View From Above: Ms. Ana Garcia

Faculty Member: 1972-2013

It was an early morning in the summer of 1972 when I received a call from Dr. Patrick Caulfield, chair of the Education Department at Saint Peter’s College, letting me know Saint Peter’s Prep needed a full-time Spanish teacher. In fact, he had made an appointment for the next morning for me to meet with Mr. Mike Calderaro, chairman of the Modern Language Department at Prep.

Of course, I said yes.

Mr. Calderaro was welcoming, and so was Fr. Earle Markey, the principal at the time. I felt at home…no thought of male or female. I knew I was an instructor, a mentor, and I would be evaluated as such. I went home, and the next day I was offered the position at the Prep. I rejoiced with the news since I always wanted to teach in a Jesuit school. The Jesuits have always been considered Renaissance Men. They always challenged their students to have a greater vision of themselves for the betterment of their communities and society at large. Accordingly, man must have a passion for life to develop solutions to the problems we have created in the past. I am glad to have created the Alba Scholarship Fund to help another student fulfill his passion for life. Without a doubt it was exactly as I had wished.

Mr. Calderaro was welcoming, and so was Fr. Earle Markey, the principal at thetime. I felt at home…no thought of male or female. I knew I was an instructor, a mentor, and I would be evaluated as such. I went home, and the next day I was offered the position at the Prep. I rejoiced with the news since I always wanted to teach in a Jesuit school. The Jesuits have always been considered Renaissance Men. They always challenged their students to have a greater vision of themselves for the betterment of their communities and society at large. Accordingly, man must have a passion for life to develop solutions to the problems we have created in the past. I am glad to have created the Alba Scholarship Fund to help another student fulfill his passion for life. Without a doubt it was exactly as I had wished.

For this reason, in my first year–as in all the other years– my classes always included life-lessons. The students were asked to create skits with cultural elements to ensure they communicated clearly, and that the body language,and the vocal variety were correct. As years went by, we welcomed many Hispanic students, and I created a Heritage Speakers Program, composed of students from Spanish 1 Honors, Advanced Placement Language, and Advanced Placement Literature classes. The American students with excellent Spanish skills also were welcomed.

In 2000 I became the founder and director of Prep’s Study Abroad Program in Salamanca, Spain. This program was offered to the students of the different levels of Spanish who wanted to grow and expand their knowledge of Spanish culture. In 2010 I introduced the electronic portfolios, not only because they provided the opportunity for differentiated assessment, but also because the students had to work on projects with a vision toward the future. I have accomplished much in my 41 years at Prep, and these examples have demonstrated how cura personalis was an integral part of every program I created. But one must consider that teaching is more than academics. The student, as part of the cura personalis, was invited to join the many retreats offered to him, to feed the poor, and to engage in so many other activities in remembrance of Christ’s teaching.

Often, when I say I taught in an all-boys’ school, people say, “How did you survive?” My answer has always been, “I taught in a private school where students are asked to respect and honor their elders, their teachers; that every time they are in a school function they must be disciplined because they are representing the school.”

When asked if I felt intimidated the first time I walked into an all-boys’ classroom, my response was the same: ” My students were very respectful, and the parents supported the teachers.”

The other thing that helped me feel secure in class was my transparency. When they asked me for an opinion about something, I answered from the perspective of someone who had lost everything and had to start again. Through the years my participation in retreats brought me closer to the students, and they thanked me for teaching them that they could have women as friends. In a sense, every place was an opportunity for a teaching moment, including watching your language, holding the door for teachers, assistants, guests, etc.

One of the most memorable events for many years was the senior prom. I often oversaw that event by myself, and the students were prepared to not only take care of themselves but their dates. Protocols were given so they could remember them.

When I created the Study Abroad program in Salamanca, it was to provide an opportunity for the students to mature, become independent, become intellectually inquisitive of the different lifestyle they were living in, and be open and loving with the families and other students they were encountering. Also, looking back, I still remember the family dinners at Sabor. Every Christmas we gathered as a family, and it was to remind the students that Prepis for life. There also were the trips to El Repertorio Español, the museums, and the concerts. I will remember the parents that always said, “Yes, we will be a co-counselor at your event,” as well as my colleagues who helped with the classes when my father died, as well as the administrators who allowed me to create new programs for my students, and the joy of hearing my students saying, “Thank you for encouraging me to work harder and give you the best of who I am.”

Four decades of wishes were fulfilled!

Prep is for life, and I would hope that through my legacy, The Alba Scholarship, I can continue to help students break their limitations and reach for the sky.