JANEEN SUCHARSKI
CHEMISTRY TEACHER
Wantagh High School
Rye Brook, New York

Janeen Sucharski grew up in Cold Spring Harbor, New York and completed her bachelor of science in chemistry, with a specialization in biochemistry, at the University of Virginia. During her time in Charlottesville, she was awarded a Research Experience for Undergraduates program (REU) opportunity by the National Science Foundation. “Performing research has been an enriching experience, developing independent thinking as well as cooperation with my colleagues.” She also enjoyed playing an active role with the Delta Zeta sorority at UVA.

Janeen earned her master’s in teaching chemistry at Stony Brook University and is also certified in biology. At Stony Brook, she worked at the Biotechnology Teaching Laboratories, where high school classes from all over Long Island came to the university to perform lab studies. The inquiry-based program influenced Janeen’s perspective on teaching.  For three summers, Janeen also taught at the Drexel Summer School for Students with Special Needs, a federally funded program for 1st to 9th grade students with mental and physical difficulties.  “The time I spent working at this program taught me a lot about the education profession, and greatly influenced my desire to become a teacher.”