While most students can’t wait to finish high school, Fred Azar couldn’t wait to go back. He was so inspired by his time at Trinity Catholic College he not only became a teacher but decided to work at his alma mater.
The teacher of History and Geography isn’t alone. There are currently 22 former students now teaching at the Auburn high school.
One fifth of the teaching staff are former students, which principal Daniel Delmage said is testimony to its strong emphasis on all aspects of school life including faith, learning, well-being, sport and extracurricular activities.
Fred Azar, 28, said he knew when he left school in 2011 that it wasn’t a case of if he’d be back but when.
“I was so inspired by everything at Trinity and remember actually feeling a little sad when I finished Year 12,” he said.
“My teachers were so amazing that I knew pretty early on I wanted to be just like them and when it came time to look at schools to work in, I knew there was nowhere else.
“Trinity is such a strong community and like the song goes ‘you can check out – but you can never leave’.
“Being part of Trinity is like being part of one huge family and I really couldn’t imagine teaching anywhere else.”
Mr Delmage said he believes the school’s ‘secret weapon’ is its acceptance of its diverse multicultural community.
“The school community is a very caring Catholic community. We go out of our way to help and support each other, and this can be seen in our daily interactions,” he said.
“MY TEACHERS WERE SO AMAZING THAT I KNEW PRETTY EARLY ON I WANTED TO BE JUST LIKE THEM AND WHEN IT COME TIME TO LOOK AT SCHOOLS TO WORK IN, I KNEW THERE WAS NOWHERE ELSE”.
“This faith tradition is enlivened by a shared commitment of teachers, parents, local parish priests and the students.
“As a Marist school, we have always worked hard at making Jesus known and loved and our students see this and are excited by this relationship.
“Our acceptance of our diverse multicultural community, one of our key values, sees students come together from all nations and work together in a most caring way to aspire them to be the best they can be.”
Fellow teacher and also Fred’s former classmate, Julie Yacoub, couldn’t agree more about the culture of the school.
Graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts, the 28-year-old English and diverse learning teacher said she wanted to be as inspiring to a new generation of young students as her former drama teacher was to her.
“When I reflect on my time at Trinity, I always think back to my drama teacher Alan Blackwood,” she said.
“He was so incredible and actually a big part of why I not only studied Drama but then became a teacher … Teaching here at Trinity honestly feels like I’ve never left, I’m back where I started, and I love it.
“When I was 12, my mum told me happiness is the key to life and I can only say I now know what it means to be truly happy.
“Teaching at Trinity is like a dream come true.”
Catholic Weekly Where Students Become Teachers (catholicweekly.com.au)
Debbie Cramsie 11/11/22