This month's Alumni Spotlight features Alyssa Bitar, a passionate science educator at Manchester Regional High School and the newly named Passaic County Teacher of the Year. Alyssa's path in education has taken her from biology to chemistry to engineering--but the heart of her story begins with her love of teaching.

Alyssa started at Manchester right after graduating from college with a biology degree. "It was great, but when tenure was coming up, I wanted to make myself more relevant. I always thought I wanted to stay at Manchester, but you never know."

Alyssa completed the NJCTL Chemistry Endorsement program back in 2018 as part of the first online cohort. At the time, two of her colleagues were starting NJCTL's physics program. "I wasn't that interested in pursuing physics, but when I heard they were starting an online chemistry endorsement program, I jumped at the chance. It was such a great experience," she says.

Alyssa appreciated how flexible, supportive, and teacher-friendly the program was. "I want to say that they made it easy, not because the subject itself was easy, but it was easy to maneuver through the program. My instructors were very helpful, questions were answered quickly, and it didn't feel like you were a nameless face. Even though it was online, it felt personalized."

One of the most meaningful takeaways from the program for Alyssa was its early adoption of growth mindset principles--long before it became an education buzzword. "I remember thinking, wow, this makes a lot of sense. It wasn't just about getting the answers right. It was about making sure students truly understood the material and weren't afraid to try. That mindset still shapes how I teach today."

That perspective has stuck with her across subjects--even now, as she teaches STEM and engineering full time. "I teach electives now. I helped build our four-year engineering program from the ground up, but I still use everything I learned in the NJCTL chemistry program."

Outside the classroom, Alyssa's life is just as dynamic. A lifelong equestrian, she's a former professional rodeo competitor and barrel racer, now running her own horse boarding and training facility. "That's really where my love of teaching came from," she says. "I was super shy growing up, but at the barn, I found my voice. I started giving lessons, and realized, 'I know this--I can teach this.' That confidence translated right into my classroom."

Alyssa continues to be a strong advocate for NJCTL. "I keep telling the new teachers to take advantage of this. You're not going to find another program like it--especially not for the cost. I've had so many colleagues go through it after me because of how great it was."

From the chemistry lab to the barrel racing pen, Alyssa brings energy and passion into everything she does. We're proud to celebrate her as an NJCTL alum and new County Teacher of the Year--and excited to see what she tackles next!