Get To Know Teresa Palasits

Name: Teresa Palasits

Age: 22
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland
Education: A.B. in Mathematics from Bryn Mawr College







What team are you on and what do you do?

I proudly serve on the Spingarn High School Team in Northeast. I am the math coordinator for the team and serve primarily in a 10th grade geometry classroom. I am also on the Physical Training (PT) Crew and serve on the Fine Arts Committee for Camp City Year.



Why did you join City Year and why do you serve?

I joined City Year because when I was in college I had the opportunity to take a class called Schools in American Cities where we learned about the challenges urban schools face. Part of the class included classroom tutoring and mentoring in a school. This made me want to continue to work with urban youth in a mentoring relationship. I had considered teaching as a profession before and City Year seemed like the perfect opportunity to get to work in a school environment more consistently than I had before and really see if it was a fit for me. I also like the idea of national service and think America would be better off if more people chose to serve.



What are you most excited about this year?

I am excited for the opportunity to get to know my students better and make the most of City Year's new partnership with Spingarn High School. I am also really excited for Camp City Year in April and am looking forward to more Signature Service Days in the coming months.



What were you most nervous about this year?

 Working with high schoolers made me a little nervous because they typically seem more guarded and not as open to getting to know new adults in school. It has taken some time, but now my kids respect me for the math help I can give them in class and the near-peer relationship we can have.



What is something most people don't know about you and wouldn't guess?

I was a dance minor at Bryn Mawr and I got really good at African dance. I grew up doing ballet