For the past five years, social studies teacher Hanisi Accetta has used her curriculum, her direction of Lincoln’s activities and her mentorship of advanced leadership classes to become a dynamic and memorable force in the Lincoln community.

As Accetta moves to the next phase of her career, the Cardinal Times caught up with her to talk about her most mem- orable moments at Lincoln and why she wanted to become a teacher in the first place.

“It is such a gift to watch students struggle with new ideas,” remarked Accetta, “and then make new epiphanies.”

Accetta agreed that the students at Lincoln have enriched her life personally.

“[Lincoln students] are the most engaging, interested and unique students I have ever worked with. I love how they want to actively solve problems, from teaching consent to anti-bullying, to imploring the school board to pass bonds so students didn’t have to eat lunch on the floor and drink lead in their water,” she said.

“[Students] are our future, and we can’t move forward as a nation or evolve as a species if our young people aren’t informed and passionate,” she said. “All of our Lincoln grads, our future students are the ones who are going to save us and build a just and sustainable world.”

While Accetta will miss Lincoln, she will also enjoy the change of scenery.

“What I am not going to miss are the building, overcrowded halls and patio,” she said. However, she “will miss all of [the students] and know they will achieve great things.”

Accetta also felt that Lincoln’s academic acclaim was worth noting.

“[Working at Lincoln] is like working in a premier university or top prep school- best teachers ever, most incredible in their curriculum development, care of students and ability to make a difference in the community,” she said. She loves their “collaboration and [they’re] truly just amazing people, I’m going to miss them beyond words,” she said.

Accetta will be moving to Palo Alto with her husband and son, because of her husband’s newfound job at Stanford
University. She plans to remain working in the education field.

“I would love to continue the work of connecting student leaders at Stanford with teaching incoming freshman about healthy relationships, consent and combating rape culture,” she said.

Accetta applauds Lincoln “for making [her] a more honest, conscientious and real teacher.”