Many students at Tuscarora High School know Mrs. Banovic as the amazing, intelligent AP Government teacher with an unmatched eye for style. Standing as the 2024 Teacher of the Year, she is clearly a student favorite.
The big question is: do students really know Banovic as well as they think they do? I decided to conduct an interview with the school’s most popular teacher, in order to step into her heels and really get to know her personally, both in and out of the classroom.
Banovic grew up just north of Philadelphia, PA. She attended Lehigh University where she earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science/Psychology as well as her graduate degree in Secondary Social Studies Education. Though her love for politics is apparent, she surprisingly started college as a finance major! Banovic spoke on the reasoning for this, simply stating, “[I] found my passion in political philosophy & politics instead.”
As a teacher whose curriculum revolves around government and politics, one would think that she would get tired of it. However, it is quite the contrary. When asked if she kept up with politics outside of school, she responded, “Yes, I still follow politics outside of school and am currently fascinated with tracking polls and all things presidential election related.” As a teacher who evidently loves her job, I decided to throw a curveball and ask what she would be doing if teaching was not an option- and her answer was surprising! She told me that she would work in an animal shelter, stating, “I think it would be great fun having so many dogs at your workplace each day. It’s always so nice to see the GoTeam Therapy Dogs wandering the halls of THS when they make an appearance.” A government teacher with a secret desire to work in an animal shelter- who would have thought?
I decided to also question what class she would take if she were a student at Tuscarora High School. Would it be government? Maybe World History? Perhaps Law and Society? She surprised me, yet again, with her response. When asked, she responded with, “I would take an art or ceramics class- I like the idea of a daily block of time where one can just be “creative” for an entire semester.” I guess even government teachers have a need for the arts every once and a while!
I decided to shift the interview away from jobs, school, and government, and asked her what her favorite hobby is outside of all this. A simple question, but most students probably do not know! She told me that she loves spending time outdoors, notably down at the beach and up in the mountains. “One of my favorite hiking locations is in the Pocono Mountains, a place where I spent a lot of time when I was growing up,” Banovic revealed. The Pocono Mountains is a mountain range located in Pennsylvania. With over 150 lakes and a number of beautiful views, it is the perfect vacation for outdoorsy people like Banovic.
Now, every teacher has to have a favorite book. When asked, she claimed that hers was The Stranger by Albert Camus. Not quite satisfied with that response, and not recognizing the book title, I decided to delve deeper into the question by asking her why. “It left me with some thoughtful questions about humanity as a whole that I still think about to this day,” she revealed. I asked the same about her favorite movie, The Shawshank Redemption, and she responded, “I think it has got a nice storyline about holding onto hope even when all seems lost.” It is admirable that Banovic can take these storylines and recognize the deeper meanings- not many people can do that!
As a fun, random question, I asked Banovic what her last meal would look like if it were the end of the world. Pretty dramatic, but absolutely essential to know. She confessed that her last meal would be her mother’s “meatballs and gravy [homemade pasta sauce].” Most people would choose pizza, or sushi, or perhaps their favorite fast food restaurant- I figured there must be a deeper meaning behind a meal choice so specific. Besides the fact that it must be delicious, I asked her why she chose such a meal. “We served this at our family dinners on Sundays when I was young- a tradition that I still carry on with my own family,” she replied. A delicious and heartwarming meal- who wouldn’t want that to be their last supper?
Banovic, an AP Government teacher at Tuscarora High School and the 2024 Teacher of the Year, evidently has many sides that students probably do not know! This interview exposed some of those sides- giving me an insight into her life not everyone gets to see. To close, I wanted Banovic to make a statement- something students could remember her from. She declared: “One thing I always try to impress upon my students is that they should always strive to make a positive impact on the world around them- no matter how small or insignificant they may feel that their actions are, it is those very actions that may be absolutely life-changing for someone else.” From this statement alone, it is evident why she is a favorite within the Tuscarora High School walls. Whether students know her personally or not, by all accounts Banovic is an insightful, diligent teacher who serves as a role model to the students and teachers of Tuscarora High School alike.
