Long Branch High School teacher Jody Peluso with students Matthew Brizuela, Lizeth Raigosa, Austin Alcott, Shianne Jeffries and Randi Brocklebank.
Long Branch High School teacher Jody Peluso turned a British literature lesson on Scottish ballads in the Middle Ages into a modern-day exercise when she asked her seniors to write their own ballads about life in the wake of superstorm Sandy.
Students at the school had experienced damage to their families' cars and homes, lost belongings, and some had been relocated to hotels after the storm, Peluso said. Her students, working in groups or solo, turned out ballads with themes ranging from inspirational messages to suspenseful mysteries.
"I felt since it was such an impact on their lives ...