Through Debate, Peer Leadership, Student Council, Journalism and her experience teaching English, Penny Giamoni has helped shape the school community into a more positive environment.

Giamoni graduated Syracuse University in 1993 with a dual degree in Advertising and English. Although she expected to pursue a career in advertising, Giamoni became an English teacher for Warren Hills and has taught here for 23 years.

“My dream job at the time was to work as a Creative Director for an advertising firm. Unfortunately, advertising jobs were scarce, so I started tutoring English at Warren County Community College,” she said. “I fell in love with teaching. Since then I have advised several clubs because I genuinely believe that ‘variety is the spice of life.’”

Advising so many clubs may seem like a lot, but Giamoni said the challenge is everything she needs.

“I love taking on new challenges and inspiring students who are truly passionate about the same issues I am,” she said. “The first club I advised was Student Council. At the time, the students and I implemented an Administrative Monthly Meeting Program where officers would meet with the principal or vice principal to discuss students’ concerns regarding the school. Collaboratively, the students and administrators implemented changes, such as senior privileges.”

While advising Student Council, Giamoni also became advisor of The Streak newspaper, where with the help of students, she established a scholastic Journalism program.

The next impact Giamoni made was advising Debate club.

“Debate Team provides students the opportunity to refine their ideas through the art of argument,” she said. “At Harvard Model Congress students serve as members of the House and Senate and spend four days creating bills on the current sociopolitical issues and getting them passed and signed by the president.”

Eventually Giamoni also got involved with Peer Leadership.

“Peer Leadership impacts the school in several ways through their school-wide and community-wide programs such as SADD Day, BIONIC Day, Challenge Day, Respect Week and Red Ribbon Week,” she said. “These programs impact the school by raising awareness of social concerns such as bullying, drug and alcohol addiction, suicidal ideation, drunk driving, bullying and harassment.”

Although each involvement has helped impact the school, Giamoni said her work with Peer Leadership has made the most impact.

“As an advisor I have created a level of trust with my students so that when they have problems, social or otherwise, they feel that they come to me to discuss them,” she said. “I try to teach them how to gain that level of trust, and in turn, they are able to get other students to confide in them.”

Giamoni hopes to continue to influence students, especially in the field of bystander prevention and empathy.

“We need to relinquish the role of bystanders, watching others suffer because it is not happening to us personally,” said Giamoni. “We need more nicety in our school to improve our empathy skills and be compassionate. Social issues are constantly evolving. Empathy is the most important skill anyone can have.”