The 2021-2022 school year is perhaps the year with the most teachers that were newly appointed to the faculty. Ten new staff members were added to the roster at Cathedral Catholic High School. Among these new teachers is Mr. De Vera, a new religious faith teacher for grades ten and eleven. 

Mr. De Vera prepares engaging lessons for his students. Photo taken by Hong-An Phan.

Mr. De Vera was formerly a religious missionary brother and confirmation teacher. His experience in classrooms was limited, and when he first arrived at the CCHS campus, his impression of the school was none other than amazed: 

“I think the students here have a lot of school spirit. The culture here is very apparent between the students, whether that be athletics or academics or just being in a faith-based school. I think it’s different in that way, that we’re here and I see the school spirit that they have here at Cathedral Catholic.” 

Mr. De Vera is frequently described as a kind teacher, one who connects the students in his class and is a source of serenity in an otherwise stressful schedule. His love of the students and the campus does not go unnoticed by junior Ella Calabrese, who describes,

“He’s definitely my favorite part of class. His teaching style is very engaging and our class has bonded a lot from that.”

It’s clear that Mr. De Vera’s classes are stimulating and enjoyable, with many students who say that his class creates a sense of balance in their schedules. Along with the peaceful ambience of his classroom, Mr. De Vera also provides inspiring and uniquely taught lessons.

Sophomore Audrey Bryar, describes a sense of innovation in Mr. De Vera’s teaching style, saying,

“I really like Mr. De Vera’s class because I feel like he makes it more relatable to what’s happening right now rather than just explaining past stuff. He’ll tie it back into what we’re doing right now, and I feel like he tries to have better relationships with his students and tries to get to know more [about them] which makes him a great teacher.”

Mr. De Vera has established many connections with his students, as well as uniting classmates to create lessons that are both informative and interesting. While the campus has already formed a sense of admiration for the new teacher, Mr. De Vera notes that the ambience of CCHS is welcoming from both the students and the teachers,

“I reached out to everyone before arriving here. When I knew I got the job, I was emailing all of the religious studies department. Every single person- whether they knew me or not- I didn’t know anyone here. I reached out to everyone, and they all responded and were so willing to help. And I think that was the first impression that I got, like ‘Wow! They all actually responded to my emails!’”

The staff at Cathedral Catholic were quick to reach out and assist Mr. De Vera on his new journey as a teacher. Their supportive acts of kindness greatly influenced the new teacher’s impression of the school and sparked an excitement to teach on campus:

“I was thinking that was my first great impression from this. I guess in a way, that’s them reaching out because they were on vacation so they’re not obligated to respond to my emails. They were enjoying time with their family, their time off, and yet they still responded. So, I think that was really really a great first impression for me because I was thinking, ‘Okay, if they’re responding like that, and communication is like that, then when school starts it’s going to be amazing.’”

The thought of a classroom as spirited as his own may prove to be beyond comprehension. Mr. De Vera’s friendly reputation encourages students to stop by De Sales 105 to see “one of the best teachers at school” in action. Surely, the visitors will not be disappointed.