Press Releases

May 10, 2004

A Passion For Literature, Learning and Life Leads to Top Honors from Southampton College
Southampton High School English Teacher Vincent Zangrillo Named "Teacher of the Year"

Contact:
Patricia Conway
631-287-8313

Southampton, NY - With a style that teaches not only about the literary merits of reading assignments, but exposes students to unfamiliar ideas and ways to interpret particular works, Vincent Zangrillo, a 9-year veteran of Southampton High School, is known for revitalizing a love of reading in his students. His inspirational instructional style has paid off: he has been named the 2004 Secondary Teacher of the Year by Southampton College of Long Island University. He will be honored on Sunday, May 23 at a special morning brunch at the commencement ceremonies at Southampton College.

"Vincent is an intelligent, dedicated teacher," said Maureen Zay, the lead teacher in the English department at Southampton High School, who recommended Zangrillo for the award. "He really strikes a chord with our senior class every year by presenting students with provocative literature that encourages them to think about and explore problems in society."

Zangrillo came to teaching later in life, and taught in the New York City school system before arriving in Southampton in 1995. In his 12th grade English courses, Zangrillo motivates his students to develop a more sophisticated thought process and regularly demonstrates his enthusiasm for teaching by incorporating interests from his personal life - excerpts from books, art slides, newspaper clippings and travels to both Greece and England to study classic Greek literature and art and contemporary British culture.

Both honored and humbled by the award, Zangrillo has a unique educational philosophy. "Despite what some politicians and pedagogues believe, teaching is more akin to an art than a science," he said. "Though, if it had connection to any science at all, it would be alchemy. As in any art form, practice is essential and perfection is never reached. Besides the pleasure of working with my students, I have taken great delight, as of late, in working with student teachers from Southampton College, from whom I have learned at least as much as I have taught."

Zangrillo earned his B.A. in English from SUNY at Albany in 1977 and his M.A. in English/Education from Adelphi University. He completed post-graduate work in the field of drama and literature and was a recipient of two National Endowment for the Humanities grants at Brown University; one to study Italian-American literature and the other to develop a coordinated high school-college curriculum.

As one former student remarked, "Zangrillo is a teacher. A leader. A guide. He has style. He gets his point across. We can say anything, but we have to back it up. Once he said "Hamlet" is the best play ever." We said "Prove it." And he did."