In class or on the field, teachers and coaches empower students to become better academically, physically, and emotionally. For many, opinions of the class or sport are determined by the teacher and not the content itself. When these faculty members step out onto the court and present a different side to them, students and the community are overjoyed. 

The Faculty Basketball Game this year was no different. Hundreds of students, parents, and other community members gathered to watch the stars of our school compete against each other in friendly rivalry. 

And it was an absolute show. Fans cheered from the stands, waiting for their favorite teacher or coach to score. This included our very own Mr. Pepe. His reputation as a teacher preceded him and students stood up as he played both in anticipation and in support for the popular chemistry teacher, watching in awe and ecstatic excitement as Mr. Pepe outplayed faculty members to score multiple times.  

The game was enjoyable to watch, according to Junior Alex Gong, who attended the game after his own athletic practice.

“I think one of the driving reasons for taking AP Chemistry this year was that Mr. Pepe would be teaching it,” he said. “Watching him on the court was amazing and to commemorate this event, I even got an autograph. All in all, it was a great experience and I will definitely go again if Mr. Pepe plays.”

The game was also attended by junior Dahlia Kordit, who said seeing Mr. Lanks and Mr. Pepe play was the highlight of her day.

“It was really fun to see some teachers outside of the classroom and on the court instead,” she said. She mentioned that seeing Mr. Lanks and Mr. Pepe play was the highlight of her day. 

Cheers also rang for Mrs. Sadoff, Mr. Lanks,  Ms. Svara, Mr. Breyfogle, John “the trainer” Reid, Mr. Cotto, and many of the other faculty members. 

“It was great that our teachers were having fun and honestly, it didn’t feel like our teachers were playing,” an anonymous source explained. “There was just so much action and the dunks within the game were definitely the highlight of it,” 

It wasn’t just a basketball game, however, it was a show of community spirit. Many flocked to the game to celebrate the contributions of our wonderful faculty members to the community. The attendance for the game was impressive, with the bleachers being packed to the brim. The game was also a great way to fundraise, with clubs like VAASA and The Black and Gold Club earning considerable funds by selling snacks during the game. 

Being part of the tight-knit Nanuet community is a bragging right of its own. This event clearly highlighted the importance of community. 

Without supportive families, none of these activities would be possible. And so I’d like to dedicate this article to the students, the supportive families, and the hardworking faculty of Nanuet. Thank you for making our lives better.