Agnes Zhelesnik, fondly referred to as “Granny” by her students and coworkers, is widely considered to be America’s oldest schoolteacher. At 102, she still works almost full-time teaching preschool and elementary-aged pupils how to cook and sew.
Zhelesnik, who has been an educator at The Sundance School in North Plainfield, N.J., since she was 81, said she plans to keep teaching her students for as long as possible. “I am going to stay as long as I can, make them happy as good as I can,” she told the Courier News of Bridgewater.
Read More: America’s Oldest World War II Veteran Is Turning 110 Years Old
She also spoke about why she feels home economics skills are so important for children to learn. “This is something that they’re going to use for the rest of their lives,” she told The 74 Million. “They’re not going to have it just for today. You’ll be surprised how they are going to remember it when they get older.”
Many of Zhelesnik’s coworkers are inspired by her commitment to education. “She is an icon in this school,” said Principal Benjamin Fox. “Besides the fact that she feeds everyone and makes the school smell wonderful, she just makes everybody smile. They are always hugging her. It’s like a family and she is the granny of our family.”
- The Real Reason Florida Wants to Ban AP African-American Studies, According to an Architect of the Course
- Column: Tyre Nichols' Killing Is The Result of a Diseased Culture
- Without Evusheld, Immunocompromised People Are on Their Own Against COVID-19
- Here Are All the Movies and TV Shows That Make Up the New DCU
- TikTok's 'De-Influencing' Trend Is Here to Tell You What Stuff You Don't Need to Buy
- Column: America Goes About Juvenile Crime Sentencing All Wrong
- Why Your Tax Refund May Be Lower This Year
- Brazil Wants to Abandon a 34,000-Ton Ship at Sea. It Would be an Environmental Disaster
- The 5 Best New TV Shows Our Critic Watched in January 2023