Family Focus: Union County teacher engages students, wins award

WEDDINGTON, N.C. — University of North Carolina-Charlotte awarded a Union County teacher with the Beginning Teacher of the Year Award.

Students and staff gave Marisa Difronzo rave reviews.
 
The Weddington High School English teacher prepared her classes for exams this week.

"Raise your hand if you can tell me the two major types of conflict that you will see," Difronzo asked her class.

The class is a favorite for many at the high school.

"I definitely like her teaching style the most," junior Taylor Baird said. "I'm a student who excels the most in such a challenging classroom."
 
Difronzo makes learning fun by using games and other interactive projects, Baird and fellow junior Katelyn Prakash said.
 
"It's never just sitting at your desk doing busywork. It's always stuff that's going to improve your work ethic or like teach you more, so you never feel like you're just there in class," Prakash said. "You're there having a fun time and learning."
 
Difronzo makes a point to connect with every student, the teens said.

"When you teach in a student-centered way, you have to know the student individually, not just as a student but as a person," Difronzo said.

Her focus on building those relationships is one key to her success, she said.
 
The principal agrees.

"When you walk in, there's this presence, there's this charge," Jonathan Bowers said. "There's this connection with the students, and it kind of transcends everything that happens in the classroom."
 
Jonathan Bowers nominated Difronzo.
 
"Pleasantly surprised that I received the award, which was so exciting," Difronzo said.

As the school year ends, she’s not slowing down until the last bell rings.

"It's a responsibility that I don’t take lightly, so there's never downtime, there's never a down day,” Difronzo said. “There's never anything like that. Every day is rock-and-roll because it's their time, and it's their life and preparing them for that."