The RCS Central School District’s Feature-A-Teacher series continues to roll on with an alumni twist! As you’ve seen in previous highlights, the Feature-A-Teacher series shares the important stories of our faculty and staff. Today, we introduce RCS Class of 1999 alumnus Mrs. Kristyn Brozowski. She’s currently the K-2 STEM teacher at A.W. Becker Elementary School. Aside from her creative and important work as part of the district’s STEM program, she’s also a former standout student-athlete in track and field. To this day, some of Mrs. Brozowski’s track and field school records still stand. To put it mildly, we have an all-star teacher and alumnus helping to guide our students through the exciting world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics!
Meet Mrs. Brozowski and learn how she’s making an impact in today’s classroom while drawing upon her experiences as a former student!
How does your teaching perspective change with being a former student of the district?
I am definitely very invested in this district. I walked these halls as a child, and now my own children attend school here. I want the best for the students here and work hard to make science fun and engaging.
What teacher provided you with the confidence to be successful in the classroom? Any coaches that stand out that enabled you to reach your goals?
I’ve had a lot of great teachers going through RCS, and I think I’ve taken a little something from each. My 4th-grade teacher, Ms. Hilson taught me to love writing and grammar. Because of her, it drives me crazy when I see their, they’re and there used incorrectly. Ms. Winnie, in high school, used to tell us, “leave it better than you found it.” That stuck with me, and I try to do that each day.
As far as coaches go, there’s no bigger influence than Coach Ron Racey. Without him in my life, I’d be a very different person. He taught me how to set goals, work hard, and never give up. “Be mentally tough” is what he would say. When my students are completing difficult STEM challenges or working through a problem, it is so important to use those very same skills. I tell them often “it’s okay to do tough things.” I really want to pass on the same perseverance that was taught to me.
As a student-athlete, what priorities did you set to be successful inside of the classroom?
I grew up hearing “work first, then play.” My sisters and I always had to finish homework before playing outside. This has stayed with me through school, athletics, and life. I now try to pass this on to my own four children. I think it’s really important that kids (and adults too!) set challenges for themselves, do the difficult things, practice something that’s new, and learn new things. In the world of science and STEM there’s always something new to explore, tinker, or learn.
How is STEM transforming today’s students to prepare for their future opportunities?
STEM teaches kids skills like collaboration, problem-solving, and perseverance. These are needed immediately in the outside world. Kids get to use their hands to explore, develop concepts and solve problems. Students in my room often encounter problems, failures, and team members they don’t see eye to eye with. Teaching kids ways to handle these situations will better prepare them for the world.
Finally, what’s your favorite memory at RCS?
There are a lot of great memories from RCS. My favorites are definitely from running cross country and track. I’m not sure if it’s a memory or more of a challenging experience, but as a senior, we did the “See the Sky” Run. The run starts at Coeymans Landing, travels through Ravena, up Martins Hill, and ends at the top of Powell Hill. It was 7+ miles uphill and probably the toughest run I’ve done. We did it, collapsed at the top, and have never been prouder! It’s kind of a rite of passage for runners at RCS.
