Melissa Restuccia began her career at Whitney point before moving to vestal where she has been a teaching for over 24 years.

She teaches all grade levels in graphic design, basic drawing, and art and design.

Restuccia believes art opens up doors to so much more. 

Restuccia said, "There's nothing greater than having something in your hands that you know that you produced yourself. And I try to encourage kids and say, you know, perhaps you won't leave here making art, but you'll make great decisions about what color to put in your house, or you might pick up woodworking at some point and you might learn like, we are doing miter cuts in paper"

And even if students don't continue art after school, one of her favorite things is seeing students go on to be successful.

Restuccia says, "It's real rewarding when you make a difference in the lives of students at the time. They need you and then they go on and they become doctors and psychologists and artists and a tattoo artist, or they might be teachers themselves."

And most importantly, she wants students to know they're always welcome in her room.

"It's really a place where students, I hope that we've made a place through the whole department that kids feel very much like this is their spot in the school," said Restuccia.