But her true passion for Italian only emerged during high school.

“In Year 8, I started attending Bethlehem College in Ashfield, where I began studying Italian,” Torresan recalled, “Although I had many different teachers, each with their own style, they all shared the same deep passion for Italy, its culture and its language.”

Italian had always been present in her home to some extent, as her grandparents were Italian migrants from Bassano in Veneto and the province of Ascoli, but English was the language spoken most frequently.

“My mum always tried to keep Italian alive at home, but it was in 2019, when my maternal grandmother came to live with us, that I noticed a big change. We started speaking Italian much more often,” she shared.

Those four years living with her grandmother undoubtedly infused Torresan with new enthusiasm, and in the meantime, she completed a Bachelor of Education in Italian and Mathematics.

Her first immersive experience with Italian culture, however, came during her teenage years, when her mother insisted she spend a month with family friends in Vicenza.

“It was an intense experience,” she admitted, “The lifestyle was completely different from what I was used to, even though I grew up in a very Italian environment in Australia.

“The school system was different too, and I honestly don’t think I would have ever become an Italian teacher if it hadn’t been for that time in Italy.”

That trip also allowed her to form a deep friendship with Noemi, a girl her own age with whom she lived and attended school.

“Over the years, I’ve visited Noemi and her family many times,” she said.

“Last year, I finally got the chance to return the favour. Noemi came here and we travelled around Australia together.”

The sum of these experiences, combined with her academic path, led Torresan to become an Italian teacher at Good Samaritan Catholic College, a high school in Hinchinbrook, an hour from Sydney’s CBD.

“I started out with a group of Year 8 students. Despite the challenges of the lockdown, 12 of them chose to continue the following year. For the first time in five years, the school had an Italian class in Year 9,” Torresan revealed.

“I taught those students all the way through to their final exams. It was such a rewarding experience.”

At 25, Torresan brings tremendous energy to her teaching and loves to share stories of her many adventures in Italy.

“In class, I try to balance grammar and culture. It’s important to understand history, traditions and context in order to truly learn a language,” she explained.

One significant resource for her classes has been the Italian language assistants supplied by Co.As.It.:

“Having native speakers in the classroom helps students realise that Italy is a real place, not just something in a textbook.”

2025 will mark the third year that Italian language assistants have come to Good Samaritan Catholic College, and for the students, it’s something special.

“It means a lot to them to know that people from Italy come all the way to Sydney just for them,” Torresan emphasised.

Building trust with students is central to her approach. She explains how she makes it a point to reward those brave enough to speak in front of the class, helping boost their confidence. She also works hard to organise excursions and events that keep students motivated and engaged.

“For years, the school used to go to Club Italia, but the pandemic led to its closure. So I decided to recreate the same activities here at school,” she shared.

“For example, we bring in an ice-cream truck, run pasta-making workshops, organise scopa and bocce tournaments or play tombola. Then, for lunch, we order pizza,” she said with a smile.

“So many colleagues want to help out on those days that I’ve even had to turn some of them away!”

Senior students also get the chance to attend an Italian film at the Italian Film Festival and visit an art exhibition, where they focus on five or six works of art, exploring their historical context, artistic influences and techniques.

Time, passion and dedication are the keys to this young teacher’s success. She has breathed new life into a department that was fading, winning over students, their families and even her colleagues, convincing them that Italian is an important subject that opens doors to both the world and the mind.