Sandra Buzas leaves lasting legacy in field of education

By Steve Svetovich

An older gentleman once defined education for this scribe: “The definition of education is to bring the potential of the individual into actuality.”

Sandra Buzas did that as good as anybody in the field of education.

Her obituary in the Times-Tribune last November was simple and short, but the impact that she made on hundreds of students she taught in 35 years of education in the Scranton School District was huge.

“To Miss Buzas, education was more than what you learn in the classroom,” said Karen Desandis, retired teacher and administrator in the Scranton School District. “It was important for her to expose students to plays, museums and other activities that helped them to become more well-rounded.”

And that she did.

Besides teaching English as an academic subject, she engaged students in various projects, plays, and acting roles throughout the year. She encouraged students to be creative both individually and within a group. The students enjoyed the various projects and skits and looked forward to the next one.

“Instead of just reading Edgar Allen Poe, she would actually have us act it out,” said her former student Donna Sacoolidge Vanfleet. “She was one of the best teachers I ever had. You looked forward to her class.”

Sharon Petriello Meier is another former student. “I loved Miss Buzas,” she said. “My memories of her are with her blonde hair that swished back and forth when she spoke. Her hands hung at her waist while she made certain gestures. I can still picture her doing that. She was a great teacher.”

Kevin “Gig” McGowan, another former student, said Miss Buzas encouraged him to write. Now retired and living with his family in New Orleans, he is doing just that and recently wrote a book of poetry focusing on growing up in the Green Ridge plot section. “Miss Buzas was a first-class lady and teacher who encouraged the less courageous,” he said.

Daughter of the late Anthony and Frances Visoskas Buzas, Miss Buzas also did volunteer work at Heartworks at Our Lady of Peace Residence for 17 years. Her late dad was a well known butcher on Electric Street in Green Ridge.

Miss Buzas was this scribe’s eighth grade teacher at North Scranton Junior High School.

Taking part in the various skits, classroom plays and even a one-act disc jockey show, it became fun to come to class. Still, with academics, she was a strict disciplinarian. At the same time, she was very respected by the students and teachers.

The turning point for this scribe came when she handed me a journal and told me to write.

“Write anything you want in the journal,” she said. “Write as little or as much as you want. You can write about anything. Just be respectful. There will be no grades or no extra credit for this. I will read everything in the journal, make comments and grammatical corrections if necessary and hand it back. Then you can write in it again.”

This eighth grade student took the journal and ran with the idea. Soon, this scribe was writing top ten lists for sports and music, amusing little stories about people and life experiences, stories about athletes and rock stars, classroom quotes, and stories about other teachers and students in the class. After Miss Buzas handed the journal back, the other students in the class wanted to read it and passed it around.

It became an outlet for this scribe. Almost like having your own column for people to read.

And the scribe kept writing and never stopped. Even five decades later.

Miss Buzas quite simply was the best teacher this scribe ever had.

This scribe ran into Miss Buzas last August at Dollar Tree in the Green Ridge Shopping Center. Speaking to her in the parking lot. I thanked Miss Buzas for inspiring me to write and said I made sure to mention and credit her when making my speech for induction as a sports writer into the Northeast Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame. I told Miss Buzas about her former student Gig McGowan writing a book.

She smiled broadly with a proud sense of accomplishment.

And if not for Miss Buzas, this column would not be.

Thank you Miss Buzas for bringing the potential of this individual into actuality. May you rest in peace.