WOODBURY — As a sports coach, fitness aficionado, and tang soo do green belt, Rebecca Trzaski wears all the hats. Through fitness and school leadership, she is involved and dedicated. 

As a passionate gym member and trainer, Trzaski has many sport- and exercise-related accomplishments lined up. 

“I’ve done several marathons and a lot of different triathlons,” says Trzaski. “I also coach my daughter, which is really important to me.” 

English teacher Kelly Nichols knew Trzaski before teaching with her through going to the same gym, Strongtown Fitness in Southbury. Trzaski encouraged Nichols to take a teaching position at Nonnewaug prior to the 2023-24 school year, and now the friends teach together. 

“She would probably agree with me when I say that the gym for her is kind of a metaphor for life,” Nichols says. “You know, these small moments where you learn to work really hard at the gym is like that takeaway that the hard work you do in the gym is something you apply to all areas of your life.”

Trzaski also participates in tang soo do, a martial acts discipline in which she currently holds a green belt. 

“Both of my kids technically outrank me,” she laughs. “My daughter is a red belt and my son is a green belt, so they’re both my seniors because I started after them. It’s a lot of fun. I think it’s good for our family relationship that we get to support each other in that avenue.”

Trzaski has many major accomplishments in the classroom as well, as she continues to produce strong students, one after another. 

“I have one student that’s writing a book right now,” she says. “I have students who intern for senators, too. I love hearing what they do when they reach out after high school and after graduating college even. And that’s why I do what I do.”

She also runs Freshman Class Council on Mondays. One Freshman Class Council member, Paloma Koemp, also appreciates Trzaski’s teaching style in honors world history. 

“I like how her class structure is entertaining and engaging,” she says. “She has a great ability to make metaphors that help us understand the material well during classes. She’s on you about missing work, but she’s a really good teacher and she’s so nice. I love her.”

Nichols says Trzaski’s strength lies in her determination to help others and her work ethic.

“She’s really generous,” says Nichols. “She really gives people her time and her attention. She also has this amazing grit. Nobody works harder than she does as a teacher and a mom and a friend and at the gym, too. She puts her all into workouts and she will never give up on anything.”