When you walk through the halls, you might notice students carrying a camera or setting up to film. Those are Ms. Spinelli’s creative students from her photography and film class. We sat down with her to learn more about what she teaches and the inspiration she brings to her students.
Ms. Spinelli teaches film and editing, photography, and drones. This is her second year teaching the drone and media class, which she co-teaches with Mr. Cole. In that class, students learn about drones as an industry, how they can be used in careers, the basics of how drones fly, and how to work with photography drones. Mr. Cole focuses more on racing and maneuvering drones. At the same time, Ms. Spinelli teaches the photography side since it connects more to her background. “We go outside to film with the drones and learn how to do different types of cinematic shots, then edit them together,” she explained.
Outside of teaching, Ms. Spinelli is also an author, director, and artist. She has published one book called Diluted Reality, which is for adult readers, and she’s currently working on her second book. Her new project is a dark urban fantasy with vampire themes, which she hopes to turn into a series. “I’ve always wanted to be a writer since I was little,” she said. “It’s something I’ve always loved to do.”
Balancing all her roles isn’t easy, especially since she’s also a mom. She shared that it’s hard to find time to write, so she uses the summer to focus on her creative work, like shooting and editing music videos. “When I have free time, I’m always creating something,” she said. Between teaching, editing, and going to her son’s baseball games, she often sacrifices sleep to get everything done. During her downtime, she also makes jewelry and art as part of a small side business.
Before becoming a teacher, Ms. Spinelli worked in television in New York for about ten years. She started as a TV producer and later moved into freelance writing before deciding to teach. Today, she continues directing and editing on the side, mostly music videos and short projects. She’s also working on a YouTube channel with a friend where they explore haunted locations. “I’ve always loved exploring haunted places, so I thought, ‘let’s film it,’” she said. The project is still in its early stages, but it’s something she’s really passionate about.
Her creative journey started long before teaching. Her first job was at Archie Comics, where she worked as a proofreader and later a production manager. That experience sparked her love for storytelling. When magazines began to fade, she went back to school for media management, where she discovered her love for cameras and directing. “Once I started working with cameras, I knew I wanted to direct,” she said.
When it comes to directing, her favorite part is editing. “It’s like the final piece when you edit, you can really see your project come together,” she explained. But directing also comes with challenges. Freelancing in the film industry can be unpredictable. “It’s not steady, so it’s up and down,” she said. “It’s a major hustle because you’re always looking for the next gig. But once you make connections with the right people, you start hiring each other, and that’s how it works.” She also mentioned that while many people have creative ideas, turning those ideas into full stories that make sense to an audience isn’t always easy.
Even with all these responsibilities, Ms. Spinelli stays focused on her students. She’s built strong relationships with many of them, especially through the Media Club, which she describes as a safe space for students to fit in and express themselves. “I love giving students a place to belong,” she said.
Whether she’s teaching, writing, or directing, Ms. Spinelli continues to inspire others with her creativity and passion. She proves that with hard work and imagination, it’s possible to balance many passions and still make time to create something meaningful.