Tower Summer 2022

UPPER SCHOOL
Teacher of the Year
Mrs.
Amy
Napoles
By Mrs. Sarah Schlussel, Upper School Science
Department Chair
Dr. Kasey C. Kesselring, Mrs. Amy Napoles, Mrs. Kim Brauman, Mr. David Bernatavitz
Kind, warm and passionate: these are the words used by
faculty and students alike to describe this year’s Upper
School teacher of the year, Mrs. Amy Napoles. Mrs.
Napoles has been a faculty member of the Upper School
science department for seven years. During her time at
the Academy, she has brought a deep awareness and
understanding of our connection to the planet and the
life around us to hundreds of students. Her passion for
the environment and for her students is evident any time
you enter her classroom. According to student Lincoln
Baptiste, “The only thing that rivals Mrs. Napoles’ ability as
a teacher is her passion for what she teaches.”
Mrs. Napoles gives her all to her science lessons
every day. She spends countless hours developing the
extraordinarily creative and engaging science lessons
that students talk about weeks later. You are just as likely
to find her students engaged in activities inside her room
as you would be to find them outside taking soil samples,
photographs, or water samples at the lake.
Most recently, in her “soil your undies” lab, she buried new
underwear under the soil in various places on campus.
Once uncovered weeks later, her students analyzed the
remains to understand how soil properties in different
areas of campus affect rates of decomposition.
Ms. Courtney Richardson remarks, “From my first day at
Montverde Academy, Mrs. Napoles has been an example
of kindness, passion for learning, and dedication to her
students. I love hearing from my students about the cool
experiments and hands-on activities they are doing in their
Environmental Science class!”
Montverde Academy Cross Country Invitational
Mrs. Napoles is an inspiration to her students,
encouraging them to look closely at their environment,
to pay attention and to advocate for the planet. She
started the first environmental club on campus, giving
students who are passionate about the environment
an opportunity to get involved both locally and globally.
According to the president of the environmental club,
Kendall Walsworth, “Mrs. Napoles is not only an amazing
teacher, but a fantastic mentor. She has inspired me to
pursue environmental science and pushed me to achieve
my highest potential. I could not be more grateful to have
a mentor like Mrs. Napoles in my life!”
Her students would also tell you that a notable feature
of Mrs. Napoles’ class is her frequent use of messaging
on Teams to stay connected to her students. A constant
stream of science memes, environmental news stories,
and science facts keep her students engaged even when
they are not in class. She even stays in contact with
past and future students over the summer, keeping them
informed about environmental events and challenging
them to environmental scavenger hunts.
Mrs. Napoles is a dedicated educator who is an inspiration
to students and a compassionate friend to her colleagues.
As the chair of the Upper School science department, I am
grateful for her presence bringing kindness and creativity
to our department. We are better because she is part of
our team.
THE TOWER | SUMMER 2022 33