Anthony Coccia
Rome, N.Y.
Class of 2008 and 2009
Majors: Elementary Education/ Early Childhood Education
After student teaching in Grand Bahama Island, I fell in love with the culture, the people, and the school system. I knew that I wanted to become a full-time teacher for a school in the Bahamas.
Once I completed my student teaching, one of the schools in the Bahamas asked me to apply for a teaching position. The principal knew that there were going to be a couple of openings starting in the upcoming fall semester and she was pleased with my skills and abilities in the classroom.
This was a dream come true. I was thrilled to have a chance of being able to teach in the Bahamas. However, I felt that my education career was not complete.
I was caught between two choices: apply for the job in the Bahamas and pray that I was hired, or continue my education and earn my master’s degree at St. Bonaventure. I chose to continue my education.
As I was continuing my degree, I was informed that this one particular school in the Bahamas had filled the open teaching positions. The principal of the school mentioned that she did not believe a position would open by the time I graduated.
During this time I started to regret my decision. Even though a teaching position would not open for the following fall semester, I completed and submitted an application to be placed on file.
Months went on and I graduated with my master’s degree in December of 2009. In January, I received a call from the school in the Bahamas to inform me that a few teaching positions have opened up for the fall semester. A few weeks later, I interviewed with the school.
Come August, I will leave my hometown of Rome, N.Y., and move to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, to become a faculty member of Bishop Michael Eldon School.
I am very excited, nervous and blessed to be given this opportunity. I know that if it were not for Dr. Todd Palmer, Dr. Peggy Burke, and the faculty and staff of the School of Education at St. Bonaventure University, I would never have had this opportunity to pursue my passion. For this, I am forever grateful.