When Sierra Garcia crossed the graduation stage in May 2023, she had no idea she’d soon be living in a coastal Texas town with five strangers who shared a common interest. But now, when she gets home from teaching 6th and 7th grade science in Corpus Christi, 她和室友一起出去玩, who also teach at Catholic schools in town. 加西亚是 天主教教育联盟(ACE), a prestigious teaching fellowship at fellow Holy Cross school, The University of Notre Dame.
Garcia was weighing her options come graduation. 在圣. Edward’s, she considered—and is still considering—medical school; but something else was in store for her at the time. During the Fall 2022 nonprofit fair on campus, she stumbled upon a table promoting Notre Dame’s ACE Program.
“I saw that Notre Dame is also a Holy Cross school,” Garcia said. “我真的很享受在圣. Ed’s, and thought maybe I’ll really enjoy my time at Notre Dame because we share the same values.”
ACE教学研究员计划, a part of AmeriCorps Indiana and Serve Indiana, forms a cohort of today’s rising educators and prepares them to serve K-12 Catholic schools across the country. Garcia put the idea on the back burner—until she couldn’t. One of the representatives asked to speak with her over a Zoom call, and even visited campus to attend mass with Garcia.
St .之间的合作. Edward’s and Notre Dame helped solidify Garcia’s decision in attending the program. 当她从圣. Edward’s, she had a week and a half to move out of her apartment on campus, 回到爱丁堡的家, Texas, 然后去南本德, IN to begin the program with a weekend retreat. By June, the students began their graduate courses and learned to create their own classrooms with the help of mentor teachers. By the end of July, they traveled to their assigned schools across the country. Garcia was placed at Incarnate Word Academy in Corpus Christi, 在德州教六年级和七年级的科学.
“I've really learned how to create a classroom environment where my students feel okay to be goofy, while still being challenged academically,” Garcia shared. “I think I've done a good job of creating this environment where students can ask questions. I want them to feel seen, heard and loved.”
On the hilltop, Garcia was a familiar face to students, faculty and staff. Her involvement in Campus Ministry as a program coordinator and consistent retreat leader taught her to weave spiritually into her daily life.
“Being a part of Campus Ministry has really paved the way for me,” Garcia said. “Granted, 我还在进一步了解自己, but it showed me how to incorporate my spirituality with my students and within my own community.”
St. Edward’s Campus Ministry leaders like Assistant Director Joshua Stagni, 副主任Liza manjarez, 以及前导演彼得·沃尔什神父, CSC were powerful in teaching Garcia how to incorporate spirituality into her daily life, 现在在教室里. Stagni always offered her great feedback about how to treat students with grace and hold space for them, Garcia said.
“Being spiritual doesn't always have to mean prayer,” Garcia said. “I think of it simply as being a good person and having good morals. I'll see God in a smile or see my faith in a smile, in a hug. And so, in my teaching, I greet my students at my door. And every smile I get, I think that it's a little bit like God's love. 就像上帝在拥抱我.”
By Nina Martinez
Photography by Gracie Watt '22, Courtesy of Sierra Garcia '23