Voices Heard, Part II

Ramona Piretti

 

Headshot t of Ramona Piretti, Public Educator of English Literature in West Hartford, CT.  Wearing T-shirt that reads, Phenomenally Asian.
Ramona Piretti, Public Educator West Hartford, CT

In Part II of our discussion with public educator Ramona Piretti the focus of our conversation shifts to issues of race and class from her perspective both in her community today and vignettes of what it was like to grow up in a small New England town as an Asian American.  This and more in Part II. 

Conard High School

Conard HS Logo
Conard High School is a public high school, one of two in West Hartford, CT.  It has a total student poulation of just under 1500 enrolled.

 

West Hartford, CT

West Hartford was recently  rated one of the ten best places to live in the US.  It is a racially and fiscally diverse community of over 63,000 residents.  

Conard by the numbers

  • Total Enrollment: 1,462
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Ranking: 642 in US.  13th in CT. 
  • Economically Disadvantaged student population: 24%
  • 95 countries/ethnicities represented by student body
  • 74 languages are spoken at home, represented by the student body.
  • 98% graduation rate. 

Ramona Piretti teaches a literature at Conard High School in West Hartford, CT.  She has been a public educator for more than 7 years.  One of her classes that sets her apart focuses on women writers.  This class more often than not focuses on authors who are not given the recognition they so deserve.  Many time these female authors represent minority groups in the United States.  All are cutting edge craftswoman.

Their presence in Ramona’s classroom speaks to her students, many of whom are female minority students reaching towards adulthood in a complicated world of class, race, gender identity mixed in with a dose of what we all experience on the edge of adulthood…..hope.

In part 2 of our interview the focus of our conversation shifted to race class, and Ramona’s experiences growing up in a small town in central MA as an Asian American. We also discuss race and gender issues for her current students in a mixed class and mixed ethnic suburb of Hartford, CT.

Welcome to the home of SMG’s ‘Are We Here Yet?’ Podcast.  We seek to produce vibrant storytelling from the entrepreneurs, creative-class warriors and dynamic citizens that collectively tell the story of modern-day America.

Add to that special tidbits like our EssaysMillennial Music Challenge, our Town Hall Mastermind Sessions and more.  We hope you find enlightenment and entertainment in each episode we present.

About our Hosts:

Scott M. Graves is the founder of SMGraves Creative Enterprises.  Most recently he was executive director of the Wachusett Business Incubator where the SMG team experimented with various programming to overcome the meaningless ‘ribbon cutting’ experiences so synonymous with much of our nation’s  well-intentioned economic development.   He is known for a steadfast resolve for intellectual rigor and business strategy.  Nothing makes Scott feel more fulfilled than to help other develop their own unique creativity which leads to fulfillment in work and life.   

An entrepreneur in his own right, Scott previously operated the former Smash Music. Along with ImageIdentity’s David Lubelczyk their team developed Leadership Candidates Program for immersive support of new enterprise and Business Triage, a direct response to the issues now exacerbated for small businesses since the spread of Covid-19.    

 

Cameron McLeod is the Producer of the ‘Are We Here Yet? Podcast. Since his high school days he has been behind the scenes of multiple productions ranging from directing live football games to filming short movies. Using his musical prowess and his technical skills gained from working as an IT professional, Cameron taught himself what it takes to mix and produce music of his own creation. To this day, he strives to better these skills whenever he can.

Offical Logo of SMG's 'Are We Here Yet? Podcast

Underwriting the ‘Are We Here Yet?’ Podcast.

Interested in advertising with us?  Perhaps you want a unique way to support the economic development work we accomplish while getting access to our intelligent and informed listeners?  Join our roster of supporters.  Click that button below to find out more.