“After I graduated Sacred Heart, I went to University in America and majored in Chemistry — but, after that I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I somehow ended up in Tokyo’s corporate world, working with financial media, but it wasn’t an area I wanted to stay in for the next thirty years. That’s when I decided to get a teaching license instead. I taught at international schools in New York and Beijing before finally returning to Sacred Heart. It was a long journey but I found myself back here.

What made me want to come back and work as a teacher is the fact that I really enjoyed my classes here. Ever since I joined Sacred Heart in K5, I was lucky to have passionate teachers (like Mr. Robey and Mr. Felstehausen) who instilled in me a love of learning. That love has stayed with me and guided me to where I am today: in the classroom — except this time on the other side as a teacher.

The most rewarding part about my job is definitely working with students and seeing them grow and accomplish so much. Sometimes it’s difficult because not all students come to the Chemistry classroom super excited to be there; but changing that has always been a challenge I’ve enjoyed.

The one thing I still find difficult is treating my previous teachers as colleagues. I struggle with calling Mr. Robey by his first name and he has to remind me sometimes: “Michael, not Mr. Robey”. But, I’m really glad that, for the first time, I’m able to get to know them as people rather than as teachers.

It took some time to figure out, but I know now that I want to stay in education. I’m really happy here. Right now, I see how you high school students are so spread out over your classes and extracurricular commitments. I would advise you to figure out the one or two things out of all those commitments that you’re really passionate about — and to continue pursuing them. There’s going to come a time, when you’re not doing all this, that you have to know what you love and want to do. Take this time now to identify those passions: they will keep you going.” — Ms. O