“I'll run into Ms. Reyes in the hallway, and it's one of the highlights of my day. She's always just such a bright light for everyone.” — Amalia Heller ’28

Patrice Reyes and her positive aura joined Dwight in 2023. Teaching Grade 9 Global Politics, Grade 10 US History, Grade 11 Global Politics; and co-advising Model UN (MUN), Growing in Faith Together, Black Student Union (BSU), and Newspaper Club, Ms. Reyes is “everywhere.” Volunteering her time for after-school activities and trips, Ms. Reyes is committed to Dwight during, after, and beyond the school day. As Grade 9 Dean Heidi Rubenstein puts it, “She really embodies our pillar of community and goes to all the games and to the shows and to the art exhibits and goes on a million trips.” 

Ms. Reyes’ biggest academic influence is her former English high school teacher, Marie Gironda, who inspired students to engage deeply with school subjects without feeling stressed. She encouraged her students to relate the subjects they learn to their own lives, making it easier to feel confident about the material. “I just learned so much from her and learned how to connect the dots. It's not just about what I'm learning in English, but how does this concept in English tie into history? How does it also cross into science?” Taking this method with her, she now challenges students to think about ways in which subjects in school blend together and manifest outside of the classroom.

Though Ms. Reyes was deeply inspired by her high school teacher, her arrival to Dwight’s Upper School almost didn't come to pass. With an undergraduate degree in Political Science and a Masters in History (both from Drew University), she had her sights set on becoming a college professor. She started her Ph.D. at the same university, but knew something was missing. She began working as an academic coordinator for a nonprofit organization that was geared towards helping first generation college students get internships at Fortune 500 companies. It was through that work that she realized she wanted to teach younger students in order to help them through their high school journeys. 

After some time at an all-girls Middle School, and inspired by the IB DP curriculum, she made the decision to apply for a teaching position at Dwight. Since, Ms. Reyes has fostered a space wherein students feel calm and secure. Her goal is to make sure students understand that whatever stress they feel, it will pass with time. She reminds them, “Even if you are in a negative space, it's not going to last forever… You'll be alright. It's only temporary.” Her empathy is very much appreciated by the students. Amalya Dhirmalani ’29 says, “She's very supportive and she just believes in all of her students. It's nothing like I've ever seen before.”

She accomplishes this not only by getting to know the students well, but by showing students that studying can be enjoyable, regardless of the difficulty. For instance, when Ms. Reyes asks students to interpret primary texts and poems such as Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, her goal is for students to not overthink or let the antiquated language intimidate them. And once they realize even texts that are complicated can still be broken down into their own core components, they build the courage to dig deeper — even understanding college-level material. 

Ms. Reyes recalled a class in which students were able to unpack the problematic 1685 Code Noir and found a variety of contradictions on their own, unafraid of the archaic nature of the written language. Svetlana Stephanopoulos ’27 said, “She keeps everyone engaged… Every time I think of her history class, I always have just such an amazing memory.”

Always being engaged seems to be Ms. Reyes’ MO, and this continues into After-School. Ms. Reyes spends her time co-advising four Upper School Clubs, supporting students as they take what they learned in the classroom and apply it further. 

And this deep engagement continues beyond school as well. Her hobbies include learning complex subjects, reading science fiction books, and watching Star Trek: Discovery. Her idea of relaxation is visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and browsing the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts galleries. Abraham Ojeleye, Upper School History Teacher, said, “Good teachers are typically good learners. Despite Patrice's knowledge base and exposure to history and global politics, you will still find her constantly reading, looking for training and aiming for more.” 

No wonder her students do the same…

Whether she’s guiding the class through complex historical texts, cheering teams at games, or encouraging the community to connect ideas across disciplines, Ms. Reyes allows her students to be themselves while also staying on track with the goals of the curriculum. For many students at Dwight, Ms. Reyes is a consistent source of encouragement whose light sparks their enthusiasm for ongoing learning.