Paige Buzzetti

When I began my undergraduate career in Communications and English being in the classroom was one of the places I felt most comfortable. When it came time to step out of the classroom and into an office I felt the adjustment hard and stumbled a few times before I found my footing. In 2019 I took the bold step to leave my full-time marketing career and find a way back into the classroom. I briefly got a taste when like many my life was put on pause by the pandemic. When September 2020 came around I was feverishly looking for a place to put my skills to use and landed a paraprofessional job in an elementary building in Fairport, NY. As a student in the classroom, it felt liberating to explore new things and ask questions without knowing where the conversation would go and I found that same excitement being an adult in the classroom. Interacting with students and learning about their lives and passions while sharing skills and stories gave me energy. Even after working in a pandemic year, I was hooked. I've had the pleasure of working with kids in general education, special education, and non-native English learners. As I've been on this learning adventure I've been introduced to new fields that I'm eager to explore. Moving forward I plan to continue working while I consider pursuing a Master's in Education to work in a mental health role at the elementary level.