Adina Ornstein-Luks ’22
Company / School: The Packer Collegiate Institute
Position / Degree: Associate Teacher
Overview
Associate Teacher, The Packer Collegiate Institute
Brooklyn, NY
- BA, Sociology, Vassar College
- Pending MA, Education, CUNY Hunter College Graduate School of Education
Adina Ornstein-Luks (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based educator and graduate student. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and education from Vassar. Adina is currently teaching preschool at The Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn Heights. In her role, she supports a Reggio Emilia, play-based curriculum. Adina also helps with the middle school theater productions and leads an affinity group for students in elementary school. Beyond her teaching job, Adina leads a monthly Tot Shabbat program at a Brooklyn synagogue for young children (birth to age five). She is currently in graduate school pursuing her degree in elementary education.
Advice to Students:
Networking is an extremely powerful tool, and it can happen anywhere. Stay connected with old teachers, professors, peers, and supervisors. Reach out to them just to talk! Everyone knows someone who knows someone, and that person might be able to really help you. Your Vassar network alone will help you gain important access to the working world. Whenever I do a job search, I message Vassar folks on LinkedIn who might be able to support me. Also, it’s okay not to know what you want to do and to feel like you are not “following a clear path.” My senior spring, I was confident that I didn’t want to be a teacher, and yet, here we are! I love what I do, and I finally feel like I’m on the right track.
