, and he notes the only reason he never further continued his wrestling career was the fact that he was so bad and lost every time. 

On a more personal note, further self introspection in the past has led him to an exercise that questioned, “If you were to give yourself three words of advice when you were 18, what would they be,” he would tell himself that “everything is temporary.” Mr. Costa believes that though life is full of struggles, the dark clouds will eventually part and give way to light. This perspective is reflected in his contentment today with simple joys such as his healthy family and painting— he has many of his own artworks of historical figures in his classroom— and of course, cheering for the Boston Celtics. 

Mr. Brendan Carnell, Social Studies Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Leah H

Photo by Legacy Studios

              As a member of the history department, you can easily spot Mr. Carnell chatting away with his best friend Mr. Edgerly. After graduating from North in 2007, he made his way to U-Mass Amherst, majoring in history with a minor in psychology and education. In his early 20s, Mr. Carnell was heavily indecisive about his future. But, he realized that teaching was a career for him because of the impact one could have on students. Whether helping a student with personal issues or writing recommendation letters, Mr. Carnell is passionate about helping kids move forward to their next step in life. He believes that if he had the chance to choose any career path to go into, he would still go down the road of education. 

Mr. Carnell never expected to return to North. He was a substitute teacher in 2014 and got a full-time job in 2018. He wasn’t always in the history department! Can you believe he started as a business teacher but transitioned in 2022 to become a history teacher? His favorite classes to teach are US Government and Psychology. Understanding the behavior of individuals as well as macro issues on how we’re influenced by individuals is just something he can’t get enough of! Alumni here, he as well was stressing about the little things in life with no broad prospects. Returning to North as a teacher, he now has a better understanding of what kind of impact he wants to have on students. Whether it's through coaching or teaching. 

             Having a record here at North for baseball, Mr. Carnell wasn’t always the best. Originally, he was cut from BC High and transferred to NQ. Motivated by the failure, Mr. Carnell worked himself up to the player he became and conquered the challenge in his life. Now, as the varsity assistant coach, he wants to give the same knowledge he received back to the players.

             During Mr. Carnell’s free time, he enjoys going to the gym and walking his dog. He also has a second job in Southie. A little advice Mr. Carnell would like to give is to be comfortable being uncomfortable. And he also wants you to embrace failure and challenges because, on the other side, there is success.

Mr. Dan Regan, Social Studies Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Caroline P

Photo by Legacy Studios

Mr. Regan, a teacher of World History at NQHS, is a dedicated ambivert shaped by his many years, equipped with a sort of charming, dry humor. Once engaging in wrestling when he was younger, he now teaches his history classes with the same diligence and hard work. Although Mr. Regan first desired to teach U.S. History, fate has landed him in the position of teaching World History, which he has duly done for the past 27 years. 

Though teaching may seem like it was always his path, his teaching path took a quick detour down the corporate road. Many years ago, he chose to pursue a career in business after graduating from college with a business degree, with the intent to make his mark in that field at an investment company. Two months into his job at the investment company, he quit, returned to school, obtained a masters in education at UMass Boston, and came to work at NQHS to be happier with himself. Still, Mr. Regan likes to think he has always had this profession in the back of his mind since the very beginning. 

His 27 years of teaching are not without struggle, even to this day. He finds that the time to prepare for a class is quite challenging. “People just don’t see it behind doors,” Mr. Regan thoughtfully noted, “Especially if you’re a younger teacher, it is much harder to prep a course you are new to, as you will have to teach yourself first.” Even after his many years of educating, he still finds prepping courses for his students time-consuming. It has gotten easier of course, in comparison to his first few years of teaching, but is never easy for him, as he constantly has to learn new information, especially in the field of history. As a teacher, his goal is to make better lessons and adapt, as he can never expect how a class may turn out. Mr. Regan has always enjoyed teaching his classes, and thus has no particular moment in his career that glows brighter than the rest, as all the years have blended together. That being said, he does enjoy teaching and remembering many wonderful individuals and classes from the past. The activities and events he partook in with them have made it much more enjoyable. He has taught a couple current teachers here at NQHS, those being Mr. Sommers, a new addition to the cast of faculty, Mr. Gould, Mr. Merrigan, Ms. Belcher, Ms. Smith from the mathematics wing, and also has taught many current students’ parents, which he finds exhilarating. 

Outside of NQHS, Mr. Regan finds solace and pride in his family and his dog and two cats. He believes in pursuing dreams that will make you happy, especially professionally. Further reflecting on himself, he finds that friends and family are most important. In life he believes that it’s better to have a few good friends that you can rely on, rather than many friends you are not close with. Mr. Regan has also been spotted on a home improvement project show before! And despite common belief, with a chuckle, Mr. Regan admits that he in fact, does not know everything. 

Dr. Cara Pekarcik, Science Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Francesca L

Photo by Legacy Studios

Cara Pekarcik is a science teacher, who teaches about Zoology and Biology in room 419. In her younger years, she traveled a lot while studying marine biology. Ms. Pekarcik still does enjoy traveling in general; however, it mainly started when she started ocean travel in her studies. In her many travels, Ms. Pekarcik headed to KatMai National Park and Preserve in Alaska to hike in the woods. She witnesses the bears nearby the park while staying clear of them with the help of the park rangers. “The sights of the park were so lovely,” Ms. Pekarcik said in the interview. “Sadly, there was this high bridge with glass that I couldn’t go because I was very scared of heights, but I heard good things about it from my mom.” This is also the start of her love for Fat Bear Week where the bears of the park eat and eat to become fat to hibernate for the winter. Every new school year with new students, Ms. Pekarcik tells her students all the time about who's winning and some of the gruesome moments in nature like bears eating other bears. Ms. Pekarcik owns a rescue dog, whose name is Sadie and she exclaims, “she’s so adorable!” Like is a very underestimated term to say Ms. Pekarcik is a huge fan of hockey, as she is burning with passion when hockey is involved! 

Ms. Colleen Irvine, English Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Marshall G

Photo by Legacy Studios

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Irvine and I asked her a range of questions ranging from her interest, advice and current times. Here’s what she had to say.

When it comes to students unsure about their future, Ms. Irvine said the most important thing is to find what brings them joy. She emphasized that happiness and fulfillment are essential, and it's crucial to explore career options that align with their passions. "Always have a backup plan," she advised, "but try to find something that makes you happy."

Then, I asked her what one change she would make as the president of the United States. "I would work to create a more peaceful environment where people respect each other's opinions and individuality," she said. She acknowledged the current division in politics and expressed hope for a more collaborative future.

We also talked about overcoming challenges. Ms. Irvine stressed the importance of hard work, saying, "In order to overcome a challenge, you have to grind and put your head down." According to her, many people today try to find an easy way out, but that doesn’t lead to real success.

Next, I asked Ms. Irvine where she would travel if she could go anywhere in the world. She shared her love for Europe and expressed a desire to visit Scotland and Ireland, where her family roots are. "It's really important to me to connect with my heritage," she said.

When discussing her thoughts on the upcoming election, Ms. Irvine encouraged everyone to vote for candidates who have the best interest of the people at heart. "We’re in a tumultuous time, but it's vital to stay true to your beliefs and not let yourself be easily influenced," she said.

I was curious whether she plans to be a teacher forever. She responded that she doesn’t like to say what she will or won’t do in the future. "I enjoy being a teacher now and working with kids. Whether that continues as a teacher, administrator, or something else in the education system, I'm open to where life takes me."

The conversation then turned to sports. Ms. Irvine revealed that her favorite sport to watch is Olympic Gymnastics, and she enjoyed playing softball and swimming during her youth.

One of the best pieces of advice she has ever received is to always have intention behind everything you do. "Know why you’re doing something, and give it your best effort," she said passionately.

Finally, I asked her what motivates her each day to go to work. She said it's the possibility of influencing and helping a student change their life, even on tough days. "That thought makes it all worth it," she added.

I also asked what she would teach if she couldn’t teach English, and she mentioned Physical Education. In addition to her role in English, she works at a gym, showing fitness and health is important to her.

Overall, Ms. Irvine’s passion for education and helping others is great in my opinion. She leaves her students with lessons about finding what makes you happy, working hard, and being intentional in life.

Mr. Greg Sommers, Dean

Conducted and Composed by Carol Z

Photo by Legacy Studios

Mr. Sommers, our newly appointed junior dean, is thrilled to be at North Quincy! After teaching for 17 years of his life, he decided to take a turn and try something new. He wanted to advance his career and get introduced to a different environment, which is why he is willing to be committed to staying at North Quincy. Mr. Sommers lives in Quincy with his wife and two kids—a girl and a boy—and cherishes family time while supporting his children in their extracurricular activities. Not only is he a huge football fan, he also has a special place in his heart for his grandmother's delicious meatloaf. As Mr. Sommers had attended NQHS himself, his advice for students in high school is to be self-advocate. 

Growing up, Mr. Sommers had originally dreamed of becoming an architect, but ultimately fell in love with teaching. If he wasn’t caught up as a school staff, he would gladly be an architect. Overall, Mr. Sommers is enjoying his time here at NQ and is looking forward to meeting all our new faces. 

Feel free to drop by Room 237 to say hello!

Ms. Jesse Flaherty, Engineering Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Tyler Z

Photo by Ms. Flaherty

Whether you know her from her engineering classes, her jovial presence outside room 441, or her legendary shuttle-bus-that-could, Ms. Flaherty is an  engineering teacher and supervisor of the engineering club and the culinary club here at NQHS. Ms. Flaherty realized her passion for engineering when she was in 2nd grade. She grew up in the Boston area and went to Hingham High School, where she decided that she wanted to become a physics teacher. Later, Ms. Flaherty would graduate from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, still intending to one day teach physics. She loves how the education system allowed her to learn, connect with teachers, and socialize with her friends and peers. If she could, Ms. Flaherty would be a student for life, constantly exploring all that there is to be passionate about.

Inspired by her mother, who spent her life in industry before becoming a teacher, Ms. Flaherty went off to become an engineer and gather meaningful life experiences. Fascinated by the mechanisms behind props like the transforming car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, she came fresh out of college with the hopes of pursuing Movie Engineering in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the Hollywood business demanded inner connections, so Ms. Flaherty looked towards other opportunities.

Among her long list of work experience, Ms. Flaherty worked at a school in New Hampshire as a math teacher, an Alaskan family-owned restaurant and farm, a California homeschool charter school as a math and science librarian, and at Radiac Abrasives, a company that manufactures grinding wheels, as a safety manager and project engineer. She also worked as a project engineer and project manager for rotating equipment in field services for the California gas and oil industry. 

After all these adventures, Ms. Flaherty went back into the world of teaching and applied within the Quincy Public Schools district as a middle school level science teacher. In a stroke of fate, Principal Shaw, the then principal of North Quincy High School, read her resume and recommended that she join North Quincy High School to expand their nascent engineering pathway. At the time, Ms. Flaherty had not been informed that such a program existed, but she knew that this was the teaching position she had always wanted.

Ms. Flaherty also runs the Engineering Club and the Culinary Club. As Ms. Flaherty puts it, she’s “simply the grownup on site.” Both the Culinary club and the Engineering club are student-driven clubs. Each club focuses on the exploration of different topics relating to cuisine and engineering respectively. This way, students are allowed to expand their knowledge in areas that they care about.

Ms. Flaherty loves those moments of epiphany, the joy of realization that students express. As she states, “teaching at North has been amazing” and “the community is incredible.” Ms. Flaherty loves that students are disciplined, allowing the class to focus on engineering and the exchange of knowledge.

Ms. Flaherty spends her free time hanging out with her dog Loki, driving around exploring, trying different restaurants, and pining for her minibus. The shuttle bus that Ms. Flaherty “loaded her life into” changed her life in the span of a few weeks. With the installation of a co-pilot seat, a subfloor, a standard door, a bed, solar panels, an inverter, and ac/heating, the shuttle bus became her tiny home on wheels. She went on a road trip back and forth from Massachusetts to California. The shuttle bus broke down twice, once in Arizona and again in Ohio. Ms. Flaherty loved being able to drive wherever she wanted with the ability to pull over and nap or have lunch at any time. She also enjoyed being able to visit friends without imposing. Thanks to the minibus, she could park her own portable house to sleep in right beside her friend’s house. Unfortunately the treasured minibus broke down after a visit to the body shop led to the engine seizing. 

Among her long-term goals, Ms. Flaherty hopes to one-day recreate the glory of having a “tiny home on wheels” once again as well as achieve her dream of working in the Movie Engineering industry. Even with those goals in mind, Ms. Flaherty starts each and every new school year excited to meet new people and learn new things.

Ms. Kristen McCarthy, Social Studies Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Danny N

Photo by Legacy Studios

In the history wing, you are destined to see a very friendly face—that would be Mrs. McCarthy! She has been teaching history at North Quincy for 19 years. Although being a teacher for a long time, she also enjoys participating in activities outside of school as well. She has coached before as well as running Youth Works during the summer. She loves to perform and be seen so originally she wanted to become a newscaster. However, a short while after she worked at a bank before she started teaching, she had an eye-opening experience. She had questioned what she was doing and set out for what she really wanted to do: teach. Since then, she has loved to let her students (and herself) express themselves while in class and tries to let them express themselves while showing they understand what is going on in class. She loves the people she works with and they feel like family to her. She really feels connected to every student she’s had and tries her best to make it easier for them to have a better experience. She says she really enjoys being a teacher because of the way she can watch her students thrive. She says her main goal in teaching is to try to make an impact on her students as they have done for her. She tries her best to understand her students and make a comfortable learning environment and a safe space for them. 

Mr. Matthew Edgerly, Social Studies Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Thy L

Photo by Legacy Studios

Mr. Edgerly is an alumni of NQHS that teaches 11th grade honors history. When he was a student, he played baseball and basketball. Conveniently, his top teams are the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots. NQHS has changed dramatically since Mr. Edgerly attended: the lockers used to be a dull yellow and the rugs used to be red! With all the new staff and transitioning, Mr. Edgerly has become a middle veteran here. He quotes, “One thing that hasn’t changed are the kids.” At NQHS, it is really important for him to be able to build different relationships with kids and to bring the baseball field to his classroom. Outside of school he coaches the boys baseball team and is on the board of the Massachusetts baseball association that helps raise money for scholarships. What really makes him passionate about teaching at NQHS is his admiration for his high school history teacher. It really inspired him to want to make kids feel welcome in class and for them to want to come to class. He says, “To me this is a really cool job, and if I had the chance this is something I would want to do.” 

Ms. Kate Gainey, Math Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Charlotte L

Photo by Legacy Studios

As a part of the math department in North Quincy high school, Ms. Gainey teaches both Advanced Algebra 2 and Honors Calculus. Ms. Gainey always knew she wanted to be a teacher from a young age. She found her passion for teaching math when she was in 8th grade and helped her friends with their math homework. Ms. Gainey is committed to helping her students succeed and learn in her classes. Her favorite concept to teach is synthetic division. Ms. Gainey did her student teaching at North and has come to love the vibrant community here. Her favorite thing at NQHS are the people including her wonderful colleagues and students. 

Alongside teaching math, Ms. Gainey runs the Debate Club and Chess Club. She enjoys playing chess, especially with her nieces and nephews. Ms. Gainey is constantly inspired and impressed by how well-spoken the students are in the Debate club. Ms. Gainey is also the class advisor for the class of 2025 alongside Ms. Beelcher. She is looking forward to this exciting year and all the fun senior activities to come like senior week and the scavenger hunt. She wishes the senior class good luck in all their future endeavors and to have faith in themselves that everything will work out!

Dr. Nicole Kymissis, Science Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Sophia L-H

Photo by Sophia L-H

Dr. Kymissis is one of the brightest minds at North Quincy High School. She’s been teaching Biology for twenty-two years, despite never having intentions of becoming a teacher. After graduating high school in New Jersey, she had hopes of becoming a physical therapist. However, after receiving a hefty scholarship to a school that didn’t offer any physical therapy programs, she was on her way to Pennsylvania to receive her bachelors in biology. She graduated from Lehigh University and quickly came to the conclusion that she couldn’t do much with her current degree. So, she decided to attend the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in order to become a funeral director. 

After four years of 3 a.m. death calls, mental exhaustion, and taxing physical labor, Dr. K. realized that being a funeral director was not something she could see herself being passionate about. Her only option? Become a teacher. She packed her things and found herself at Northeastern University in order to receive her master’s in education. But she didn’t stop there. After writing an extensive thesis on the negative impact standardized education & tests can have on the scientific abilities of adolescents (which you can read at this link, here), Dr. Kymissis officially received her doctorate in education in 2021. 

Though it wasn’t her first choice, Dr. K. truly found her calling in education. Her favorite part of the job is doing labs and being able to do hands-on research alongside her students. Her favorite memory from her years at North is AP Biology in 2010, when she teamed up with a class of all girls and had a small graduation ceremony in order to celebrate the role of females in the development of STEM fields #womeninSTEM!!!! She has also stated that she is only fluent in two languages; English and Sarcasm. This is an aspect of her personality that many students (especially freshmen) tend to find intimidating. When asked about why she thinks so many underclassmen view her as a little scary, she stated, “Look. I’d rather be strict. I have certain expectations; especially for advanced and AP. I mean, advanced students should know how to follow directions” which I think is a sentiment we can all agree on.

Whether she’s your biggest fear, greatest ally, or most influential role model, Nicole Kymissis is undoubtedly a core faculty member that North would just not be the same without.

Ms. Liana Cunningham, Math Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Leah H

Photo by Legacy Studios

Located on the fourth floor, Ms. Cunningham is one of our newest addition to the NQHS family! She started teaching at North fall of 2023 but prior to that, she was also a security guard here. Cunningham grew up locally in Quincy, Massachusetts and attended Quincy High School.

Graduated from Framingham State University, she played point guard at the collegiate level for basketball. Playing on the college level was always a dream of hers as Cunningham felt that the sport represented her well and she wanted to give the same blessings she received with the now NQ girls varsity basketball. What really pushed her to play basketball was her big brother. He as well played basketball in college and Ms. Cunningham always looked up to him. Junior year into college, she joined Mu Alpha Theta math club. A national honors society club for college students in which she's still a part of.

Growing up, Ms. Cunningham always enjoyed going to school. She met lots of great teachers who made a significant amount of impressions on her. Moved by this, she also wants to give the same to her own students! Teaching was always a dream for Cunningham and she never had thought of any other career path to go into. Here at North, Cunningham teaches both geometry and algebra 2 (her favorite class to teach by the way.) She enjoys the mix of both sophomores and juniors but also how challenging the subject is. 

As a new staff member, she enjoys the community the most and writing recommendation letters for her students. In her free time, you might catch her at the school’s sporting events and clubs! Her experience at North so far has been enjoyable and Cunningham strives to grow more as a teacher and make a great impact on students and the people around her. 

Make sure to say hi to Ms. Cunningham at room 435 as she's always happy to meet new people! 

Ms. Jessica Tenaglia, Science Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Alex G

Photo by Ms. Tenaglia

Ms. Tenaglia is a dedicated biology, chemistry, and marine education teacher. She is very excited  to return to the classroom for another year and assist with school events. Her favorite aspects of North are the encouraging science department and the kids she has met throughout the years! Apart from teaching children about the fascinating wonders of oceanography, Ms. Tenaglia enjoys playing softball, scuba diving, and spending time with her animal companion T'challa. Ms. Tenaglia wants to learn more about oceanography and the research being done on the blue mussel, or Mytilus Edulis. Journaling and taking walks outside are two activities that Ms. Tenaglia enjoys doing for her mental well-being.

Mrs. Peggy Farren, School Psychologist

Conducted and Composed by Audrey A

Photo by Legacy Studios

Mrs. Peggy Farren is our beloved school psychologist, and has been at North for 31 years. Her favorite things about her job are that she loves her department and the work that she does! Mrs. Farren says that her favorite part about her job is seeing teenagers blossom into themselves and progress in life. 

In school, she does much more than counsel students! She also runs Sewing Club and is a correspondent for DOVE, an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence. Sewing Club has been her responsibility ever since she started it in 2017 for a student who wanted to be a fashion designer. When she got a grant to start the club, the members launched themselves into it and the club has been thriving ever since! Mrs. Farren has been an advocate for ending domestic violence for a long time. She was first introduced to this issue when she first started interning as a psychologist. She joined her advisor in her pursuit to spread awareness against domestic violence and the two even wrote a short book together! 

Mrs. Farren uses her experiences and knowledge to help the students and staff of North Quincy High School, and to the students she would like to impart some of this knowledge. She wants our readers to know not to stress about the future. Even if you are unsure about what your future holds, know that it will all work out in the end. In some cases, it may even lead you to better things if you take the path you had not planned out for yourself!

Mrs. Jennifer Shaw, English Teacher

Conducted and Composed by Aryanna P

Photo by Legacy Studios

With the new school year approaching, some upcoming juniors might be next to enter AP Language and Composition. If you’re going into this class, you might get the pleasure of learning from Ms. Shaw, an AP Lang teacher as well as a 9th grade ELA teacher. Although Ms. Shaw didn’t always know she wanted to be a teacher, she is more than happy she stumbled into the role. After majoring in English and History, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. After substitute teaching a couple of times, she took a liking to the setting and has pursued it ever since. When asked about one of her favorite parts about teaching, she recounts her fond memories of joking around with her students. Telling goofy stories and laughing with her students makes the job special. Although AP Lang isn’t for everyone, she encourages passionate writers to give the class a try. If she hadn’t become a teacher, Ms. Shaw would’ve also liked to have had a fulfilling career as a book editor. The opportunity to read through fictional stories and correct mistakes reflects her love of the topic of grammar. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Shaw frequently goes for runs and walks, spends time in the kitchen, and spends time with her family. When I asked Ms. Shaw if she had any words of advice for the seniors leaving and the juniors making after-high-school decisions soon, she hoped everyone would do something they were truly passionate about. “Do things you love to do, and you’ll be happy in life.” -Ms. Shaw