By Jonathan M. Gornet ’14
THE ROUNDUP
As Brophy kicks off the 2012-2013 school year, eight new teachers have made their home in the Brophy community.
Just like the Brophy motto that students look up to, “Men for Others,” the teachers said they want to live up to that expectation as well.
The Alumni Corp teachers Mr. Neil Murphy ’06, Mr. Kelly Coffman ’07 and Mr. Mica Tacderan ’07 return to Brophy, because Brophy has provided them with experiences, said Mr. Murphy.
“I wanted a year of transition that would mostly be an informative experience, so the Alumni Service Corps really came at a perfect time for me in my life,” Mr. Murphy said.
After going to the East coast, coming back to Brophy gave him the chance to bring back the experiences he had at Brophy Mr. Murphy said.
“It’s more of returning to a place that I believe provided me with a lot going forward, and I feel that the many experiences I have had leaving Brophy, working on the east coast, I can bring some of those experiences and maybe insights and give back to the Brophy community in ways I don’t think I would have been able to had I just stayed in this area,” Mr. Murphy said.
As for Mr. Coffman, he was asked to consider the Alumni Service Corps by Brophy Dean Mr. Pat Higgins.
“Actually, Mr. Higgins kind of asked me about it and he asked if I would be interested in doing something like this, and I also had a friend, Mr. Matt Williams, who’s now a teacher here, he did it last year, he kind of said that I would be a good fit here as well,” Mr. Coffman said.
Looking back at his year in the Alumni Corps, Mr. Williams said some parts that were special were the memories. “It’s interesting because you do bring some of those experiences back to you working at Brophy, Mr. Williams said. “I think one of the main reasons why I came back and I think a lot of the other guys came back is because they had such a good experience at Brophy, they wanted other people to have the same experience they did—that I did—because I had a great time and if I could do something to help you have a great experience…then my mission is complete.”
Those experiences are also important to Mr. Tacderan.
“So in the experiences that I’ve created the opportunities that I had here and what I did with them so living in moment and with that time that’s the true objective, that’s what really inspires me,” Mr. Tacderan said. “If I had to say anything in regards to my time spent at Brophy, it was because I took those opportunities it was because I signed up for Kairos it was because I wanted to be more involved and because my teachers really helped me be open to that growth, that I am who I am today.”
Some of the new teachers that never have been to Brophy before chose it because of its development of young men.
“I chose Brophy because I liked its emphasis on development on young men as whole people and not just as focusing on academics or sports, but I like the emphasis as a whole,” said Dr. Joe Holland.
Something at Brophy that caught the new teachers’ eyes were the students and how their performances at school.
“I am definitely impressed by the level of academic knowledge of some students and I am very interested to see more of their athletic performance as well as the spiritual side of things in terms of retreats and also projects and social works,” Dr. Holland said.
While the motto of Brophy, “Men for Others,” is portrayed in students, being a teacher living up to those standards is achieved through prayer, Dr. Holland said.
“Well, I believe the answer to that implies prayer, prayer is a big part of my day, so I believe the closer you get to Christ in prayer, ultimately means the closer you can become to living out the principles of Christ,” Dr. Holland said.
Mrs. Rebecca Walters teaches Latin at Brophy and Loyola Academy said being just there for other students are another way to achieve Brophy’s motto.
“I hope that I’ll be a teacher that students will think of not just there for Latin, but someone they could go to for advice or help or for just an ear for anything,” Mrs. Walters said.
Teachers are something special at Brophy; they care about their students, Mr. Tacderan said.
“These teachers care and it’s not that they are paid to care or anything like that, that’s genuinely who they are and that was something that helped inspired me and that’s kind of the reason why I’m back here is because the Brophy community is such amazing,” Mr. Tacderan said. “You have teachers at your disposal that want you to succeed so badly and they are so great at what they do both in helping inspire students in their own sort of way.”