ENGL 344 CLASS PROFILE PAGE

Class Profile Page

ENGL 344 Young Adult Literature

Maryan Aden is a junior pursuing an English Major with a concentration in Education, and a minor in English as a Second Language. She is bilingual, fluent in English and Somali, a language of East Africa. She credits her elementary ESL teacher as the sole reason behind her career goals. She is passionate about teaching English to others because of the wealth of opportunities it can provide. Her favorite quote speaks to this: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela. Maryan also hopes to become a writer. Asked to describe herself in a few words, she mentioned determined, introverted, and an over-thinker. An outsider would describe her as contemplative, methodical, and dedicated. When the pandemic subsides, the first thing she wants to do is travel somewhere new, preferably a tropical location. When she isn’t completing homework, Maryan can be found researching new topics that interest her, most recently, linguistics.

Grace Donnelly is from Worcester, MA. She is currently in high school and homeschooled. Her career goals consist of becoming a YA author. Her favorite young adult book is Lovely War, by Julie Berry. When asked what three words she would use to describe herself she said creative, kind, and positive. If Grace could be any animal, she would be a fox because they're the size of a pet. When asked what her favorite quote was, she responded with Doris Lessing: "And we, the old ones, whisper into those innocent ears: 'Have you still got your space? Your soul, your own and necessary place where your own voices may speak to you, you alone, where you may dream. Oh, hold onto it, don't let it go.'" An essential item she would carry in her purse is emergency sugar, since she is a type 1 diabetic, preferably, gummy treats or some Starburst. Lastly, due to COVID, she hasn’t been able do a lot of things. The first thing she would do post-COVID ? “After visiting all my quarantined family and giving them a big hug, I'm heading to Six Flags. I bought a season pass the winter before and I never even got to use it.

Katy Bedig is a fourth-year resident student at BSU, double majoring in English and ELED studies. Katy's passion for becoming an educator is due to her poor experience in the public-school system growing up in Watertown, MA. Katy wants to prevent future students from the same. Katy will get her first taste of real-life teaching next semester as she enters the Block and becomes a student-teacher. Katy is active on campus as a member of the disability advocacy club Students Accepting A Challenge. Katy enjoys knitting and all things crafty at home and is a massive fan of her grandmothers' Armenian dish Choreg. Katy's life outside of school consists of part-time work as a preschool teacher and nannyr. Katy is a big fan of Disney and Pixar movies and music as well as the show Avatar. (Katy says that in the picture to the right "she is the tall one" but we can't tell if that is based on hood height or actual height).

Emily Ferzoco is a senior English major at BSU. Originally from Davenport, IA, she now lives in Massachusetts and commutes to BSU. She has a Japanese Shikoku named Enzo. She says that Enzo the dog got his name because 1) her family is Italian and 2) from the character Enzo in Vampire Diaries and her mom picked the name. She is taking seven classes this semester and hopes to finish this year. Emily picked English as a major because she is a decent writer and loves to read. When alone, Emily likes to paint by numbers. Her next project is getting a canvas with her boyfriend’s picture on it so she can paint it. Emily’s dream trip if there was no pandemic would be to go to Greece . She works at a nursing home as an administrative assistant twice a week. Her favorite show is Game of Thrones (that ending, am I right?) Emily’s favorite movies include Shutter Island, and two musicals: Mama Mia and Into the Woods. Her top podcast ever is Girls Gotta Eat hosted by Rayna Greenberg & Ashley Hesseltine. Before the world ended she went to go see them in Boston which is pretty dope.

Nicholas Ceniseroz is a double major studying both English and Secondary Education and a minor in Asian studies at . His current career goal is to teach abroad in Japan in an English language learning program. He chose to study English by process of elimination because it was the most appealing. Currently he is building his portfolio to ready himself to begin a masters in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). His hobbies include video gaming, watching almost every anime ever made and an extensive manga collection, as well as creative writing when he can find the time, mostly fiction and fantasy . He resides in Westport, MA, owns two cats, and has a backyard full of chickens. Nick is career-focused and makes sure everything he does can be related back to his goal of teaching. Though he may be modest about his abilities it is clear he has a future ahead of him, as well as the drive to achieve it.

Ashley Munoz is currently a double major in Secondary Education and English. She already has experience working with youth as a special education assistant, but now she is working to become an English teacher. She has also considered looking into teaching Social Studies. Outside of education, she has also worked in an animal clinic and was previously on track to graduate as an editor before she decided she wanted to become a teacher. In her free time, she is a sort of collector of hobbies, only occasionally finishing them. She has started to learn how to draw with watercolor pens, embroidery, growing plants, movies, and so on. She is a sort of jack of all trades and lives by the motto that you can never be too old to not learn something new, so she is always finding new things to occupy her time. Along with these passing interests, she has also enjoyed reading and writing her entire life which has been a factor contributing to her career decisions. As for pets, she has two cats, a dog, and a fish tank.

Molly Graham is a mother to a six month old baby, which is pretty awesome. It’s enough responsibility to take care of a newborn during these crazy times, not to mention enroll in online school as well! When Molly graduates, she hopes to teach young students. Molly took this class to satisfy a requirement, but loves to read and love all forms of literature as well. Young Adult literature is also particularly interesting to her because it’s so relatable, and, also, technically she is still a young adult who experienced scenarios similar to those commonly referenced in young adult lit. Molly really loves Bridgewater and everything it has to offer, especially considering how wonderfully the university has adapted to an online learning environment. Online school is tough and not exactly an ideal way to learn, but she's making he most of it and using all the resources she can. She is super excited for the semester.

Olaith Connelly is currently a senior at Bridgewater State and majoring in English and Secondary Education. Before coming to school at Bridgewater, Orlaith went to the University of Maine and Regis College. Her family is from Ireland, and it is a big part of her family culture. Her name is actually very Irish, indeed. It is spelled Orlaith but she typically writes it "Orla" since that is how it should be pronounced. As seasons go, Orlaith prefers summer over winter, but in the winter, she makes the best of it and goes skiing whenever she can. She also enjoys traveling and hopes to get back to it as soon as this pandemic subsides.

Adlai Greene has one more year after at BSU where she is double majoring in English and Elementary Education. Her dream job is to work for the Department of Defense Education Activities teaching military dependents abroad, because her dad was in the airfare making her was a military kid. Her family moved 12 times across the United States and to Germany. While this meant she was not able to participate in many extracurricular activities, she did have the opportunity to meet people from different cultures, giving her an appreciation for the diversity of our world. She is most proud of her dedication to her education having persevered through setbacks as well as the switch to online learning, still maintaining her academic standing. Her biggest weakness is being a perfectionist, but her biggest strength is how much she cares for others. She enjoys hiking and snowboarding, and attempting DIYs. And, of course, she loves to read and write, and is working on her own novel.

April Decarvahlo was born on April 1st and, of course, her mother instantly knew her baby’s name had to be April. Her friends would tell you she is loyal, determined, generous, mature, and funny, a trait she closely shares with her dad. April is majoring in psychology with a minor in childhood studies. She hopes to someday be a psychologist in a children’s hospital where she would be able to care for sick children and their families. April changed her concentration from pediatric radiation oncologist to psychology and has maintained a 4.0 GPA at BSU. In her free time, April enjoys playing video games, cleaning, and doing makeup. She might also be found with her two dogs and cat curled up on the couch reading or listening to some of her favorite music by Pink Floyd. April lives by the sayings, “Family is Everything” and “Trust Your Gut.” If she could change the world, she would change the pain and anger that exists there. Perhaps she would do this through her desired superpower: telekinesis.

James Gilmer is a secondary education and English major at BSU where he transferred to from Umass Dartmouth. Although a in his second year, he is technically a junior since he is ahead on his credits. James wishes classes weren't online since he has trouble with online formats. His father works at Bridgewater as a project manager in Boyden and that comes with some perks including a free “taxi” ride to and from school when needed. James also has a campus job as the desk manager at the Tinsley center. His career goal after graduating is to become a high school teacher. He enjoys reading young adult lit such as the Percy Jackson series which is one of the reasons he took this class. Occasionally James will eat fast food and his top pick is a burger from Wendys or chicken nuggets from Mcdonald’s. James is also is a huge history buff. Through the years, James has been involved in theatre, football, and boy scouts. He stands at 6’3, loves gaming and all things Star Wars.

Lindsay Everson is an English major with a concentration in writing and writing studies. Lindsay's dream is still unclear at this time; however, the thought of being a professor is on the list. Right now, Lindsay is a Pre-K teacher; however, this is only a temporary position that pays for school. Some of Lindsay's hobbies are record collecting, creative writing, and reading. Though between school and work, she does not have tons of time to read for fun. Lindsay likes fast food, and her favorite is McDonalds even though she knows it isn't good for her. she also likes to scroll through Facebook. One of the other things that she likes to do online is sell some of the stuff that she doesn't need to other people. Finally, her favorite colors are purple and orange.

Ketteland Firmain is a senior transfer student majoring in English and Elementary Education with a dual concentration in Special Education. She currently works with students who have behavioral and emotional issues, and although the job is stressful, she enjoys it. Recently, she has been working on finding ways to practice self-love such as writing poetry and crocheting. Her favorite food is chicken wings because there are so many different ways to make them. Her favorite classes she has taken so far all have to do with creative writing, Ketteland loves the freedom it gives students to create and inspire. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her Goddaughter when she is not working. Ketteland loves her Goddaughter dearly and talks about her frequently. Ketteland has many hobbies and passions that will one day make her an incredible educator who can truly understand students.

Demi Riendeau is a junior at BSU majoring in English and secondary education. She is a super busy person with five jobs. One really admirable job she has is being the primary care giver to her Nana. Another job she has is as an RA at BSU. One thing that is frustrating about being an RA is “is telling grown adults to keep their mask on at all times.” She also works at Marshalls. Her New Year’s resolution is to read a book a week on top of all the reading she has to do for school. The reason Demi chose chose her majors is because she loves working with students and the freedom that language expression gives students. Demi has one brother, and they are both super close to each other. One thing that makes Demi happy is spending time with him as well as with her dad. They are the best thing ever and they mean a lot to her. Her biggest dream is to do Teach for America or join the AmeriCorps when she graduates.

Samantha Yidiaris is a junior at Bridgewater State University majoring in Elementary Education and English. She is originally from Taunton, MA and still lives there today. When not in class, she works at the YMCA as wall as at at a local elementary school. She used to teach gymnastics classes in her spare time, but with everything with the Corona Virus, gymnastics had to be shut down for the time being, which is pretty sad because she really misses it. In the future Samantha hopes to become an elementary school teacher, preferably in first grade or kindergarten. She really wants to feel that sense of accomplishment you get from helping children learn everyday. When not working, Sam likes to do yoga, work out and honestly just lay in bed and watch some Netflix, which is just about everyone's top hobby right now. She also has a dog, and he is the best.

Lauren Grisolia is a senior here at Bridgewater State University studying English. After Lauren graduates from BSU, she would like to be a high school English teacher. Lauren also enjoys doing many things outside of school in her free time including working out, reading different books, doing her makeup, and watching Netflix (don’t we all). Some of Lauren’s favorite shows to binge watch on Netflix are Criminal Minds, as well as Gilmore Girls (one of the best shows ever). Lauren currently works at a school and has taken on the full-time duties of the teacher she worked under. She also loves spending time with her dog Ramsey, who is a half beagle, half cattle dog mix. What Lauren is looking forward to most after she graduates in the spring, is getting out and teaching in the world, and helping students. Lauren is excited about this class and can’t wait to see what her last semester brings here at BSU.

Clair Laurent is currently working on getter her teaching degree at Bridgewater State University. Claire graduated from Dorchester high school and plans to start teaching elementary school students in the Brockton public school’s district. She wants to teach Haitian students who are learning English as a second language. Claire enjoys academic writing and journaling along with doing some personal writing from time to time as well. Later in life, Claire plans on adopting a child between the ages of 10 to 13 and then hopes to retire from teaching at a very old age, most likely around the age of 80. Claire plans to graduate from Bridgewater State University in the fall of 2022 and continue her life as a teacher and educator.

Brittany Oppenheimer will be graduating this spring and plans on studying for her master’s degree in the fall of 2021. She majors in English with a concentration in Writing and Writing Studies. Her writing has been published in online journals five times so far. She is a writer of fiction and non-fiction as well as of short stories. Brittany has two cats: Loki (pictured) and Binks and a dog named Casey. Her favorite type of movies are action and fantasy. Her favorite books are The Hunger Games series, and oldies music is her listening preference, specifically from the ‘50s to the ‘70s. A fun fact about her, or rather a blessing in her life is that she has never been in a car accident. Also, Brittany has never served in the military nor had she ever had the ambition to do so.

Alexandra Mitchell is a junior at BSUy. Originally she planned to go into social work, but ultimately decided that English is her passion. From as early as she can remember, reading and writing were always a constant in her life. She hopes that she can share this love for literature and language arts with her future students. She is also majoring in Secondary Education. Alexandra is also very interested in psychology. If she were not going into a career in English and Education, she would probably be pursuing something specific to psychology or politics- one of her other main interests. She is the youngest in her family and a sibling to one older brother. Another fun fact about Alexandra is that she has two adorable guinea pigs named Winnie and Marline .

Hannah McDonald is a senior at BSU majoring in secondary education and English. She is passionate about reading and writing. In fact, her experience with English teachers in the past influenced her to become an English teacher herself. At one point in her time at college, she pursued a business major, but quickly decided that it wasn’t for her. Hannah describes herself as both analytical and creative. She enjoys psychology and being politically active. Outside of school, Hannah is a lover of all music types and has seen many artists live. Some of her favorite concerts were Kanye West, Britney Spears, and Lana Del Ray, but her all-time favorite shows are between Jonathan Richman and Deerhunter. She herself plays the guitar. Some of her other hobbies include drawing with pastels, eating Thai and Indian food, and spending time with Daisy, her Australian Cattle dog.

Cora Roche is a laid-back Senior at BSU who wants to one day work with kids. Currently, she is an Elementary Education and English Double major. She transferred to BSU from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY. She was born and raised on the South Shore, but she currently lives in Rockland, MA. Cora lives with her two parents and her two brothers. She has a cat named Gus, a mini schnauzer named Pepper who recently turned 15 and lastly a doodle puppy named Molly! As for hobbies Cora likes to go hiking, when she is at home she likes to read and bake. According to Cora she does not have any interesting facts, but that might not be true because she loves to read a wide variety of literature like Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, No-No Boy by John Okada, and The Mabinogion, a collection of early British literature.

Maria Pestilli is a junior at BSU majoring in Secondary Education and English. She will be pursuing her Master's degree at BSU in support of her dream to become a Middle School English teacher. Teaching this age group of students is her passion. When she is not attending classes, she is often reading (The Hobbit being one of her favorites), playing video games (such as Skyrim), quilting, painting, or baking some delicious gluten-free treats. She was born and raised on a farm in Hanson, and has two dogs, six cats, one white-eared conure, one parakeet, one lion-eared bunny, chickens, ducks, geese, and one horse. She has 17 years of horseback riding experience. She also has an interesting living situation living with eight of family members while doing remote learning. In June of this year she will be marrying her fiancé, Kaylynn.

Tenneh Sesay is currently a senior at BSU studying Early Childhood Education with concentration in Writing & Writing Studies. She never thought in millions of years she would want to become a teacher or even love kids. Her advisor at her previous institution, Bunker Hill Community College, told her she would make a good teacher and that she should go for it. Tenneh had always admired this one teacher from high school, she was like a school mom, and she was her speech teacher who always had faith in her and believe in her. She made Tenneh want to become a teacher. In 2018 Tenneh published her children's book based on how she overcame her speech disorder. She has been involved in many teaching activities including as a substitute teacher at Saint Columbkille Partnership School K-8.

Alexyss Galvin

Lee Torda is celebrating her 20th year in the BSU classroom by not being in it and is, trust her, smiling behind that mask. She is proud to say that she came to teach ENGL 344 through the exceptional work of former undergraduates Anne Smith (BSU 2016) and Briana McDonald (BSU 2015) who partnered with Lee many years ago on two undergraduate research projects on Young Adult Lit. Not wanting to let all their good work go to waste, she began teaching the course, which only generated more good work from her undergraduate partners. Jessica Rinker (BSU 2021) just completed a portion of an updated version of Little Women entitled Silver Girls. Briana McDonald published Pepper's Rules for Secret Sleuthing in 2021, A YA mystery featuring a LGBTQ protagonist for the middle school set. Two things: Lee couldn't be prouder of how everything worked out, and she owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to her cousin Susan Zanzano Mahon who way back when in 1984 gave Lee her own copy of Little Women and started her on a path that led to this very moment.