Team Showcase: Corianne Darienzo

Tell us a little bit about you and your background.

I graduated with a BFA in Illustration & Animation in 2018 from Montclair State University. I started working with the One River School in 2017 and have worked across multiple locations such as Hartsdale, Englewood, and Allendale.

What attracted you to work at One River School?

I was originally attracted to One River School because I was interested in art education, and I was just graduating with my degree. One River School was the perfect place to combine my love for teaching, working with kids, and art! Once I started with One River, I loved the connections I built with the students and the safe place this seemed to be for them.

How would you describe your team?

My team is fun, collaborative, and creative! We love working with each other on all the various projects we do, and we all respect each other’s opinions and methods. I enjoy coming to work because of the people that I work with.

What do you think we do best at One River?

I think we have found the right balance between learning and fun. Students enjoy coming because of the friendships they’ve developed with others in the classroom, while also learning foundational art techniques.

Is there a special One River moment that stands out for you?

One moment that has always stood out to me was when I first started as a teacher! I was teaching a K-2nd grade camp, and there was a student who had shaved half of her head and dyed her hair. She was confiding in the class that the students at school weren’t being nice to her, and we made her feel better about her choices and how she would always have a spot here with us at One River School. She had gone home and told her parents, and her parents told us that she truly felt safe here and felt like she could be herself. I feel as though overall, this is the experience of the students who attend classes here and I love that they can be themselves.

What do you enjoy outside of One River?