S1: Welcome to the Saint Benedict's Episcopal School podcast, Planting Seeds,
S1: Cultivating Critical Thinking, creativity, community, and Lifelong Learning here will
S1: take you on a transformative journey into the inner workings
S1: of this unique school and the people behind it. So
S1: sit up straight. School's in and here's your host and
S1: head of school, Father Brian Sullivan.
S2: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the final episode, which is
S2: actually going to be two parts of the Planting Seeds
S2: podcast as an eight part original limited series. We are
S2: now adding a second part to this eighth episode, and
S2: so we are so happy that you are here. I'm
S2: Father Brian Sullivan, your host head of school at Saint
S2: Benedict's Episcopal School, and today we have the pleasure of
S2: sitting down with three remarkable alumni who continue to carry
S2: the torch of our school's values into the broader community.
S2: And soon, the world. Two of them are getting ready
S2: to graduate from college. So as we delve into this
S2: insightful conversation, it's worth noting the next year marks the
S2: 15th anniversary of Saint Benedict's Episcopal School. In celebration of
S2: this milestone, it only seems fitting to engage with some
S2: of our distinguished alumni who have not only embraced the
S2: essence of Saint Benedict's during their time here, but have
S2: also taken these principles into their college journeys and beyond.
S2: Joining us today are Catherine Shymansky, currently enrolled at Georgia Tech.
S2: Matt Fierro is at Auburn, and Ryan Fierro, his older brother,
S2: is at Emory Riddle Aeronautical University down in Florida. Beyond
S2: their academic pursuits, all three generously contribute to our community.
S2: They actually have come back to teach at our summer
S2: camps and in Kat's case, even substituting for classes during
S2: the school year. It was a shock. By the way, Cat,
S2: when I walked by and went, who's our new sub?
S2: And you turned around and I went, no, only means
S2: I'm getting older. So let's kick off this conversation with
S2: reflection on their unique journeys from Saint Benedict's to college
S2: and soon to be beyond welcome. Kat, Matt and Ryan,
S2: we're thrilled to have you here today. Thank you. Thanks
S2: to our listeners. They were telling me that all three
S2: of you have had tests today. Did I hear that right?
S2: All three.
S3: Of us. Yeah.
S2: And here you are giving back to your community. You
S2: are awesome. So it's wonderful to have you on the
S2: podcast as alumni. And you've transitioned from here to high school.
S2: All three of you went to Holy Innocents, which is
S2: our sister Episcopal school down the street that actually has
S2: a high school. Did you all know that I graduated
S2: when it was just an eighth grade school? And I.
S3: Think vaguely, yeah, I think.
S2: It was smaller than Saint Benedict's is now, but it
S2: sort of had the same principles that we do. And
S2: being a nurturing community through eighth grade here to your
S2: respective colleges, can you share the foundation laid during your
S2: early education at Saint Benedict's, and how it's influenced the
S2: paths that you've chosen? And again, jump in whoever's first.
S2: I have a feeling I know who it will be.
S2: Go for.
S3: It. This is going to sound really just bland and corny,
S3: I guess, but kindness. I know this sounds obvious. I
S3: know this sounds like something that. Okay. Yeah, great. But
S3: what about I mean, getting into the real world and
S3: outside of just school and stuff? It's like it means
S3: something more. And at Saint Bees and everyone was just
S3: kind of each other. There was no hostility and not
S3: to say like, oh, the world is not a kind place,
S3: but it's just like it meant a lot going from
S3: someplace where everyone was, you know, very wholesome with each other.
S3: And then it's like, oh, well, we can we can
S3: spread that and make the whole world a little bit brighter. Again,
S3: I know it sounds so corny, but it's just something
S3: I felt. I think both of our classes were particularly small,
S3: especially like my my graduating class. It went down from
S3: like 20 and seventh grade to like ten and eighth grade.
S3: And so we're all just like so close. And I
S3: think that really helped me make connections to be able
S3: to build connections throughout, like high school. And then now
S3: in college, like I have a nice close group of
S3: friends down with. So it definitely helped, like get close
S3: to people and understand people, especially at a young age,
S3: you know, on that.
S4: I think making friends is so hard in the real world,
S4: and I'm happy that birthdays like, let us have that
S4: small community so that we could make friends and learn
S4: how to do that in a safe space. I think
S4: something else that I would take away from my experience
S4: there would have been my not necessarily my drive, but
S4: my hard work that we were challenged a lot by
S4: our teachers, especially in the civilians in sixth and seventh grade.
S4: And teacher left were to open our minds to different
S4: ideas and topics and to think about the world differently
S4: and think that by taking some of those principles and
S4: taking the things that especially like taught us with our grammar,
S4: and just like the ways that she was so hard
S4: on us, it made us better student like. I definitely
S4: see that in my day to day classroom, especially still
S4: in college.
S3: I was going to say, I think like with what
S3: she was talking about with like on Teacher Lefler, like
S3: getting close with teachers. I definitely try to continue that
S3: through like high school. Cool. And even now, like in,
S3: you know, I've got lectures of like 300 plus people
S3: and like, trying to, like, talk with my teachers and
S3: make sure they know me and I know them. And like,
S3: I think that definitely helped.
S4: I can't sit for one of my pre-calc teachers from
S4: freshman year. It was probably a class of like 200,
S4: and it was still on zoom, and I just she
S4: would have this thing that she called happy hour, like,
S4: you know, happy hour. She'd have office hours where you
S4: could talk about math. And then she had happy hour
S4: where you could come and just talk to her about
S4: anything you wanted to talk to her about, and so
S4: got to know her. And I got to know that
S4: she has cats, and she was always looking for a
S4: cat sitter. So now, like, keep her house key on
S4: my on my key ring. And whenever she needs me,
S4: she just text me and goes, hey, can you run
S4: over to my house and like, let my cats, you know,
S4: feed them? And on that note, like maintaining that relationship
S4: with your teachers, like it only gets easier from Saint Benedict's.
S4: And then on, Ryan, what.
S2: Were you going to say?
S3: I find it funny. We all I think all three
S3: of us thought about Teacher and Mrs. Philia as some
S3: of the most memorable teachers, or the biggest impact on
S3: our learning, our education path. I definitely think.
S4: They were the most quirky.
S3: That too. Yeah.
S4: Miserable.
S3: Yeah. Ms.. They also went to Auburn. So I mean,
S3: I haven't actually reached out to her since I went
S3: to Auburn, so I think I should, but like it
S3: definitely is in the back of my mind. You know,
S3: she had a little I think. Didn't she have the,
S3: the tail in her trunk. Yes. But that was a is.
S2: That a Tiger.
S3: Was that coach okay. Well well one of the her.
S2: Her entire they went to Auburn too.
S3: Yeah yeah yeah. There's this entire room was just decked
S3: out in Auburn and now I see why. So I think.
S2: They're coming this summer to do some camps. So if
S2: you guys are coming back, you'll get to see them.
S2: One of the things that those listening will not know
S2: is that in 2008, we had just bought the church
S2: building and your parents were standing out in the cold
S2: rain in November looking at a dilapidated building, hearing the
S2: mission of our school. And they were bought in to
S2: the point that we were just starting a preschool. But
S2: because you all were also looking for an elementary school,
S2: we started a second grade and that was Kat and
S2: Ryan's grade. And Matt, you were in the the first,
S2: first grade. Tell me a little bit about how that
S2: experience of watching us grow. I mean, you left campus
S2: one year and there were zoning signs still up for
S2: your middle school. What was it like? What was some
S2: of the memories that you had? Just, you know, the
S2: second grade, third grade, fourth grade, when you were upstairs
S2: and the church building, what was that all like?
S3: Oh, God, my memory is so bad. But I mean,
S3: obviously I was like from first grade. I was so young.
S3: But like, I mean, I can still remember, like going
S3: into some of the buildings now, like the nursery or
S3: I don't even know what it is now, but the
S3: nursery from like a year or two ago, like the
S3: room within the room, how that used to be there. Um, I.
S4: Loved the room in the room.
S3: It was. It was just so random.
S4: So I don't know if you guys remember, like. But,
S4: you know, there was, like, a foosball table in that
S4: room because that's where you also had passport at the time.
S4: And there was like a point in time where Nina
S4: walked in and was like trying to play foosball and he, like,
S4: went into a split in his school pants and he
S4: ripped them just in the middle of the school day.
S4: Was that not during PE? No.
S3: I could have sworn that was during PE.
S4: No, he was just in the room, like in that room.
S4: And he just was like, I'm gonna do a split.
S3: Is that purposely, did he purposely do split.
S4: Think I don't remember.
S3: I do remember when we were in like one small
S3: building and there were I forget exactly how it works.
S3: I mean, we didn't know much about what was going on,
S3: but we did know that the the preschoolers or the kindergarteners,
S3: whoever was moved in first, we were like, oh man,
S3: why can't we move in now? How come they like
S3: the little ones get to move in? I do remember that.
S3: And then eventually, you know, I think we remember moving
S3: our stuff onto the third floor. But that was funny.
S3: I also remember, didn't we like, share but not share room?
S3: Like where the current nurse's office is?
S2: The library was a split room. Yeah. Your fourth and
S2: fifth grade were in that room. Yep.
S3: Well no not not that that room the like for
S3: our first and second grade because I know that was
S3: also split for fourth and fifth.
S2: Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. The very first year. Yep. Yeah yeah.
S3: Yep yep. There's the bookcase splitting of the rooms.
S2: Yeah yeah yeah. So having seen that from that time,
S2: now you have come back and started teaching summer camps.
S2: Ryan and Kat you all actually designed and implemented a
S2: steam camp. What was that like? What was it like
S2: coming back? And now you're the Lefler of this little
S2: group of kids. I mean.
S3: I always had fun with it. I wish I could
S3: do more honestly, like during the year, if I if
S3: I went to school closer, I, I think I'd love
S3: to do more steam related stuff. And between that and
S3: so it is, it is fun, you know, working with
S3: kids and teaching them what I've learned.
S4: On a note of like steam, though, I mean. Coming
S4: back from starting in this tiny classroom where we shared
S4: rooms and they were divided by bookcases. We now have
S4: like the whole middle school building. And Katie Acts, who's
S4: dedicated to esteemed department like I went and when I
S4: was substituting last May, she showed me how they have
S4: the new laser cutter and there's like a 3D printer
S4: or something. And she helped me make my mom a
S4: pair of earrings that were like her initials out of
S4: that laser cutter and mean, like, they have some really
S4: cool stuff that we definitely did not have, but it
S4: is really cool to see. And also, as an alumni,
S4: get the benefit of using every now and then.
S3: So yeah, it's so different. Like the entire school is
S3: so different. I mean, it's pretty crazy and I feel
S3: like every year.
S4: Good way.
S3: Yeah yeah yeah yeah I mean like like the setup
S3: of the, like the, like the building and stuff, like
S3: it's so much bigger now and it's so much more,
S3: you know, rooms keep changing to accommodate things and it's
S3: really interesting to see.
S4: On Saturday when I was with Brian, we were talking
S4: about he was like, have you seen any of the
S4: plans for like the new gap coming up? And I
S4: was like, no, I have no idea. But it's kind
S4: of cool to to like, think about how there's going
S4: to be a whole new building and then something about
S4: a whole new plans with the old buildings and moving
S4: people around like it's a cool idea to think about.
S3: Yeah, I mean, they got how much I don't even
S3: know how much space, but that, like whole, like block,
S3: like right across from a the little field. I don't
S3: know how much that is, but 4.2 acres. Yeah.
S2: That's it's bigger than the main building, the land that
S2: the main building is on and the building that we're
S2: looking to build is about the same size. So the
S2: middle school have it looks like six, seventh and eighth
S2: grade with three sections of each grade, whereas you all
S2: had about a half a section. Cat, I think you're
S2: you're in Ryan. You were a fourth of the whole grade.
S3: They might add a fourth of it. Yeah, we.
S4: Did the seven.
S3: Kids. What are you planning to do with the current
S3: middle school building?
S2: We're looking to probably do third, fourth and fifth.
S3: Okay. Yeah.
S2: And just spread everybody out. So there are ten classrooms
S2: here with a science room, and we still have cottages outside,
S2: so they'll have plenty of space for all the co-curricular art, science, music,
S2: not science, art, drama and music as well as P.E.
S2: so yeah, it's exciting and hopefully you guys are a
S2: part of that. One of the things that I was
S2: curious about, having now stepped on the other side of
S2: being an educator instead of being educated, what was that like,
S2: and have you been able to use the experiences teaching
S2: here in your current roles in college, or are you
S2: just taking tests.
S3: That do a little bit of teaching here specifically? Like,
S3: I mean, all incoming freshmen, we work with composite stuff,
S3: and I'll have incoming freshmen that have no idea how
S3: to do any of this thing, any of that stuff.
S3: So it is fun working with people who have no
S3: idea what they want to do with it, or no
S3: idea what to do, but they want to learn, and
S3: I'll happily teach them and show them and have them
S3: get into it and work hands on. And I do
S3: correlate the two between, you know, working with the kids
S3: back at Saint B's and working with these, you know, freshmen.
S3: It is kind of funny. I will also joke me
S3: like I have kindergartners who can use scissors better than
S3: these seniors.
S2: We won't share this podcast at your university. Don't worry.
S3: Yeah. Oh no, I've said it to their face. Um,
S3: but yeah, that's that's fun. And then between, I guess,
S3: going from, you know, learning to being an educated myself,
S3: there are some things that I see with teachers or professors,
S3: and there are things, aspects I like and aspects I don't.
S3: And it's fun. It is satisfying to implement what I
S3: like and what I don't like, and I can teach
S3: that myself and use those skills myself.
S4: For me, I think focuses a lot on the Spanish curriculum,
S4: which I'm grateful for. I've always loved learning languages and
S4: Spanish being the first one I ever did learn. And
S4: so with that in mind, in terms of teaching, I
S4: did end up tutoring for some time in Spanish. I
S4: helped middle school and high school students at other schools
S4: in the area with their courses, and teaching them the
S4: way that I was taught at school at Saint Bees,
S4: which is the way that it makes sense to me.
S4: So I think it's really cool to be able to
S4: take what I've learned in terms of Spanish and how
S4: to incorporate that language and how there's different teaching styles,
S4: and then take what I think has been most beneficial
S4: for me, having the ability to explain that to somebody
S4: else and then being able to recognize that, like that
S4: click or like the the light bulb go off moment
S4: that these students are having. Once I finally be able
S4: to explain something that they actually can understand. So I
S4: think that's one way that I've taken the learning, the
S4: educator learning.
S3: Yeah. And for me, you know, I've had like people
S3: in some interviews like ask me questions about. Like my
S3: time in work at the camps, and it's a lot
S3: of like, I think one of the biggest things I
S3: got from it was patience with college and work and
S3: talking with people. And so definitely patience was a big
S3: factor I got from from working there.
S2: And that actually leads into the next question that I
S2: have for you all, because college is not easy. Life
S2: starts to weigh heavy as you're starting to end your
S2: career there as students. What were some of the things
S2: you learned here at Saint Benedict's that you think helped
S2: you in those tough times at school? Maybe things that
S2: didn't have to do with school. You don't have to
S2: share the details of that, but the skills that you
S2: learn here. How did you translate those when things got rough?
S4: For me, I think the ability to ask for help.
S4: So Saint Benedict was a very welcoming community in that sense,
S4: where if you're struggling or you need extra tutoring or
S4: you don't understand something, I always felt very comfortable going
S4: up to my teachers and asking and furthering my understanding.
S4: And so that's something that I feel like a lot
S4: of my peers, especially in college, do struggle with. It's
S4: asking for help or like being able to identify that
S4: they need help and figuring out where to go for that.
S4: So instead of asking for help or emailing the professor
S4: or going to extra tutoring sessions, they just kind of
S4: dwell in it. And so that's something that taught me
S4: was to just make sure that when I need something,
S4: that I find the appropriate people to seek, that the
S4: problem solved.
S3: I think Catherine answered that pretty perfectly, because I feel
S3: the same, you know? So like in my I just
S3: took an intermediate accounting exam this morning. I was talking
S3: about and I know my teacher, my class isn't that
S3: big because it's a secondary accounting class. But you know,
S3: I still am able like he knows me. Like I
S3: was like, talk with him after the exam. Like I
S3: was like, I realized I forgot how to do something.
S3: It just lost my mind. And so we were talking
S3: about that, and I've gone to his office hours on
S3: our homeworks. We can do this thing where we email
S3: a professor. I've done that plenty of times, and he
S3: emails me at like 939, 45 at night. He's really
S3: good about and being really helpful with that. Yeah. Like
S3: she said, it's just, you know, it's really helped you
S3: like because the classes were very small. And so because
S3: of that, you get that big connection with your teachers.
S3: And I think that's one of the most important things.
S3: You know, a lot of other schools you might not
S3: have that. And that's just such like an important aspect
S3: of school that you can get the one on one
S3: experience and one on one learning to really fit your needs.
S3: A little called that here, because that's actually one thing
S3: I do struggle with is reaching out for help. I
S3: do also at the front of the class, I always,
S3: you know, I like to talk to my professor. You know,
S3: when they're walking in, walking out, try to relate with them.
S3: Like Matthew said, go to their office hours and stuff.
S2: There's one other thing that I think just growing the
S2: school and seeing how scrappy and creative the school has been.
S2: Just with space alone, we've attracted faculty who are also
S2: very creative and how they teach. I'm wondering if that
S2: rubbed off on you all as learners, how the creativity
S2: that surrounded you in the classroom has helped you become
S2: the learners that you are.
S4: I mean, I think I'm an open minded learner if
S4: that can even be applied to this question. So like
S4: the creativity that the teachers would bring would ensure that
S4: I was, I think, almost more like a well-rounded not
S4: only student but also a person. The one thing that
S4: comes to mind would be Teacher Leffler. So like Teacher
S4: Leffler always had out of the box ideas and out
S4: of the box activities, and he was definitely one of
S4: the more creative teachers, in my opinion. So, for example,
S4: when we were reading like Am Malala in sixth grade,
S4: he made sure that we had dates and had a
S4: picnic of like cultural foods, which is something that, you know,
S4: you might not always do, but it was something creative
S4: and outside the box that we could implement what we
S4: were learning in the classroom, outside of the classroom. So like,
S4: think that when they're creative, it allows us to think
S4: more outside the box, which is what the world really needs.
S4: Especially think within a lot of a lot of different fields,
S4: like so not just Ryan with aeronautical and engineering and stuff,
S4: but even with like me, who's technically a psychology major
S4: like you, there's a lot of different ways to think
S4: outside the box.
S3: Yeah. Um, personally, I'm not the most creative person, I'll
S3: be honest. But I do remember I think it was
S3: miss McFall. Is that right, guys? Red hair? Yes. Yes. Yeah. She, um.
S3: I don't know if this was seventh or eighth grade,
S3: but it was sometime middle school we were talking about
S3: sometime in the early 1900s. It was history, and we
S3: were talking about like child labor laws and stuff like that.
S3: Or it was this was like how she brought it up, basically.
S3: So we had a class where we had it was
S3: like a little example thing. We had a class where we.
S3: Had to like basically be an assembly line, kind of.
S3: We were at like little tables or like an assembly line.
S3: And she was putting on this all like persona of
S3: like what it was like for children. And when they
S3: were working, because she didn't tell us that first. So
S3: we were all surprised. We were all so angry, like,
S3: like what is going on? Because she just it was
S3: complete different change of tone. We were like, what is
S3: going on? I mean, she's.
S4: The nicest person on the face. Yeah. So for her
S4: to be there and be like a dictator, that's like, oh,
S4: that would have been hilarious.
S3: We were so confused and we were like, all so angry.
S3: And then at the end of the class, she was like,
S3: I forget what she said, but she basically was like,
S3: so what do you guys think? Like, how is that like.
S3: We were like, what? What is going on? It was
S3: something with folding papers and like making letters, I think.
S3: And she didn't like it. She would take it up
S3: and crumble it up and throw in the trash. And yeah, very,
S3: very not.
S2: Characteristic of any of your guests, much less Mrs. McFall.
S3: And so the reveal, it was like, oh my God.
S3: And we were we were all like, she was like,
S3: I promise. Like, I'm so sorry. She was like so
S3: apologetic as well. And so then we started talking about,
S3: you know, the history and everything. And that's just like,
S3: you know, one of the things that Saint does is like,
S3: be creative. And their teaching, like you said. And I
S3: think that was just a great experience because, I mean,
S3: I still remember that. And looking back on it, it
S3: was a lot of fun, although scary at the time maybe. Yeah.
S3: I mean, I've had to do a lot of thinking
S3: on the fly, coming up with solutions at random, specifically
S3: some of the competitions or clubs I've been a part of.
S3: So definitely been hugely important coming from that creative background.
S3: Not not all solutions. I mean, that's what that's what
S3: engineering is, right? You know, problem solving with a lot
S3: of math. Um, but that definitely is to, um, hugely important,
S3: not only in just, you know, in clubs and stuff, but,
S3: I mean, I've talked with friends of mine, have graduated
S3: and gone to work in industry. And funny enough, creativity
S3: is some of the most important factor. The qualities that
S3: look for in an engineer, because things don't always work
S3: out where you want it, or even in simulation. So
S3: you have to come up with solutions for that out
S3: of the box.
S2: Very cool having Abby walk by. Abby Gould was here
S2: at Saint Benedict's also. Her dad is actually still on
S2: the board of trustees. It just shows that to the
S2: next question. Our secret sauce, I think, has always been
S2: community that we were able to or three zip codes
S2: is where all of our students mostly come from. You
S2: don't have to drive on a highway to get to
S2: your friend's house to have to spend the night here
S2: at Saint Benedict's, and you get to know everyone, and
S2: you have to see them every day. I think Abby
S2: was actually the one that said the best thing that
S2: happened to her going to a big school was that
S2: she knew she was going to have to see those
S2: people every day and like them, are not like them.
S2: You have to get along well. Thank you Kathryn, Matthew
S2: and Ryan, you guys have given us a lot to
S2: hang our hat on and sit on the precipice waiting
S2: for part two. Everyone who is currently listening, I'm sure
S2: you cannot wait to hear more about their story and
S2: their enduring impact at Saint Benedict's Episcopal School. To our listeners, again,
S2: especially our esteemed alumni, we hope this conversation has brought
S2: you back to some fond memories. Reinforce the bonds that
S2: connect us as we approach the 15th anniversary of Saint Benedict's.
S2: We encourage all alumni to stay connected, and I will
S2: have more about that in part two. Again, remember, you're
S2: an integral part of Saint Benedict story, and we look
S2: forward to celebrating our milestone together. Until next time, part two.
S2: This is Father Brian Sullivan signing off from planting Seeds.
S2: Wishing you a continued success and growth in all your endeavors.
S2: Thank you all for listening and getting to know our
S2: growing community, and we will see you soon for part two.
S2: As always, keep spreading kindness, compassion, and love.
S1: Thanks for listening. To planting seeds, Cultivating Critical Thinking, creativity, community,
S1: and Lifelong Learning with your host father, Brian Sullivan. To
S1: find out more about Saint Benedict's Episcopal School, visit Stubb's Dawg.
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