NCHS Staff Insider: Laura Cascioli

Melissa Rizzo, Centerfold Editor
@mrizzo_courant

Some students feel burdened with the pressure of needing to have it all figured out: a selected major, laying the foundation for a preplanned linear career path. For most, it may seem merely impossible to remain ‘undecided’ or open to exploring more than one passion. If a student is equally as invigorated by calculus as they are by painting, for example, what should they choose– or better yet– do they have to choose? Can an individual pursue more than one passion? 

AP Chemistry teacher Laura Cascioli is a living answer to this question. Her pursuit of both singing and Chemistry, two fields she feels passionate about, defies the notion that careers can only be limited to one domain.   

From a very young age, Ms. Cascioli expressed her love for music, singing whenever she could. “My mom always instilled in me that school was important: so I had to prioritize my studies, but also that I could pursue music on the side. That’s how I’ve done music throughout my life,” said Ms. Cascioli.

Keeping her mother’s advice in mind, Ms. Cascioli explored her passion for Chemistry in college, majoring in Chemical Engineering. While in college, however, she discovered a nuance to this passion. “In my Chemical Engineering class, I was the person tutoring everybody. Then when I was graduating, I realized that I was really going to miss tutoring, and that is when I identified my love for teaching,” Ms. Cascioli said.

Now as a teacher, Ms. Cascioli is able to weave in time for music. “Having the teacher schedule with summers off is always fun because I have a lot of time to write songs.” 

Additionally, becoming a mother broadened her music genres, leading Ms. Cascioli to use her talent for singing and songwriting as a way to help young children learn. “I didn’t like what my kids were watching on YouTube, so I made my own videos for them. Now I have another personality called Learna that sings kid’s songs. I did a train song for my son because he loves trains and a sea creature song for my daughter,” said Ms. Cascioli.

Pivoting her songwriting in such a profound way is an extension of Ms. Cascioli’s enjoyment of the creative process: an aspect of her she has also brought to her classroom. With a widely viewed Chemistry YouTube channel, as well as interactive and versatile note packets, Ms. Cascioli finds creative ways to convey difficult concepts to her students. “I started the YouTube chemistry videos as a way to offer students extra help, but then, with Covid, the videos facilitated a flipped classroom,” said Ms. Cascioli.

To her surprise, Ms. Cascioli’s videos started to become popular with one reaching 47,000 views. “I was getting feedback that my videos were helping students with their Medical College Admission Test, and I had no idea that my material was helpful for that,” said Ms. Cascioli. Furthermore, this creative style of teaching has allowed Ms. Cascioli to reach students across the globe.

Ms. Cascioli lives out her passion for music, teaching, and chemistry using her creativity to make connections between what may seem like vastly different domains.