WEBVTT - St. Benedicts Episcopal School (Ryan, Cat, Matthew) Part 1 0:00:04.040 --> 0:00:08.750 Welcome to the Saint Benedict's Episcopal School podcast, Planting Seeds, 0:00:08.750 --> 0:00:13.970 Cultivating Critical Thinking, creativity, community, and Lifelong Learning here will 0:00:13.970 --> 0:00:17.030 take you on a transformative journey into the inner workings 0:00:17.030 --> 0:00:19.970 of this unique school and the people behind it. So 0:00:19.970 --> 0:00:23.150 sit up straight. School's in and here's your host and 0:00:23.150 --> 0:00:25.280 head of school, Father Brian Sullivan. 0:00:26.690 --> 0:00:31.550 Hello, everyone, and welcome to the final episode, which is 0:00:31.550 --> 0:00:34.550 actually going to be two parts of the Planting Seeds 0:00:34.550 --> 0:00:38.570 podcast as an eight part original limited series. We are 0:00:38.570 --> 0:00:41.820 now adding a second part to this eighth episode, and 0:00:41.840 --> 0:00:44.779 so we are so happy that you are here. I'm 0:00:44.780 --> 0:00:47.480 Father Brian Sullivan, your host head of school at Saint 0:00:47.479 --> 0:00:50.600 Benedict's Episcopal School, and today we have the pleasure of 0:00:50.600 --> 0:00:55.070 sitting down with three remarkable alumni who continue to carry 0:00:55.070 --> 0:00:58.850 the torch of our school's values into the broader community. 0:00:58.850 --> 0:01:02.630 And soon, the world. Two of them are getting ready 0:01:02.630 --> 0:01:06.050 to graduate from college. So as we delve into this 0:01:06.050 --> 0:01:09.650 insightful conversation, it's worth noting the next year marks the 0:01:09.650 --> 0:01:13.760 15th anniversary of Saint Benedict's Episcopal School. In celebration of 0:01:13.760 --> 0:01:16.700 this milestone, it only seems fitting to engage with some 0:01:16.700 --> 0:01:20.209 of our distinguished alumni who have not only embraced the 0:01:20.209 --> 0:01:23.150 essence of Saint Benedict's during their time here, but have 0:01:23.150 --> 0:01:27.080 also taken these principles into their college journeys and beyond. 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:32.150 Joining us today are Catherine Shymansky, currently enrolled at Georgia Tech. 0:01:32.150 --> 0:01:36.350 Matt Fierro is at Auburn, and Ryan Fierro, his older brother, 0:01:36.350 --> 0:01:40.520 is at Emory Riddle Aeronautical University down in Florida. Beyond 0:01:40.520 --> 0:01:44.240 their academic pursuits, all three generously contribute to our community. 0:01:44.390 --> 0:01:46.940 They actually have come back to teach at our summer 0:01:46.940 --> 0:01:51.650 camps and in Kat's case, even substituting for classes during 0:01:51.650 --> 0:01:54.440 the school year. It was a shock. By the way, Cat, 0:01:54.440 --> 0:01:56.750 when I walked by and went, who's our new sub? 0:01:56.750 --> 0:02:00.170 And you turned around and I went, no, only means 0:02:00.170 --> 0:02:03.140 I'm getting older. So let's kick off this conversation with 0:02:03.140 --> 0:02:06.680 reflection on their unique journeys from Saint Benedict's to college 0:02:06.680 --> 0:02:10.160 and soon to be beyond welcome. Kat, Matt and Ryan, 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:13.040 we're thrilled to have you here today. Thank you. Thanks 0:02:13.340 --> 0:02:15.920 to our listeners. They were telling me that all three 0:02:15.919 --> 0:02:17.720 of you have had tests today. Did I hear that right? 0:02:17.720 --> 0:02:18.140 All three. 0:02:18.139 --> 0:02:19.280 Of us. Yeah. 0:02:19.880 --> 0:02:22.910 And here you are giving back to your community. You 0:02:22.910 --> 0:02:26.060 are awesome. So it's wonderful to have you on the 0:02:26.060 --> 0:02:30.740 podcast as alumni. And you've transitioned from here to high school. 0:02:30.740 --> 0:02:32.630 All three of you went to Holy Innocents, which is 0:02:32.630 --> 0:02:36.110 our sister Episcopal school down the street that actually has 0:02:36.110 --> 0:02:38.359 a high school. Did you all know that I graduated 0:02:38.360 --> 0:02:40.390 when it was just an eighth grade school? And I. 0:02:40.490 --> 0:02:41.960 Think vaguely, yeah, I think. 0:02:41.960 --> 0:02:44.810 It was smaller than Saint Benedict's is now, but it 0:02:44.810 --> 0:02:48.169 sort of had the same principles that we do. And 0:02:48.169 --> 0:02:51.830 being a nurturing community through eighth grade here to your 0:02:51.830 --> 0:02:54.890 respective colleges, can you share the foundation laid during your 0:02:54.889 --> 0:02:57.980 early education at Saint Benedict's, and how it's influenced the 0:02:57.980 --> 0:03:01.700 paths that you've chosen? And again, jump in whoever's first. 0:03:01.880 --> 0:03:03.649 I have a feeling I know who it will be. 0:03:04.850 --> 0:03:05.510 Go for. 0:03:05.510 --> 0:03:08.630 It. This is going to sound really just bland and corny, 0:03:08.630 --> 0:03:11.570 I guess, but kindness. I know this sounds obvious. I 0:03:11.570 --> 0:03:14.390 know this sounds like something that. Okay. Yeah, great. But 0:03:14.389 --> 0:03:16.370 what about I mean, getting into the real world and 0:03:16.580 --> 0:03:20.270 outside of just school and stuff? It's like it means 0:03:20.270 --> 0:03:22.970 something more. And at Saint Bees and everyone was just 0:03:22.970 --> 0:03:25.940 kind of each other. There was no hostility and not 0:03:25.940 --> 0:03:28.700 to say like, oh, the world is not a kind place, 0:03:28.700 --> 0:03:31.070 but it's just like it meant a lot going from 0:03:31.070 --> 0:03:33.290 someplace where everyone was, you know, very wholesome with each other. 0:03:33.290 --> 0:03:35.240 And then it's like, oh, well, we can we can 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.570 spread that and make the whole world a little bit brighter. Again, 0:03:38.570 --> 0:03:40.460 I know it sounds so corny, but it's just something 0:03:40.460 --> 0:03:43.850 I felt. I think both of our classes were particularly small, 0:03:43.850 --> 0:03:46.550 especially like my my graduating class. It went down from 0:03:46.550 --> 0:03:50.240 like 20 and seventh grade to like ten and eighth grade. 0:03:50.240 --> 0:03:52.730 And so we're all just like so close. And I 0:03:52.730 --> 0:03:55.220 think that really helped me make connections to be able 0:03:55.220 --> 0:03:58.310 to build connections throughout, like high school. And then now 0:03:58.310 --> 0:04:00.290 in college, like I have a nice close group of 0:04:00.290 --> 0:04:03.020 friends down with. So it definitely helped, like get close 0:04:03.020 --> 0:04:05.900 to people and understand people, especially at a young age, 0:04:05.900 --> 0:04:06.620 you know, on that. 0:04:06.620 --> 0:04:09.050 I think making friends is so hard in the real world, 0:04:09.050 --> 0:04:11.990 and I'm happy that birthdays like, let us have that 0:04:11.990 --> 0:04:14.840 small community so that we could make friends and learn 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:16.940 how to do that in a safe space. I think 0:04:16.940 --> 0:04:20.000 something else that I would take away from my experience 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:24.080 there would have been my not necessarily my drive, but 0:04:24.080 --> 0:04:26.660 my hard work that we were challenged a lot by 0:04:26.660 --> 0:04:29.990 our teachers, especially in the civilians in sixth and seventh grade. 0:04:30.350 --> 0:04:33.140 And teacher left were to open our minds to different 0:04:33.140 --> 0:04:36.560 ideas and topics and to think about the world differently 0:04:36.560 --> 0:04:39.740 and think that by taking some of those principles and 0:04:39.740 --> 0:04:43.370 taking the things that especially like taught us with our grammar, 0:04:43.370 --> 0:04:46.370 and just like the ways that she was so hard 0:04:46.370 --> 0:04:49.130 on us, it made us better student like. I definitely 0:04:49.130 --> 0:04:51.830 see that in my day to day classroom, especially still 0:04:51.830 --> 0:04:52.580 in college. 0:04:52.610 --> 0:04:54.500 I was going to say, I think like with what 0:04:54.500 --> 0:04:56.839 she was talking about with like on Teacher Lefler, like 0:04:56.839 --> 0:04:59.690 getting close with teachers. I definitely try to continue that 0:04:59.690 --> 0:05:02.539 through like high school. Cool. And even now, like in, 0:05:02.540 --> 0:05:05.900 you know, I've got lectures of like 300 plus people 0:05:05.900 --> 0:05:08.600 and like, trying to, like, talk with my teachers and 0:05:08.600 --> 0:05:11.480 make sure they know me and I know them. And like, 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:12.830 I think that definitely helped. 0:05:12.890 --> 0:05:15.260 I can't sit for one of my pre-calc teachers from 0:05:15.260 --> 0:05:17.779 freshman year. It was probably a class of like 200, 0:05:17.779 --> 0:05:20.930 and it was still on zoom, and I just she 0:05:20.930 --> 0:05:23.390 would have this thing that she called happy hour, like, 0:05:23.390 --> 0:05:25.729 you know, happy hour. She'd have office hours where you 0:05:25.730 --> 0:05:27.739 could talk about math. And then she had happy hour 0:05:27.740 --> 0:05:29.089 where you could come and just talk to her about 0:05:29.089 --> 0:05:31.310 anything you wanted to talk to her about, and so 0:05:31.370 --> 0:05:32.690 got to know her. And I got to know that 0:05:32.690 --> 0:05:34.430 she has cats, and she was always looking for a 0:05:34.430 --> 0:05:36.349 cat sitter. So now, like, keep her house key on 0:05:36.350 --> 0:05:38.840 my on my key ring. And whenever she needs me, 0:05:38.839 --> 0:05:40.100 she just text me and goes, hey, can you run 0:05:40.100 --> 0:05:42.380 over to my house and like, let my cats, you know, 0:05:42.380 --> 0:05:46.370 feed them? And on that note, like maintaining that relationship 0:05:46.370 --> 0:05:50.150 with your teachers, like it only gets easier from Saint Benedict's. 0:05:50.150 --> 0:05:51.500 And then on, Ryan, what. 0:05:51.500 --> 0:05:52.250 Were you going to say? 0:05:52.250 --> 0:05:53.839 I find it funny. We all I think all three 0:05:53.839 --> 0:05:56.510 of us thought about Teacher and Mrs. Philia as some 0:05:56.510 --> 0:05:58.940 of the most memorable teachers, or the biggest impact on 0:05:58.940 --> 0:06:02.330 our learning, our education path. I definitely think. 0:06:02.330 --> 0:06:03.560 They were the most quirky. 0:06:04.580 --> 0:06:05.450 That too. Yeah. 0:06:06.200 --> 0:06:06.979 Miserable. 0:06:06.980 --> 0:06:09.560 Yeah. Ms.. They also went to Auburn. So I mean, 0:06:09.560 --> 0:06:11.690 I haven't actually reached out to her since I went 0:06:11.690 --> 0:06:14.240 to Auburn, so I think I should, but like it 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:15.770 definitely is in the back of my mind. You know, 0:06:15.770 --> 0:06:17.510 she had a little I think. Didn't she have the, 0:06:17.900 --> 0:06:21.470 the tail in her trunk. Yes. But that was a is. 0:06:21.470 --> 0:06:22.099 That a Tiger. 0:06:22.100 --> 0:06:25.150 Was that coach okay. Well well one of the her. 0:06:25.190 --> 0:06:26.789 Her entire they went to Auburn too. 0:06:26.870 --> 0:06:29.810 Yeah yeah yeah. There's this entire room was just decked 0:06:29.810 --> 0:06:32.090 out in Auburn and now I see why. So I think. 0:06:32.089 --> 0:06:34.670 They're coming this summer to do some camps. So if 0:06:34.670 --> 0:06:36.490 you guys are coming back, you'll get to see them. 0:06:36.710 --> 0:06:39.589 One of the things that those listening will not know 0:06:39.589 --> 0:06:44.180 is that in 2008, we had just bought the church 0:06:44.180 --> 0:06:48.350 building and your parents were standing out in the cold 0:06:48.350 --> 0:06:52.730 rain in November looking at a dilapidated building, hearing the 0:06:52.730 --> 0:06:54.859 mission of our school. And they were bought in to 0:06:54.860 --> 0:06:57.890 the point that we were just starting a preschool. But 0:06:57.890 --> 0:07:02.030 because you all were also looking for an elementary school, 0:07:02.029 --> 0:07:05.750 we started a second grade and that was Kat and 0:07:05.750 --> 0:07:09.380 Ryan's grade. And Matt, you were in the the first, 0:07:09.380 --> 0:07:12.980 first grade. Tell me a little bit about how that 0:07:12.980 --> 0:07:15.950 experience of watching us grow. I mean, you left campus 0:07:15.950 --> 0:07:18.800 one year and there were zoning signs still up for 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:23.840 your middle school. What was it like? What was some 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:25.820 of the memories that you had? Just, you know, the 0:07:25.820 --> 0:07:28.520 second grade, third grade, fourth grade, when you were upstairs 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:31.490 and the church building, what was that all like? 0:07:31.520 --> 0:07:34.820 Oh, God, my memory is so bad. But I mean, 0:07:35.030 --> 0:07:36.800 obviously I was like from first grade. I was so young. 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:39.230 But like, I mean, I can still remember, like going 0:07:39.230 --> 0:07:42.890 into some of the buildings now, like the nursery or 0:07:43.010 --> 0:07:44.840 I don't even know what it is now, but the 0:07:44.840 --> 0:07:47.060 nursery from like a year or two ago, like the 0:07:47.060 --> 0:07:50.600 room within the room, how that used to be there. Um, I. 0:07:50.600 --> 0:07:52.700 Loved the room in the room. 0:07:53.690 --> 0:07:55.160 It was. It was just so random. 0:07:55.400 --> 0:07:57.350 So I don't know if you guys remember, like. But, 0:07:57.470 --> 0:07:59.540 you know, there was, like, a foosball table in that 0:07:59.540 --> 0:08:02.150 room because that's where you also had passport at the time. 0:08:02.150 --> 0:08:03.950 And there was like a point in time where Nina 0:08:03.950 --> 0:08:07.750 walked in and was like trying to play foosball and he, like, 0:08:07.760 --> 0:08:10.460 went into a split in his school pants and he 0:08:10.460 --> 0:08:13.340 ripped them just in the middle of the school day. 0:08:13.340 --> 0:08:15.770 Was that not during PE? No. 0:08:16.340 --> 0:08:18.440 I could have sworn that was during PE. 0:08:18.710 --> 0:08:21.110 No, he was just in the room, like in that room. 0:08:21.110 --> 0:08:23.570 And he just was like, I'm gonna do a split. 0:08:24.980 --> 0:08:27.890 Is that purposely, did he purposely do split. 0:08:28.310 --> 0:08:30.080 Think I don't remember. 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:33.350 I do remember when we were in like one small 0:08:33.350 --> 0:08:37.400 building and there were I forget exactly how it works. 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:40.400 I mean, we didn't know much about what was going on, 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:42.800 but we did know that the the preschoolers or the kindergarteners, 0:08:42.800 --> 0:08:45.980 whoever was moved in first, we were like, oh man, 0:08:45.980 --> 0:08:48.560 why can't we move in now? How come they like 0:08:48.559 --> 0:08:50.270 the little ones get to move in? I do remember that. 0:08:50.270 --> 0:08:52.189 And then eventually, you know, I think we remember moving 0:08:52.190 --> 0:08:54.880 our stuff onto the third floor. But that was funny. 0:08:54.890 --> 0:08:58.760 I also remember, didn't we like, share but not share room? 0:08:58.760 --> 0:09:01.610 Like where the current nurse's office is? 0:09:02.030 --> 0:09:05.120 The library was a split room. Yeah. Your fourth and 0:09:05.120 --> 0:09:07.300 fifth grade were in that room. Yep. 0:09:07.309 --> 0:09:10.040 Well no not not that that room the like for 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:12.230 our first and second grade because I know that was 0:09:12.230 --> 0:09:13.250 also split for fourth and fifth. 0:09:13.280 --> 0:09:15.980 Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. The very first year. Yep. Yeah yeah. 0:09:15.980 --> 0:09:18.740 Yep yep. There's the bookcase splitting of the rooms. 0:09:18.740 --> 0:09:22.880 Yeah yeah yeah. So having seen that from that time, 0:09:22.880 --> 0:09:26.750 now you have come back and started teaching summer camps. 0:09:26.750 --> 0:09:30.350 Ryan and Kat you all actually designed and implemented a 0:09:30.350 --> 0:09:33.770 steam camp. What was that like? What was it like 0:09:33.770 --> 0:09:38.120 coming back? And now you're the Lefler of this little 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:39.500 group of kids. I mean. 0:09:39.500 --> 0:09:42.380 I always had fun with it. I wish I could 0:09:42.380 --> 0:09:45.890 do more honestly, like during the year, if I if 0:09:45.890 --> 0:09:48.500 I went to school closer, I, I think I'd love 0:09:48.500 --> 0:09:52.090 to do more steam related stuff. And between that and 0:09:52.100 --> 0:09:54.050 so it is, it is fun, you know, working with 0:09:54.050 --> 0:09:56.689 kids and teaching them what I've learned. 0:09:57.290 --> 0:10:00.920 On a note of like steam, though, I mean. Coming 0:10:00.920 --> 0:10:05.000 back from starting in this tiny classroom where we shared 0:10:05.000 --> 0:10:08.690 rooms and they were divided by bookcases. We now have 0:10:08.690 --> 0:10:11.569 like the whole middle school building. And Katie Acts, who's 0:10:11.570 --> 0:10:15.050 dedicated to esteemed department like I went and when I 0:10:15.050 --> 0:10:18.739 was substituting last May, she showed me how they have 0:10:18.740 --> 0:10:21.650 the new laser cutter and there's like a 3D printer 0:10:21.650 --> 0:10:24.320 or something. And she helped me make my mom a 0:10:24.320 --> 0:10:27.260 pair of earrings that were like her initials out of 0:10:27.260 --> 0:10:31.160 that laser cutter and mean, like, they have some really 0:10:31.160 --> 0:10:34.849 cool stuff that we definitely did not have, but it 0:10:34.850 --> 0:10:38.630 is really cool to see. And also, as an alumni, 0:10:38.660 --> 0:10:41.910 get the benefit of using every now and then. 0:10:42.440 --> 0:10:45.680 So yeah, it's so different. Like the entire school is 0:10:45.679 --> 0:10:48.290 so different. I mean, it's pretty crazy and I feel 0:10:48.290 --> 0:10:48.890 like every year. 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:49.730 Good way. 0:10:49.730 --> 0:10:52.670 Yeah yeah yeah yeah I mean like like the setup 0:10:52.670 --> 0:10:55.069 of the, like the, like the building and stuff, like 0:10:55.070 --> 0:10:57.590 it's so much bigger now and it's so much more, 0:10:57.590 --> 0:11:00.920 you know, rooms keep changing to accommodate things and it's 0:11:00.920 --> 0:11:02.330 really interesting to see. 0:11:02.480 --> 0:11:04.280 On Saturday when I was with Brian, we were talking 0:11:04.280 --> 0:11:05.840 about he was like, have you seen any of the 0:11:05.840 --> 0:11:08.170 plans for like the new gap coming up? And I 0:11:08.179 --> 0:11:10.489 was like, no, I have no idea. But it's kind 0:11:10.490 --> 0:11:12.980 of cool to to like, think about how there's going 0:11:12.980 --> 0:11:15.230 to be a whole new building and then something about 0:11:15.470 --> 0:11:17.660 a whole new plans with the old buildings and moving 0:11:17.660 --> 0:11:19.850 people around like it's a cool idea to think about. 0:11:19.970 --> 0:11:22.189 Yeah, I mean, they got how much I don't even 0:11:22.190 --> 0:11:24.260 know how much space, but that, like whole, like block, 0:11:24.260 --> 0:11:27.620 like right across from a the little field. I don't 0:11:27.620 --> 0:11:30.800 know how much that is, but 4.2 acres. Yeah. 0:11:30.800 --> 0:11:35.150 That's it's bigger than the main building, the land that 0:11:35.150 --> 0:11:37.400 the main building is on and the building that we're 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:40.640 looking to build is about the same size. So the 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:43.160 middle school have it looks like six, seventh and eighth 0:11:43.160 --> 0:11:46.340 grade with three sections of each grade, whereas you all 0:11:46.340 --> 0:11:49.850 had about a half a section. Cat, I think you're 0:11:50.270 --> 0:11:53.300 you're in Ryan. You were a fourth of the whole grade. 0:11:53.720 --> 0:11:55.510 They might add a fourth of it. Yeah, we. 0:11:55.520 --> 0:11:56.180 Did the seven. 0:11:56.179 --> 0:11:58.370 Kids. What are you planning to do with the current 0:11:58.370 --> 0:11:59.450 middle school building? 0:11:59.720 --> 0:12:02.750 We're looking to probably do third, fourth and fifth. 0:12:03.200 --> 0:12:04.069 Okay. Yeah. 0:12:04.070 --> 0:12:06.350 And just spread everybody out. So there are ten classrooms 0:12:06.350 --> 0:12:09.920 here with a science room, and we still have cottages outside, 0:12:09.920 --> 0:12:16.400 so they'll have plenty of space for all the co-curricular art, science, music, 0:12:16.400 --> 0:12:19.430 not science, art, drama and music as well as P.E. 0:12:19.429 --> 0:12:22.579 so yeah, it's exciting and hopefully you guys are a 0:12:22.580 --> 0:12:24.530 part of that. One of the things that I was 0:12:24.530 --> 0:12:27.740 curious about, having now stepped on the other side of 0:12:27.740 --> 0:12:33.650 being an educator instead of being educated, what was that like, 0:12:33.650 --> 0:12:36.620 and have you been able to use the experiences teaching 0:12:36.620 --> 0:12:40.429 here in your current roles in college, or are you 0:12:40.429 --> 0:12:42.020 just taking tests. 0:12:43.730 --> 0:12:47.070 That do a little bit of teaching here specifically? Like, 0:12:47.090 --> 0:12:50.720 I mean, all incoming freshmen, we work with composite stuff, 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:52.730 and I'll have incoming freshmen that have no idea how 0:12:52.730 --> 0:12:54.650 to do any of this thing, any of that stuff. 0:12:54.740 --> 0:12:59.630 So it is fun working with people who have no 0:12:59.630 --> 0:13:01.250 idea what they want to do with it, or no 0:13:01.250 --> 0:13:02.809 idea what to do, but they want to learn, and 0:13:02.809 --> 0:13:05.660 I'll happily teach them and show them and have them 0:13:05.660 --> 0:13:09.110 get into it and work hands on. And I do 0:13:09.110 --> 0:13:12.590 correlate the two between, you know, working with the kids 0:13:12.590 --> 0:13:15.470 back at Saint B's and working with these, you know, freshmen. 0:13:15.950 --> 0:13:18.890 It is kind of funny. I will also joke me 0:13:18.890 --> 0:13:20.689 like I have kindergartners who can use scissors better than 0:13:20.690 --> 0:13:22.309 these seniors. 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:27.860 We won't share this podcast at your university. Don't worry. 0:13:28.130 --> 0:13:31.220 Yeah. Oh no, I've said it to their face. Um, 0:13:31.910 --> 0:13:35.420 but yeah, that's that's fun. And then between, I guess, 0:13:35.420 --> 0:13:38.390 going from, you know, learning to being an educated myself, 0:13:38.480 --> 0:13:42.080 there are some things that I see with teachers or professors, 0:13:42.080 --> 0:13:45.199 and there are things, aspects I like and aspects I don't. 0:13:45.200 --> 0:13:49.430 And it's fun. It is satisfying to implement what I 0:13:49.429 --> 0:13:51.530 like and what I don't like, and I can teach 0:13:51.530 --> 0:13:53.660 that myself and use those skills myself. 0:13:53.660 --> 0:13:57.410 For me, I think focuses a lot on the Spanish curriculum, 0:13:57.410 --> 0:14:04.010 which I'm grateful for. I've always loved learning languages and 0:14:04.250 --> 0:14:06.949 Spanish being the first one I ever did learn. And 0:14:06.950 --> 0:14:10.190 so with that in mind, in terms of teaching, I 0:14:10.190 --> 0:14:14.030 did end up tutoring for some time in Spanish. I 0:14:14.030 --> 0:14:16.580 helped middle school and high school students at other schools 0:14:16.580 --> 0:14:20.000 in the area with their courses, and teaching them the 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:23.120 way that I was taught at school at Saint Bees, 0:14:23.480 --> 0:14:25.370 which is the way that it makes sense to me. 0:14:25.460 --> 0:14:26.930 So I think it's really cool to be able to 0:14:26.930 --> 0:14:29.780 take what I've learned in terms of Spanish and how 0:14:29.780 --> 0:14:33.500 to incorporate that language and how there's different teaching styles, 0:14:33.500 --> 0:14:36.140 and then take what I think has been most beneficial 0:14:36.140 --> 0:14:39.350 for me, having the ability to explain that to somebody 0:14:39.350 --> 0:14:42.650 else and then being able to recognize that, like that 0:14:42.650 --> 0:14:45.560 click or like the the light bulb go off moment 0:14:45.710 --> 0:14:47.870 that these students are having. Once I finally be able 0:14:47.870 --> 0:14:50.540 to explain something that they actually can understand. So I 0:14:50.540 --> 0:14:53.110 think that's one way that I've taken the learning, the 0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:54.440 educator learning. 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:57.619 Yeah. And for me, you know, I've had like people 0:14:57.620 --> 0:15:00.670 in some interviews like ask me questions about. Like my 0:15:00.670 --> 0:15:04.030 time in work at the camps, and it's a lot 0:15:04.030 --> 0:15:05.950 of like, I think one of the biggest things I 0:15:05.950 --> 0:15:09.280 got from it was patience with college and work and 0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:12.820 talking with people. And so definitely patience was a big 0:15:12.820 --> 0:15:15.220 factor I got from from working there. 0:15:15.550 --> 0:15:17.830 And that actually leads into the next question that I 0:15:17.830 --> 0:15:20.890 have for you all, because college is not easy. Life 0:15:20.890 --> 0:15:24.040 starts to weigh heavy as you're starting to end your 0:15:24.040 --> 0:15:27.040 career there as students. What were some of the things 0:15:27.040 --> 0:15:29.620 you learned here at Saint Benedict's that you think helped 0:15:29.620 --> 0:15:32.950 you in those tough times at school? Maybe things that 0:15:32.950 --> 0:15:34.930 didn't have to do with school. You don't have to 0:15:34.930 --> 0:15:37.810 share the details of that, but the skills that you 0:15:37.810 --> 0:15:41.140 learn here. How did you translate those when things got rough? 0:15:41.140 --> 0:15:44.020 For me, I think the ability to ask for help. 0:15:44.320 --> 0:15:49.330 So Saint Benedict was a very welcoming community in that sense, 0:15:49.330 --> 0:15:54.340 where if you're struggling or you need extra tutoring or 0:15:54.340 --> 0:15:58.210 you don't understand something, I always felt very comfortable going 0:15:58.210 --> 0:16:02.200 up to my teachers and asking and furthering my understanding. 0:16:02.200 --> 0:16:04.300 And so that's something that I feel like a lot 0:16:04.300 --> 0:16:07.720 of my peers, especially in college, do struggle with. It's 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:10.780 asking for help or like being able to identify that 0:16:10.780 --> 0:16:13.480 they need help and figuring out where to go for that. 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:17.200 So instead of asking for help or emailing the professor 0:16:17.200 --> 0:16:20.560 or going to extra tutoring sessions, they just kind of 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:24.460 dwell in it. And so that's something that taught me 0:16:24.460 --> 0:16:27.130 was to just make sure that when I need something, 0:16:27.130 --> 0:16:30.610 that I find the appropriate people to seek, that the 0:16:30.610 --> 0:16:31.600 problem solved. 0:16:31.790 --> 0:16:35.590 I think Catherine answered that pretty perfectly, because I feel 0:16:35.590 --> 0:16:40.210 the same, you know? So like in my I just 0:16:40.210 --> 0:16:44.320 took an intermediate accounting exam this morning. I was talking 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:47.920 about and I know my teacher, my class isn't that 0:16:47.920 --> 0:16:51.440 big because it's a secondary accounting class. But you know, 0:16:51.460 --> 0:16:53.410 I still am able like he knows me. Like I 0:16:53.410 --> 0:16:55.030 was like, talk with him after the exam. Like I 0:16:55.030 --> 0:16:57.670 was like, I realized I forgot how to do something. 0:16:57.670 --> 0:17:00.430 It just lost my mind. And so we were talking 0:17:00.430 --> 0:17:03.040 about that, and I've gone to his office hours on 0:17:03.040 --> 0:17:04.670 our homeworks. We can do this thing where we email 0:17:04.670 --> 0:17:06.940 a professor. I've done that plenty of times, and he 0:17:06.940 --> 0:17:11.230 emails me at like 939, 45 at night. He's really 0:17:11.230 --> 0:17:13.990 good about and being really helpful with that. Yeah. Like 0:17:13.990 --> 0:17:16.570 she said, it's just, you know, it's really helped you 0:17:16.570 --> 0:17:19.960 like because the classes were very small. And so because 0:17:19.960 --> 0:17:22.240 of that, you get that big connection with your teachers. 0:17:22.240 --> 0:17:24.280 And I think that's one of the most important things. 0:17:24.280 --> 0:17:26.800 You know, a lot of other schools you might not 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:29.680 have that. And that's just such like an important aspect 0:17:29.680 --> 0:17:32.080 of school that you can get the one on one 0:17:32.080 --> 0:17:36.640 experience and one on one learning to really fit your needs. 0:17:36.910 --> 0:17:39.790 A little called that here, because that's actually one thing 0:17:39.790 --> 0:17:42.760 I do struggle with is reaching out for help. I 0:17:42.760 --> 0:17:46.150 do also at the front of the class, I always, 0:17:46.150 --> 0:17:48.580 you know, I like to talk to my professor. You know, 0:17:48.580 --> 0:17:51.910 when they're walking in, walking out, try to relate with them. 0:17:52.210 --> 0:17:55.810 Like Matthew said, go to their office hours and stuff. 0:17:55.810 --> 0:17:59.200 There's one other thing that I think just growing the 0:17:59.200 --> 0:18:03.639 school and seeing how scrappy and creative the school has been. 0:18:03.640 --> 0:18:07.900 Just with space alone, we've attracted faculty who are also 0:18:07.900 --> 0:18:11.560 very creative and how they teach. I'm wondering if that 0:18:11.560 --> 0:18:14.889 rubbed off on you all as learners, how the creativity 0:18:14.890 --> 0:18:18.639 that surrounded you in the classroom has helped you become 0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:19.840 the learners that you are. 0:18:19.840 --> 0:18:22.690 I mean, I think I'm an open minded learner if 0:18:22.690 --> 0:18:25.869 that can even be applied to this question. So like 0:18:25.869 --> 0:18:30.970 the creativity that the teachers would bring would ensure that 0:18:30.970 --> 0:18:34.840 I was, I think, almost more like a well-rounded not 0:18:34.840 --> 0:18:37.570 only student but also a person. The one thing that 0:18:37.570 --> 0:18:39.879 comes to mind would be Teacher Leffler. So like Teacher 0:18:39.880 --> 0:18:42.220 Leffler always had out of the box ideas and out 0:18:42.220 --> 0:18:44.859 of the box activities, and he was definitely one of 0:18:44.859 --> 0:18:48.070 the more creative teachers, in my opinion. So, for example, 0:18:48.070 --> 0:18:51.640 when we were reading like Am Malala in sixth grade, 0:18:51.640 --> 0:18:54.639 he made sure that we had dates and had a 0:18:54.640 --> 0:18:58.840 picnic of like cultural foods, which is something that, you know, 0:18:58.840 --> 0:19:01.780 you might not always do, but it was something creative 0:19:01.780 --> 0:19:04.090 and outside the box that we could implement what we 0:19:04.090 --> 0:19:07.120 were learning in the classroom, outside of the classroom. So like, 0:19:07.210 --> 0:19:10.479 think that when they're creative, it allows us to think 0:19:10.480 --> 0:19:13.960 more outside the box, which is what the world really needs. 0:19:13.960 --> 0:19:17.709 Especially think within a lot of a lot of different fields, 0:19:17.710 --> 0:19:20.470 like so not just Ryan with aeronautical and engineering and stuff, 0:19:20.470 --> 0:19:23.979 but even with like me, who's technically a psychology major 0:19:23.980 --> 0:19:26.439 like you, there's a lot of different ways to think 0:19:26.440 --> 0:19:27.490 outside the box. 0:19:27.550 --> 0:19:31.840 Yeah. Um, personally, I'm not the most creative person, I'll 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:35.140 be honest. But I do remember I think it was 0:19:35.140 --> 0:19:42.010 miss McFall. Is that right, guys? Red hair? Yes. Yes. Yeah. She, um. 0:19:42.250 --> 0:19:43.840 I don't know if this was seventh or eighth grade, 0:19:43.840 --> 0:19:46.660 but it was sometime middle school we were talking about 0:19:46.660 --> 0:19:50.530 sometime in the early 1900s. It was history, and we 0:19:50.530 --> 0:19:52.870 were talking about like child labor laws and stuff like that. 0:19:52.869 --> 0:19:55.899 Or it was this was like how she brought it up, basically. 0:19:55.900 --> 0:19:57.970 So we had a class where we had it was 0:19:57.970 --> 0:20:00.100 like a little example thing. We had a class where we. 0:20:00.230 --> 0:20:04.120 Had to like basically be an assembly line, kind of. 0:20:04.130 --> 0:20:06.410 We were at like little tables or like an assembly line. 0:20:06.410 --> 0:20:08.630 And she was putting on this all like persona of 0:20:08.630 --> 0:20:12.080 like what it was like for children. And when they 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:15.109 were working, because she didn't tell us that first. So 0:20:15.109 --> 0:20:18.050 we were all surprised. We were all so angry, like, 0:20:18.050 --> 0:20:20.300 like what is going on? Because she just it was 0:20:20.300 --> 0:20:22.700 complete different change of tone. We were like, what is 0:20:22.700 --> 0:20:24.410 going on? I mean, she's. 0:20:24.410 --> 0:20:26.990 The nicest person on the face. Yeah. So for her 0:20:26.990 --> 0:20:29.680 to be there and be like a dictator, that's like, oh, 0:20:29.690 --> 0:20:31.399 that would have been hilarious. 0:20:31.670 --> 0:20:35.419 We were so confused and we were like, all so angry. 0:20:35.420 --> 0:20:37.430 And then at the end of the class, she was like, 0:20:37.580 --> 0:20:39.560 I forget what she said, but she basically was like, 0:20:39.560 --> 0:20:41.540 so what do you guys think? Like, how is that like. 0:20:42.590 --> 0:20:45.109 We were like, what? What is going on? It was 0:20:45.109 --> 0:20:47.870 something with folding papers and like making letters, I think. 0:20:47.869 --> 0:20:49.490 And she didn't like it. She would take it up 0:20:49.490 --> 0:20:53.390 and crumble it up and throw in the trash. And yeah, very, 0:20:53.390 --> 0:20:53.870 very not. 0:20:53.869 --> 0:20:56.930 Characteristic of any of your guests, much less Mrs. McFall. 0:20:57.170 --> 0:21:00.100 And so the reveal, it was like, oh my God. 0:21:00.109 --> 0:21:01.820 And we were we were all like, she was like, 0:21:01.820 --> 0:21:03.680 I promise. Like, I'm so sorry. She was like so 0:21:03.680 --> 0:21:07.219 apologetic as well. And so then we started talking about, 0:21:07.220 --> 0:21:10.850 you know, the history and everything. And that's just like, 0:21:10.850 --> 0:21:13.369 you know, one of the things that Saint does is like, 0:21:13.369 --> 0:21:15.530 be creative. And their teaching, like you said. And I 0:21:15.530 --> 0:21:17.300 think that was just a great experience because, I mean, 0:21:17.300 --> 0:21:19.970 I still remember that. And looking back on it, it 0:21:19.970 --> 0:21:24.550 was a lot of fun, although scary at the time maybe. Yeah. 0:21:24.590 --> 0:21:26.330 I mean, I've had to do a lot of thinking 0:21:26.330 --> 0:21:30.290 on the fly, coming up with solutions at random, specifically 0:21:30.290 --> 0:21:32.780 some of the competitions or clubs I've been a part of. 0:21:32.869 --> 0:21:37.730 So definitely been hugely important coming from that creative background. 0:21:37.950 --> 0:21:40.189 Not not all solutions. I mean, that's what that's what 0:21:40.190 --> 0:21:43.070 engineering is, right? You know, problem solving with a lot 0:21:43.070 --> 0:21:48.380 of math. Um, but that definitely is to, um, hugely important, 0:21:48.380 --> 0:21:50.750 not only in just, you know, in clubs and stuff, but, 0:21:50.750 --> 0:21:53.600 I mean, I've talked with friends of mine, have graduated 0:21:53.600 --> 0:21:57.560 and gone to work in industry. And funny enough, creativity 0:21:57.560 --> 0:22:00.500 is some of the most important factor. The qualities that 0:22:00.500 --> 0:22:03.710 look for in an engineer, because things don't always work 0:22:03.710 --> 0:22:07.189 out where you want it, or even in simulation. So 0:22:07.190 --> 0:22:09.919 you have to come up with solutions for that out 0:22:09.920 --> 0:22:10.609 of the box. 0:22:10.640 --> 0:22:14.750 Very cool having Abby walk by. Abby Gould was here 0:22:14.750 --> 0:22:17.240 at Saint Benedict's also. Her dad is actually still on 0:22:17.240 --> 0:22:20.270 the board of trustees. It just shows that to the 0:22:20.270 --> 0:22:23.450 next question. Our secret sauce, I think, has always been 0:22:23.450 --> 0:22:27.050 community that we were able to or three zip codes 0:22:27.050 --> 0:22:29.450 is where all of our students mostly come from. You 0:22:29.450 --> 0:22:31.340 don't have to drive on a highway to get to 0:22:31.340 --> 0:22:33.230 your friend's house to have to spend the night here 0:22:33.230 --> 0:22:36.740 at Saint Benedict's, and you get to know everyone, and 0:22:36.740 --> 0:22:38.780 you have to see them every day. I think Abby 0:22:38.780 --> 0:22:41.660 was actually the one that said the best thing that 0:22:41.660 --> 0:22:43.699 happened to her going to a big school was that 0:22:43.700 --> 0:22:45.800 she knew she was going to have to see those 0:22:45.800 --> 0:22:48.470 people every day and like them, are not like them. 0:22:48.470 --> 0:22:51.980 You have to get along well. Thank you Kathryn, Matthew 0:22:51.980 --> 0:22:55.430 and Ryan, you guys have given us a lot to 0:22:55.430 --> 0:22:58.639 hang our hat on and sit on the precipice waiting 0:22:58.640 --> 0:23:02.929 for part two. Everyone who is currently listening, I'm sure 0:23:02.930 --> 0:23:05.810 you cannot wait to hear more about their story and 0:23:05.810 --> 0:23:10.670 their enduring impact at Saint Benedict's Episcopal School. To our listeners, again, 0:23:10.670 --> 0:23:14.060 especially our esteemed alumni, we hope this conversation has brought 0:23:14.060 --> 0:23:17.120 you back to some fond memories. Reinforce the bonds that 0:23:17.119 --> 0:23:21.170 connect us as we approach the 15th anniversary of Saint Benedict's. 0:23:21.170 --> 0:23:24.260 We encourage all alumni to stay connected, and I will 0:23:24.260 --> 0:23:28.640 have more about that in part two. Again, remember, you're 0:23:28.640 --> 0:23:30.920 an integral part of Saint Benedict story, and we look 0:23:30.920 --> 0:23:36.290 forward to celebrating our milestone together. Until next time, part two. 0:23:36.320 --> 0:23:40.070 This is Father Brian Sullivan signing off from planting Seeds. 0:23:40.070 --> 0:23:44.149 Wishing you a continued success and growth in all your endeavors. 0:23:44.330 --> 0:23:47.720 Thank you all for listening and getting to know our 0:23:47.720 --> 0:23:50.840 growing community, and we will see you soon for part two. 0:23:50.869 --> 0:23:55.220 As always, keep spreading kindness, compassion, and love. 0:23:57.580 --> 0:24:03.159 Thanks for listening. To planting seeds, Cultivating Critical Thinking, creativity, community, 0:24:03.160 --> 0:24:06.609 and Lifelong Learning with your host father, Brian Sullivan. To 0:24:06.609 --> 0:24:11.679 find out more about Saint Benedict's Episcopal School, visit Stubb's Dawg. 0:24:12.400 --> 0:24:15.369 This podcast is a production of BGR ad Group. All 0:24:15.369 --> 0:24:16.540 rights reserved.