Massapequa Teacher Named Junior Achievement Educator of the Year

As the School-to-Career Coordinator and business educator for Massapequa School District, Denise DeLury, of Massapequa, has helped hundreds of students discover their career paths by integrating real-world opportunities into their high school experience. For her accomplishments, she has become the newest recipient of the Junior Achievement Educator of the Year Award.

An educator in the district for the past 15 years, DeLury established a long-standing relationship with Junior Achievement, the largest organization that educates students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs.

“I am proud of the variety of Junior Achievement programs that I am able to provide to students so they have opportunities to explore careers through guest speakers, career fairs, internships, and relevant, hands-on learning experiences,” DeLury said. “I love when a student expresses to me that because of one of these programs, they are more confi in the direction they want to take after they leave Massapequa High School.”

Through the High School Heroes program she’s helped aspiring teachers attain real classroom instruction, management and lesson-planning experience.

“Because of this program, some students realize that teaching is their passion while others discover hands-down that the career is not for them,” DeLury said.

In the JA Mobile Financial Park program, students learn financial literacy in the classroom and then visit the financial park to apply what they’ve learned. The park consists of a miniature city with 19 custom- designed storefronts that represent various budget categories.

“Within this city, students experience first-hand the challenges of making financial decisions that are within the means of their uniquely assigned life situation,” she said.

DeLury coordinates JP Morgan Chase Business Days, which bring in representatives from the company to educate students about careers and work with them on completing a business case study. Many students also participate in the Fed Ex Leadership Conference and the National Grid Leadership Conference where various company leaders present workshops, keynote speeches and networking opportunities for students.

Courtesy Massapequa School District

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