Ms. Naslund, a new teacher at the high school this year and a Vestal High School alum, has been educating students for 7 years in the Vestal district as a Spanish teacher with experience in other states as well as in Spain. A woman shaped by her numerous travels, she represents the growing multilocal community of the modern age—those who do not simply tie themselves to one identity due to their amalgamation of cultural influences, and her exposure to such diverse countries has molded her into who she is today. Adopted by American parents who encouraged the idea of education from an early age, she developed a love for teaching starting in 2nd grade. After a lovely experience with a Spanish teacher in school, she realized that she wanted to teach Spanish, a language she held dearly in her heart due to her years in Chile. She says that while it was incredibly overwhelming as a child, it also taught her to be independent, adaptable, and resilient. Taking these lessons with her into the classroom, she hopes to instill similar values in her students, and emphasizes that “there is more to the world than just Vestal”.
When asked about her experience as one of the few teachers of color in the school, she explained that when she first started teaching in Vestal, she was the only teacher of color in the entire building—this encouraged her (along with other colleagues) to form Diversity Club, now one of the largest and most influential clubs in our school, as a way to help the school to be more inclusive of students with diverse backgrounds. She hopes to inspire students of color to become who they want to be, regardless of what they are told they can or cannot do, on the basis of their upbringing.
Furthermore, while she appreciates the U.S. education system much more compared to her teaching experiences elsewhere, she’s always been an advocate for teaching foreign languages earlier on in the education process—“it should be taught starting in elementary school” she says, as she explained how it was in these formative years that the brain picks up knowledge quickly and absorbs it in long lasting memory. Along with that, she also believes that every American school should be bilingual, as she thinks that not only accepting, but also involving oneself in another language/culture is what truly leads to people with open minds and hearts.
Also a believer of treating oneself with respect, she claims her personal motto to be: “If I were to die, would I be happy with the last three meals I ate?”. This concept not only speaks to her love for cooking, but also how she values her wellbeing, a lesson she passes down to her students. A lover of the outdoors, always on a hike, but also someone who needs their rest, she’s a big supporter of a work-life balance in our constantly changing and moving world.
Thank you, Ms. Naslund, for being a pillar of our school as we welcome you back to the high school!
