Wantagh High School students returned to familiar halls—but this time, as classroom helpers instead of pupils. As part of the district’s annual Shadow Day tradition, 32 students in grades 9 through 12 spent the morning assisting teachers at Forest Lake, Mandalay and Wantagh elementary schools.
The Groundhog Day event, organized by business education teacher Christine Compagnino, aims to give teens a glimpse into the working world—particularly careers in education. Several participants were assigned to their former elementary school teachers on Feb. 2.
Senior Faith Stallone partnered with Barbara Moeller, her third-grade teacher at Forest Lake, who now teaches second grade. Stallone led a Groundhog Day lesson and found the experience helpful as she considers a future in education.
“It’s going to be a good experience going into college,” she said, “to already have a day in an elementary school under my belt.”
Juniors and sophomores alike used the opportunity to test the waters of teaching. Junior Addison Gottlieb and sophomore Lillian Sottnik both shadowed their mothers, who are second-grade teachers at Forest Lake. Gottlieb, a three-time Shadow Day participant, helped students during math centers and decorated a Valentine’s Day bulletin board.
“I like to see how my mom is in a working environment,” she said, “and I have also always wanted to be a teacher.”
Sottnik joined the program to explore the profession. “I just want to see what teaching is like and if that’s something I would want to do,” she said. Senior Caitlyn Johnson, who worked alongside Tara Sottnik, called the experience eye-opening. “It’s good to know how a usual day goes in an elementary school,” she said.
Other participants included sophomore Dylan DiScala, who assisted in Amanda Mooney’s fifth-grade math class, and Sophia Santopietro, who worked with third graders. “I’m enjoying that I get to see teaching from a different perspective,” Santopietro said.
Compagnino said the event helps students explore a wide range of education-related careers. “These students may dream of becoming teachers, administrators, physical therapists or other educational professionals,” she said. “All of them walked away with a sense of what positive work ethics and professional relationships are all about by experiencing the day at their respective elementary schools.”
