Suheyla Tuncer The Path from Substitute By Domenick Reda
Suheyla Tuncer is now a substitute teacher at her alma mater but it was during her sophomore and junior years as a Mustang when the seed of her future career was first planted in her mind. As a teenager, the self professed “kookie, hyper, energetic, dorky, loud, smiley girl” roaming the hallways of Clifton High, already had a flair for the dramatic, but it was a drama teacher who helped bring clarity to her future goal. “My goal is to become the drama teacher at Clifton High School, where I learned to perform and fell in love with the art of acting,” said Tuncer, 28, citing her mentor at CHS, whom she is pictured with in 2003. “She was something else.” Loraine Mayewski, Tuncer’s Drama II and III teacher at CHS, was the “she” who inspired the young lady to pursue teaching. “She was real, funny, intelligent, and she made me fall in love with acting and performing even more than I already had,” Tuncer recalled. “She is the one who popped in my mind when I was attending PCCC. I told myself, ‘you can be another Mrs. May.’” Up until that point Tuncer’s background, and focus, was as a performer, not a teacher. Starting at the age of 3, Tuncer gravitated towards the spotlight. “I loved to audition,” Tuncer said. “When I was younger, I always wanted to perform.” Born in Newark, the first generation TurkishAmerican lived in Kearny until she was 5 when her parents moved to Clifton. “I grew up here and I have the best memories,” she said. “While I attended School 3, Columbus Middle School and Clifton High School, I always participated in 30 March 2014 • Clifton Merchant
chorus, the musicals, the plays and local and school talent shows. I studied Drama I, II and III at CHS, as well as creative writing classes.” Tuncer also sang and was a candidate for Miss Teen New Jersey 2003 and 2004 where she won Miss Congeniality two years in a row. Student Performer to Substitute Teacher Tuncer graduated CHS in June 2004. But those formative years at CHS also taught her how her outgoing personality, and love of public speaking, could help her pass on her knowledge. And what she learned during those years opened up her eyes to teaching. And where better to hone her skills and pursue her dream than the school that helped her visualize her future? That is why she said she feels blessed and honored to be a substitute teacher at CHS.