Title: Teacher (Retired)

Company: Mount Sinai School District

Location: Miller Place, N.Y.

As a 43-year retired teacher at Mount Sinai School District, Renee Danette (Petrola) attributes her success to her passion, listening and observational skills. Initially, she became involved in her profession because of the inspiration she received from her mother, Phyllis Petrola, who was also an elementary teacher, and her experience as a babysitter. Ms. Danette (Petrola) is 100 credits past a master’s degree. She has worked as a conflict mediator and has experience as a counselor. She taught swimming lessons and also taught writing classes; two of her students placed first for writing an anthology in the Walt Whitman poetry contest. She was involved in the local parent-teacher association and was one of four pioneer teachers working in an outdoor learning laboratory with fifth-grade students studying the impact of humankind upon the environment.

Ms. Danette (Petrola)’s first book, ‘Woman on the Edge of Time,’ was self-published, Her second book, ‘Primitive Dancer,’ was published by Book Stand Publishing, and her third book, ‘The Healing Tree,’ is published by Book Stand Publishing. Over the years, Ms. Danette (Petrola) has rescued and adopted eight Irish Setters. She currently has three Irish Setters. In five years, Ms. Danette (Petrola) would like to continue to write and publish more books. The highlight of her career was being recognized for her participation in the Walt Whitman Poetry Contest. Her students placed first two years in a row for anthology. She also accompanied her principal to Washington DC to receive a Blue Ribbon Award, which is given to schools cited for exemplary high performance by the U.S. Department of Education. The teachers at her school had a brick installed at The Walt Whitman Walkway.