You may have heard the Spanish Club has received two new advisors, Mr. DeStefano and– wait, Mrs. Panè? But Mrs. Panè is a Chemistry teacher! Well, think again! One of our teachers here at BHS has gone through multiple careers and experiences that has made her who she is today- the Chemistry teacher we all know and love. 

Did Mrs. Panè always want to be a chemistry teacher? Nope. She actually grew up wanting to become a neonatologist and work with infants. Although she dreamt of this job in her future, she eventually ended up taking pre-med in college. Attending Wake Forest in North Carolina, she frequently fainted while training. Her professor nicely made a suggestion to try to find a different profession. And that’s how she began her work with the sciences.

Mrs. Panè has represented Bethpage for 14 years in their science department. You will usually find her teaching either Earth Science or Chemistry, depending on the year. (She has stated that she enjoys teaching Chem more).

Now to explain her Spanish side.“I learned how to speak Spanish when I went to live in the Dominican Republic when I was 22 years old.” She learned to speak from attending a language program on the border of Haiti for 3 years. Another fun fact- she also can understand French. She admits that she can’t speak, but can still read en français.

As Mrs. Panè is a self-proclaimed  minimalist, she would like to tell her students to “{e}xhale. You don’t have to decide everything now.” She also suggests to obtain health insurance and move out of your parent’s basement.

Because of her calm personality, Mrs. Panè would classify herself as the gas Helium. She can most often be found “just chillin”, in her own terms. You can find her alternating between country and classical music. Her favorite movie is It’s A Wonderful Life, and she enjoys watching the popular Modern Family  TV show.

As a student of Mrs. Panè, I can say that she is dedicated to what she does. She explains the chemistry behind everyday situations in life- from Thanksgiving to the dew on grass! She makes her class very entertaining and really helps every student to reach their fullest potential in Chemistry.

So go ahead, visit room 210, and talk with Mrs. Panè- it won’t be “boron”!