Mrs. Angela Cestaro is in the Teacher Spotlight this week.

Cestaro has been a teacher for twenty-three years and has loved the connections she has made with students and staff.

Cestaro‘s time as a teacher has been crazy. “It changes day by day honestly; sometimes it can be very chaotic. I have to be very flexible due to COVID-19, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Cestaro said.  She chose this profession because of her mom asking her to at least try it. “It definitely wasn’t my first choice, but I loved my choice,” Cestaro said.

Cestaro earned her undergraduate from Averett University in math and business. She also earned her masters at Virginia Tech in education.

“Learn how to think; know that hard work is just as good as natural abilities. Hard work can take you farther than you believe,” Cestaro said as advice for her students. She enjoys CrossFit in her free time and lake surfing at Smith Mountain Lake in the summer.

“My fondest memory in Mrs. Cestaro‘s class is when a student wasn’t paying attention to the lesson, so she jumped onto her desk to get the student to listen and pay attention,“ Kaylen Emerson, a sophomore, said. “Mrs. Cestaro makes learning and being at school more enjoyable, and she makes you like feel like you always have someone to turn to,“ she said.

Cestaro‘s fondest memory is all of her students she has taught and meet. She enjoys the deep connection that she makes with her students. “My most enjoyable aspect would be my relationship with students and staff,“ Cestaro said. “My least would have to be anything that deals with COVID-19; it has changed everything and brings so much stress to a teachers’ lives, including my own.

“An enjoyable aspect of Mrs. Cestaro’s class would be her liveliness and humor that she brings every day,“ Chancelor Long, a senior, said. “Two things that Mrs. Cestaro inspired me to do is to be better in school and to not do immature things that I used to do,“ Long said.

Teacher spotlight is where Chatham’s  faculty and staff are recognized for their hard work and dedication. Each week a different teacher, principal, janitor, etc. will be selected and be recognized.