Mrs. Annecchino began her artistic journey painting interiors for lollipops and skittles at the age of six.
Students at River Dell have probably had, or at least seen, Mrs. Annecchino. She teaches everything from computer science to photography to sculpture, and she runs both the Human Rights Club and the Photography Club. We spoke with Mrs. Annecchino to get to know her better and help the student body at RD develop an even deeper appreciation for what she does in our school.
Mrs. Annecchino first decided that she wanted to be an art teacher on a whim. “I was in my junior year with no major declared, and I knew I was running out of time to pick one. Both my parents were teachers who loved their jobs, and I had a lifelong passion for art. Being an art teacher seemed like an obvious middle ground between these two fields. Plus, I knew that I could always explore other things if teaching wasn’t my thing.”
Though she stayed open-minded, Mrs. Annecchino ended up sticking with teaching. “There isn’t one class that I like teaching the most; I enjoy them all equally. I like anything that gets my students solving problems. That could really be any of my classes.”
When asked what her favorite part about teaching was, she exclaimed, “I love when student curiosity leads to questions, conversations, exploration, and art adventures!”
Mrs. Annecchino’s art adventures aren’t limited to just her classes. She runs the Photography Club at RD. “Photo Club provides opportunities for individuals to take photographs of interesting things. We’ll go to places like New York City, up to the high-rises and observation decks.”
She is also the advisor to the Human Rights Club, which is an open, argument-free space for students to discuss hot-topic issues surrounding ethics. “Our president, Tessa Klein, invites people to come and speak all the time. It’s really just a great platform for people to speak their minds in a respectful manner.”
In addition, Mrs. Annecchino hopes to get a “Maker’s Club” up and running soon. This club would allow students to come after school to work with tools and participate in hands-on activities.
When asked how she wants her students to remember her, Mrs. Annecchino said, “Most people don’t remember a lot from high school, so I would hope that what they do remember from my class is the positive and unique experiences they had trying something new.”
When asked how she balances teaching structure with encouraging creativity, she replied, “While I do believe in hard work and structure, to be creative you need to break some rules.” She continued, “I want students to push the boundaries and challenge what I share with them.”
Mrs. Annecchino shared her prediction for the future of art: “It will always be here. It’s a part of culture. There will always be a need for humans to have creative outlets, no matter how much society and technology advance. AI will never be a substitute for that, as much as it may cause parts of art to evolve.”
Fellow art teacher Ms. Seiss said, “Mrs. Annecchino comes to school excited and ready to go every single day. She’s always looking for ways to introduce new technology, like laser printers, into her classes. She is also very welcoming and invites other teachers into her classes all the time.”
Her students, of course, had nothing but positive things to say about her. When asked what his first impression of Mrs. Annecchino was, sophomore Kyle Ning responded, “Within the first week of meeting her, I could already tell that she was incredibly knowledgeable about photography. I see her as an expert in the field and a teacher that I can rely on.”
When asked to name Mrs. Annecchino’s best qualities, Advanced Photography student Elery Driscoll replied, “I can tell that she’s genuinely interested in the art that we create. She’s a teacher who encourages us to take risks with our projects and explore different approaches. Overall, Mrs. Annecchino creates a class environment where students can create and grow.”