Shine Like Mr. Scheiner

Former journalist and current high school teacher, Mr. Scheiner, is the new advisor of The Bennett, The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts school newspaper. Mr. Scheiner currently teaches senior Journalism and freshmen English at FSSA and just started teaching here this year. Prior to teaching at FSSA, Mr. Scheiner worked at Robert F. Kennedy High School in Flushing, and was a freelance writer for many newspapers and magazines. Some of the titles he has written for include The Village Voice, The Wall Street Journal, Global Rhythm Magazine and Fader Magazine.

Some things that people don’t know about Mr. Scheiner are that he loves music and has a musical background.

“I used to play trumpet and I love all types of music from punk to reggae to jazz, afrobeat and Classical,” he says. “I am also starting a club at FSSA called the Music Appreciation Society (MAS). We are going to sit around and listen to different artists, genres and songs, so that students can get a better understanding of music, its roots and where it is heading.”

Mr. Scheiner says that he enjoys teaching at FSSA because of the students, staff and a particular feeling he gets when he enters the building.

“I get a feeling of real learning when I enter here,” he adds. “When you walk in here, you can just feel the seriousness and dedication of the students.”

He also has many great ideas for The Bennett. For instance, this year will be the first year that the school newspaper is available online and there will be collaborations with the FSSA film department.

“I hope to bring new things to the paper and feature all of the arts from the students and teachers,” he adds.

Mr. Scheiner became interested in journalism after he started working at the school newspaper at St. John’s University and eventually chose Journalism as his major. He loves to write and says that he still makes time for his passion and will work on a freelance piece every so often.

by Neophytos Ioannou

Photo: Alex Gross