Delaware’s ‘spunky’ teacher of the year

Delaware's teacher of the year uses passion and lots of energy to engage her high-school English students.

“Spunky” is not a word typically used to described educators, but that’s exactly how students describe Delaware’s teacher of the year. Spend just a few minutes in the classroom of Sussex Tech High School English teacher Virginia Forcucci, and you’d have to agree with that description.

“I think passion begets passion, so when I’m really hype, they tend to get really hype,” Forcucci said. “And when they’re really hype, I get even more hype, so it’s really just this symbiotic relationship.”

She’s been nominated for the top teaching award in previous years, but declined the nomination. She accepted this year because she had a platform she wanted to get out.

“I feel that the climate in our nation and in our culture right now is such that I have a lot to say about academic discourse and empathy and understanding the why behind our students’ behaviors,” she said.

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Forcucci has pushed for curriculum at her school to connect with kids, first through writing, so they can find the value of their own voice.

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