In October 2025, during NJSBA’s annual Workshop, a select group of school staff members was honored during the third annual “Unsung Superheroes in Education Awards” ceremony. The award recognizes individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes, often without recognition, to ensure that New Jersey’s schools run smoothly and provide a safe and nurturing environment for students.
In a new spotlight feature, School Board Notes will recognize each 2025 Unsung Superhero recipient. This week, we are highlighting Vanessa Abbadessa, the 2025 Unsung Superhero in the librarian/media specialist category.
Vanessa Abbadessa is the library media specialist for the Dumont Public School District. In this position, Abbadessa oversees Grant Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, Honiss Elementary School and Selzer Elementary School, traveling to each school library to teach media skills lessons to students. Working in education for 20 years, she has served as a media specialist for 15 years, eight of which were spent serving students at Dumont Elementary School.
The journey to the classroom was a calling for Abbadessa. She knew that her passion had always been reading and books and sought to find a way to make a career out of it. Fortunate to have had wonderful teachers as a child, she recalled her experience as a student, admiring how much fun they made teaching look. “I couldn’t imagine sitting behind a desk and plugging into a computer,” she said. “I wanted to be active and use my skills for good, inspiring the next generation.”
This led her to become a kindergarten teacher, which she taught for six years, before transitioning to the library. Once she became a librarian, Abbadessa felt right at home. “The most special thing in the world is to be able to place the right book in the right child’s hands. It’s wonderful,” she added.
Responsible for creating a curriculum that spans four elementary schools and traveling to each location, Abbadessa began her role as a one-woman show. A large undertaking, she was initially overwhelmed and unsure how she could succeed. Seeing the results of her lessons and the long-term impact they had on students built her confidence.
“I get to see them through all their levels of development,” she said. “It’s rewarding to see a student who didn’t read now loves reading. It’s always fun when it all comes together, and you feel that spark of excitement in the room.”
Abbadessa enjoys the intimacy of being in a library. Books are personal, and a student’s book selection can give insight into who a person is. “I get to build these connections that I wouldn’t otherwise because I have this window into their interests,” she said. “I know children’s likes and dislikes, their favorite sports, who’s their favorite everything. The connection to books allows that to happen.”
Abbadessa considers overexposure to technology the biggest challenge facing students. “As adults, even we are grappling with how to best digest it, so it’s even more of a challenge for them to grasp it,” she said. That issue, when coupled with the changing landscape of reading comprehension, has led Abbadessa to adapt to different forms of media literacy. “Is every kid a reader? No, and attention spans are shortening, but we have tools to still engage them.” As an example, Abbadessa uses graphic novels to engage struggling students.
A proponent of inclusiveness, Abbadessa wants every student to be seen. She makes it a priority to have books available that cover numerous holidays and traditions. Understanding that she receives students at the beginning of their educational journey, Abbadessa wants her legacy to be memorable.
“I hope that when they leave our schools and think back on their childhood in the library, they feel like it was a home for them,” she said. “I want them to know that they were always welcome and seen for who they are and appreciated for who they were.”
The NJSBA congratulates Vanessa Abbadessa on her achievement.
