Hopatcong Teacher Wins Inspirational Award

Heather Delbagno got her point across.

The Hopatcong High School history teacher was honored at Sussex County Community College's 10th annual Inspiring Teacher Awards on April 16. She can thank Hopatcong graduate Dan Jodexnis for the award. But he'd probably thank her back.

Jodexnis' essay bagged Delbagno the award.

"The nicest thing he said in the essay was that I wanted him to think," Delbagno said. "That was what he took away fro my class, and that was one of my objectives as a teacher, to help my students have the ability to critically think about things."

Delbagno said she remembered Jodexnis well.

"He was always listening, always inquisitive, very respectful," she said. "That's the thing I remember the most, how inquisitive he was. That's somebody who wants to learn."

Delbagno wasn't on hand to receive the award due to a prior commitment.

She said she became a teacher because "the most important people in my life have been my teachers. Other than my family, they are the people we remember the most. So, I wanted to be positive and to pay it forward and give what I got when I was in school."

Delbagno is in her ninth year at Hopatcong High School and her 13th year teaching. She started at Union High School, though she did her student teaching in Hopatcong.