Ms. Esmail, a journalism teacher at Cardozo High School, has been teaching here for nine years. Prior to becoming an educator, she was studying for her master’s in English with aspirations to work for UNICEF. However, after a positive experience as a student teacher, she discovered her passion for teaching and decided to pursue it full-time. She currently teaches English and journalism.
Having worked in television news for five years drastically helped Ms. Esmail in her journalism courses due to her hands-on experience.
While in college, Ms. Esmail wanted to be an on-air reporter. The summer of her junior year, she interned at CBS News where a senior producer claimed she didn’t have the “girl next door” look. The same senior producer advised her to go into producing, and she listened, which started her career in news media.
“Experience is the key to my teaching. I am very confident in what I teach because I know the ins and outs of working in the field,” Ms. Esmail said explained.
As part of her career, Ms.Esmail has worked on some major news stories, on top of which she has met dignitaries and famous people. She loved working in the newsroom and cherishes that time period of her life.
Outside of the classroom, Ms. Esmail describes herself as very social. “I would like to say I am a fun person in general; I love to sing and dance, even though I can’t do either.” She also loves to spend time with her family, especially her son, who is her, “favorite human being ever.”
One thing that Ms. Esmail is known for throughout Cardozo is her love for actor Brad Pitt. Many students don’t know, however, that her first obsession was Keanu Reeves. During her time working in journalism, she had the opportunity to actually meet Reeves, and that’s where everything changed.
“He was super polite, and just a great person, but then I realized he’s just a guy,” she said. “So I moved on to Brad Pitt. I think it’s the allure for me, and I’m pretty sure, if I ever met Brad Pitt, I’ll get over my obsession.”
As for some advice to students, Ms. Esmail stated, “If you want something, don’t give up on it. Don’t listen to the negativity. Dream big and go for it.”
