Nancy Frigoletto, Educator, Elizabeth School District
Nancy Frigoletto, was born to native Puerto Rican parents in 1976 in Hoboken, New Jersey. She has two children and is currently a 4th grade educator in the Elizabeth School District in Elizabeth, NJ.
At age 16, Nancy faced the personal challenge of single mom parenting while continuing her high school education. To complicate matters, shortly after the birth of her first child Nancy moved with her parents from Hoboken to Puerto Rico where she continued her high school education. To her great credit, in spite of her new mom status, committing herself to completing her high school education, moving to Puerto Rico and being handcuffed by her inability to communicate effectively in the Spanish language, Nancy fought through it all and still managed to graduate high school with high honors. Even then Nancy grasped the importance of a solid education and what it would eventually mean for her and her children. So, empowered by her own personal triumphs, Nancy was determined to continue her education and age 17, enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico. Nancy fully embraced college life and while there she joined the Rho Omicron Sigma sorority. She again demonstrated her energetic commitment not just by her active involvement in the sorority, but by becoming active and involved in the Student Council, taking on the demanding position of treasurer. Additionally, she assumed a secretarial role in the Council and organized several anti-drug community service events and an anti-drug conference in 1995. All the while, however, she remained laser focused and never lost sight of her primary importance of being a great mom and student as well.
Upon completing two years of undergraduate work in Puerto Rico, Nancy returned to New Jersey with her three year old son in search of a ‘better future’. She continued her undergraduate studies at New Jersey City University while simultaneously working as an International Service Representative for UBS Inc., one of the largest and most prestigious financial firms in America. While there, Nancy was responsible for facilitating the deposits of physical securities in banks around the world in order to make them tradable in the international market. Working in that global environment gave her a background in international law and securities trading.
When an opportunity presented itself, she made the choice to pursue her education full-time and obtained her BA in Psychology from New Jersey City University. Upon graduation, Nancy accepted a position with the State of NJ, Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) as a Family Service Specialist. There she successfully managed caseloads of up to 35 children who were in the process of adoption. Her passion for education never waned though and that ultimately drew her back to school, this time, however, as a teacher at one of the most prestigious public school academies in Elizabeth, NJ.
Every day, she brings to her classroom an extraordinarily unique combination of determination, focus, and vision crafted and lovingly nurtured by the conquests of her own personal life experiences. In October of 2009, Nancy Frigoletto was awarded a certificate in ‘Teaching Excellence’ for perfect scores attained by her students, during NJ ASK state exams. Through her passion, dedication and strength, she is truly a role model to her children, students, and to her entire school community.
