As a student at Rowan College, Jackie Lambusta developed a passion for teaching.
She knew she wanted to pursue the profession as a career, but she just didn’t know what subject she wanted to dedicate herself to.
“I dabbled with math and science and quickly learned they were not my areas of expertise,” Lambusta said. “Then, I took a few courses in American and British literature and fell in love.“
That love for teaching English has taken her a long way. She is now doing what she has always wanted to do and has gotten quite good at it.
This will be her 10th year at Seneca High School where she was just recently awarded the “Teacher of the Month” honor for October.
Lambusta could not say enough about her fellow staff members and teachers in the English department, attributing much of her success to the group she is so proud to be a part of.
“I feel so blessed to work with a group of people who are so dedicated to their profession. I am surrounded by such amazing educators, and I am honored to be recognized,” Lambusta said.
She alluded to how her colleagues welcomed her and made her feel like a part of the “Seneca Family” from the first day that she began teaching at Seneca.
She frequently works with this group in a collaborative effort to create dynamic lessons that challenge students and help them create meaning in their own lives.
“The strength lies not only in our congeniality, but also in our collegiality,” as Lambusta put it, when referring to the Seneca English department.
Lambusta uses reading as a channel to experience life on a multitude of different levels and make sense of people’s lives in the grand scheme of things. She believes reading helps develop empathy and form connections to people whose lives are different.
“Literature from different genres and different schools of thought gives us a platform from which we can grow into more well-rounded members of society — people who genuinely care and can appreciate the struggles of others,” Lambusta said.
The Waretown resident who used to spend her time scuba diving with her husband now spends the majority of her free time being a mom to her son Liam.
Though being a mom can be a full-time job in itself, she continues to read and obtain knowledge she can pass down to her students.
