Utica Teacher at Watson Williams Shines Bright Light on Cornhill Neighborhood

A Whitesboro teacher has caused a fury of controversy with people who live in Utica, specifically in Cornhill. One teacher who works at a school in the Cornhill area has done something to shine a positive light on the neighborhood and the whole situation.

Samantha Colosimo-Testa is a 5th grade teacher at Watson Williams Elementary School on Elmwood Place in the Cornhill neighborhood of Utica. In the wake of the Whitesboro finance teacher assignment referencing "getting shot in Cornhill," Colosimo-Testa gave her own assignment to her students who live and are educated in that part of the city. Colosimo-Testa said on her Facebook page,

Sometimes we react in anger... and I still hold resentment for what was said, however I had some time to think about the recent events over the weekend, and I decided my students would shed some positive light in a negative situation and write a journal entry about why they love the place they live.

She went on to extend an invitation to Mr. Paul, the Whitesboro finance teacher, and others who look at Cornhill through a false lens to come into her classroom and meet the bright and wonderful students she teaches. She also posted a few of the entries that she received from her students. You can read them below.

While the Whitesboro teacher has issued a sincere apology and has vowed to not use the line in the assignment disparaging Cornhill, several people are still upset with him. Colosimo-Testa hopes this is a tremendous learning experience for Mr. Paul and others who may not think of the implications their words may have. We need more positivity when it comes to everything and Colosimo-Testa should be commended for her effort in trying to turn a negative into a positive.