LI Middle School Teacher To Appear On A Game Show For 2nd Time

MASTIC BEACH, NY — A popular sixth grade social studies teacher is set to try her hand again at winning a game show —again.

Just about 17 months after her victory on the Wheel of Fortune, Vanessa Verni, who teaches at William Paca Middle School in Mastic Beach, is back on the game show circuit but this time with an appearance on Fox’s season three premiere of “Beat Shazam,” an interactive show in which teams of two race to identify songs by sound in hopes of battling Shazam for a $1 million prize, the district said.

Verni teamed up with Nicole Costanza, a college friend and fellow teacher currently working at Walt Whitman High School, for the show; the episode is scheduled to air on Fox 5 NY on Monday, May 20 at 8 p.m.

Sending the application in on a whim, Verni and Costanza said they didn’t expect to be chosen, but after a callback and multiple Skype auditions, they were selected, the district said.

They flew out to Los Angeles in January to record the show. Verni said she prepared by listening to her radio in the car, going from station to station, and by practicing with Costanza on the “Song Pop” phone app.

Verni, who is keeping her eyes peeled for a third game show opportunity, joked that her family has dubbed her the full-time teacher/part-time game show contestant.

In 2017, her supporters were thrilled to see Verni solve six of the seven puzzles in the regular rounds on an episode of “Wheel of Fortune," the district said. Verni then found herself with the opportunity to add to her $23,000 windfall with the bonus round; in the category “Characters,” Verni solved the final puzzle, “Bashful and Grumpy” for an additional $35,000, winning cash and prizes totaling $58,000 — including a trip to Oahu, Hawaii.

She even gave a “shout-out” to William Paca Middle School on the air.

Verni gathered with family and friends for a watch party and described seeing herself on TV as “incredible” and an experience that was hard to put into words.

“It was so much fun having friends and family over my house to watch — cheering me on and screaming when I’d win a puzzle,” she told the district. She arrived back to work to applause from her colleagues and students.

With her winnings, Verni said she planned on putting a down payment on a home somewhere locally so she could stay close to work and family. “I am so lucky and proud to work for such an encouraging and supportive school district,” Verni told the district.