Today’s Utica Gem is Nick Gentile. He teaches Algebra and Applied Geometry at Proctor High School. As a Proctor graduate, Gentile returned to his alma mater just six years after walking its halls as a student. “It means everything to me to be given this opportunity to be with the community that helped raise me and make me who I am today. It's all about the impact that you can give back to those families that helped raise you as the product of Utica City Schools,” says Gentile.
With big plans for the future, this teacher has high expectations for his students and for himself. “So being an educator, I feel that we all have a purpose to really drive our community forward, to raise the bar. And what I want to do in my future would be to continue to pursue my PhD in Educational Policy and Leadership and take on a new role within a few years,” says Gentile.
Gentile says the kids inspire him daily. Even when he has challenging days, the spark of the classroom keeps him motivated. This math teacher shared one of his most influential quotes with us because he feels it best describes the life as a student and now as a teacher, “It truly does take a village to raise a child. And again, I do believe that I am living proof. Having all teachers part of my village, parents, coaches, truly it takes a village to raise a child,” Gentile says in closing.
Nick Gentile is a Raider through and through and a proud Utica Gem.