This Viatorian Inspired a Catholic Teacher Beth Miklius Mainardi was a two-time state qualifier in swimming during her years at Saint Viator High School. But looking back another memory stands out: her chemistry teacher, Fr. John Van Wiel, CSV, and the way he nurtured her love of science.
Fr. Van Wiel, as she remembers, asked her the next day if she was ready to retake the test, which surprised Mainardi, who figured she had earned a zero. This time, she managed to complete some of it, but the aspects of molecular geometry still were not clear to her. That’s when Fr. Van Wiel pulled out a molecular modeling kit and handed it to her. He encouraged her to build the shapes as she took the test and then demonstrated a few of the geometries to help her started. Things started coming together.
Fast forward 20 years and Mainardi has taught chemistry for 14 years at a Catholic high school in New Beth Miklius Mainardi Jersey. During the pandemic, this busy mother of five found herself reflecting on her life and of those teachers who had influenced her. “I’m helping to open a brand new Catholic high school,” Mainardi says, “and when I reflect on all the gifts I received from my own education, Fr. Van Wiel keeps coming to mind.” Fr. Van Wiel retired in 2013 after more than 40 years as a teacher and administrator, including the last 20 at Saint Viator High School. He keeps in touch with many of his students and knows several that went on to become doctors, nurses and teachers, but not many who are teaching chemistry.
Fr. John Van Wiel, CSV
Fr. Van Wiel had Mainardi in class back in the late 1990s – she graduated in 2000 – and he still remembers her aptitude for chemistry. “She was an excellent student,” Fr. Van Wiel says of Mainardi, the oldest of six Miklius siblings to attend Saint Viator. Her youngest sister, Sarah, now works in campus ministry.
“Father realized that the role of teacher is ultimately not to just be scorekeeper, but to encourage, inspire, and at times, give a kid like me a molecular modeling kit,” she says, “so that she could have the confidence to keep going.”
While Mainardi acknowledges she was a good student, she stresses she was not a great student but came to thrive in the subject matter because of Fr. Van Wiel’s patience and kindness.
Mainardi kept going, all right. She earned a full, merit-based scholarship – designed for girls interested in science – to attend Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ, and the rest is history.
In fact, she points to one incident that stands out vividly.
For his part, Fr. Van Wiel does not remember helping her through that test, but he does remember handing tests back to students who rushed through them, pointing out areas to revisit.
“At the time, we were learning about molecular geometry and I was out sick, missing a critical lesson on molecular shapes,” Mainardi says. “Because I was busy in high school with swimming and other activities and I didn’t realize how hard the material actually was.”
“Ninety percent of the time they get it right,” he says. “Kids get nervous, but if you extend a hand or give them a chance, they can really perform.”
As a result, she panicked when presented with a test on the material, literally crying at her desk and ended up handing in a blank sheet and asking if she could see the nurse.
As for one of those students writing to thank him, he smiles. “It’s great. It’s always nice to hear you’ve done a good job.”
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