March is a special month for women at PA. March is Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day took place this year on March 8. Female teachers, nurses, students, librarians, and security guards all help shape the PA community by positively impacting the lives of many different people.
Originally observed on February 28, 1909, Women’s Day was designated by the Socialist Party of America in honor of the 1908 garment workers’ strike in New York, where women protested against unfair working conditions. Its purpose today is to highlight women who continue to break barriers, inspire change, and shape the world around them.
One woman fitting this description at PA is psychology teacher Amanda Augustine. Augustine has worked at PA for fourteen years and teaches IB, AP, and elective psychology classes as well as sponsoring Psychology Club and GLOW club. Augustine received her undergraduate degree in psychology and was inspired to pursue teaching when she started substitute teaching after college, going back to school to get her Master’s Degree in education.
Augustine explains her biggest professional achievements are being named Teacher of the Year for the 2021-2022 school year and being a National Board Certified teacher. Becoming board certified is an extensive process, Augustine describes, achieved by taking tests, making a portfolio, recording lessons, and getting graded on your teaching, with the certification needing to be renewed every five years.
According to Augustine, one key skill needed for her role at PA is the ability to connect with her students as well as empathize with their struggles, which Augustine says “is sometimes really, really hard…[to] take on some of the things that they are struggling with.” Some of Augustine’s biggest female mentors and inspirations at PA she describes are Mrs. LaCava-Owen, Mrs. Cosimano, Mrs. Petykowski, Mrs. Karunaratne, and Mrs. Garfield. Augustine explains she hopes to “generate curiosity and questions and inquiry about the human mind” through her teaching.
Besides Augustine, Librarian Helen Sissel is another woman at PA who is deserving of recognition during Women’s Month. Sissel’s day does not end after the 2 p.m. bell; she is also a realtor at Berkshire Hathaway. While Sissel has worked as a language arts teacher and a computer teacher in the past, she explains her true passion is being a librarian “because every day is so different” and she “can touch so many more lives and loves being in the hub of the school.”
Sissel starts her day by helping with morning announcements with Mr. Delaney, works in the library for the remainder of the school day, then goes straight to work as a realtor after school. Sissel enjoys working with teachers and collaborating with classes: “I try to encourage [teachers] to try new ideas or step out of their comfort zone and make a difference in a positive way . . . I want to empower students and teachers to be the best that they can be,” said Sissel.
Sissel says working two jobs has helped with her time management and productivity. Even though she juggles many responsibilities, Sissel explains she still tries to make time for her social life and family.
Sissel’s biggest female mentor and inspiration is her mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease. Instead of letting this bring her down, Sissel explains she tries to make a difference. “I am really active with the Alzheimer’s community, and we have a yearly walk to raise funds for awareness,” Sissel describes. “That’s one of my big passions, not that I can really do anything to change my mom, but hopefully in the future there will be a cure so there will be people who survive the disease.”
One of her biggest personal achievements is being a mom herself, and she is proud of her sons and what they have accomplished. Sissel makes an impact on many students and teachers as she tries to make the library a safe space “for them to take chances and become life-long learners.”
Lastly, a female student who is breaking barriers and trying to help her community is IB senior Tiyana Mattox. Mattox was accepted into Havard this year, and she was inspired to go there because of the various opportunities available at the university. They have over 300 classes, and they have a good way of letting you explore what you want to do but still have a very structured system,” said Mattox. She considers getting accepted to Harvard one of her biggest achievements.
Mattox explains she is excited to go to Harvard because it is in a great area, and it is close to the city of Cambridge. Mattox is majoring in biomedical engineering and is planning on pursuing a career in either medicine or engineering, working with prototypes and research.
Although Mattox has a busy schedule, she is still able to help people in need. She is a varsity cheer captain, the president of the Black Student Union, a member of Spanish Honor Society and National Honor Society, and does nonprofit work in Norfolk focused on helping the black community and stopping housing discrimination.
Her biggest female mentor she describes is her mother. Her advice for girls with big dreams and striving for greatness in school is to be their own person, saying, “you don’t have to join every club and activity. Just figure out what you want to do and work hard for it.”
