Not many teachers spend as much time working on extracurricular activities as they do teaching, but Ms. Marci Finkelstein is not your average teacher. Besides teaching English and Musical Theater, Ms. Finkelstein teaches a drama class which performs in assemblies and has a plate full of extracurricular activities.
Ms. Finkelstein is the advisor to the Francis Lewis High School newspaper, The Patriot; she is also the director of the school play. As a member of the editing staff of The Patriot, I know firsthand that some days, Ms. Finkelstein is working in the building for more than twelve hours—after her school day ends she spends as long as six hours in the newspaper office helping us edit and layout the paper.
When she’s not working on the newspaper, she’s directing the school theatrical production. This year she is directing Little Shop of Horrors, and previously she has directed Grease, Guys & Dolls, and Footloose. Imagine what happens when rehearsals are going on and the newspaper is on a deadline at the same time. It’s amazing that Ms. Finkelstein is able to balance her time as well as she does. This is what makes Ms. Finkelstein a truly amazing teacher.
-Daniel Bacharach
Patriot Editor, Francis Lewis HS