Always Learning

Christy Cardinale is a teacher at Williamsville North High School, teaching AP Government & Politics predominantly while also co-teaching the AP Capstone Program. She enjoys exploring geography, history, and social dynamics as a living while also learning from the hundreds of new students she meets every year. Christy currently lives in the cottage district of Buffalo with her partner, who she met at SUNY Geneseo, alongside 3 Shih Tzus.

“I think that one inspiration I probably had throughout my life,” Christy said in an interview, “is my grandmother.”

Because Christy’s parents both worked full-time, her maternal grandmother had a large influence in raising Christy and her older sister. Since her grandmother was born in France and primarily spoke French, her immigrant experience made Christy curious at a young age about how diverse the world is, leading her down the path of history and geography.

“Speaking French, she had difficulties with pronouncing things like the ‘th’ sound,” Christy said regarding her grandmother. “Being self-conscious of even how she sounded and her inability to say certain words made me accurately aware of those issues and sensitive to how language barriers can make people feel insecure.” 

Christy also emphasizes the role of public education; she recognizes how the strong public support systems have enabled her family to live a life together and preserve their family unit. Now, as a teacher, in addition to providing guidance to students, Christy also fosters a role as a mentor for other teachers, especially as she’s been working with a new teacher this year at North. Particularly when an individual is just starting out, it can be quite difficult to know whether you’re doing enough, and having “someone in your corner”, as Christy puts it, can be just what you need to feel secure in what you’re doing. 

“I think as far as students,” Christy said, “it is important to give students opportunities where they can voice their thoughts and opinions.” As an advisor for clubs like Model UN and Girl Up, Christy hopes to be someone who can bridge the gap between opportunities and the experience to learn and advance from those opportunities. In these activities, Christy empowers students to assume leadership roles and navigate obstacles with conflict resolution as well. In her government class, Christy allows students to find the issues they think are about and be able to understand the democratic political process.

Even as an adult, Christy still remembers to remain in touch with her roots. Recently, Christy attended a trip to Poland and Austria with Holocaust survivors from Western New York. Her maternal family originally came from Poland, and Christy was able to visit significant historical sites like Auschwitz and the only synagogue that remained intact after Kristallnacht. Christy continues to learn more about the world, and she brings back these experiences as an educator.



“I think that travel, reading, and talking to people are all ways that people can continue to grow and learn, and I try to be more understanding of the different backgrounds that I encounter working at a public school,” Christy said. “People have more in common as human beings than we have that are different.”