Meet Stefani Caporlingua, Intermediate School art teacher!

What’s your favorite aspect of your job?

I love it when my students get really excited about a project. The energy in the room starts out chaotic because they can’t wait to get their hands on whatever material we’re using that day. Once they have it, they become silent with concentration and that’s how I know I’ve really hooked them.

Why do you believe in and support the work of the Minisink Valley School District and what it does for the community?

A couple of years back, I had to do some fundraising. Every business I approached was more than happy to support the school and so many members of the community came to each event. Some people just saw the words “Minisink” and gave their support. I saw then just how important the school is to so many who live here.

 How has this pandemic refocused the work you do every day?

There were a lot of problems to solve but in the end, it resulted in some beneficial changes to my teaching. For example, I couldn’t store any artwork this year so I had to make sure that all of my projects were completed within one class period. Now my students do something new every class instead of spreading out one assignment over a few weeks. This is something I want to continue even after we return to our normal routine.

What do you want to say directly to the community about the importance of your work?  

The reason I became an art teacher is that I want to teach children how to create something from nothing. Art isn’t just in galleries and museums, it’s your iPhone, your shoes, your clothes, your house. Everything begins as an idea and we need art to share it with others. There are countless careers that need creative people that aren’t intimidated by a blank canvas. That’s how we evolve.