“Writer Swap” is a collaboration with the newspaper of San Juan Diego Catholic High School in Austin, Texas. We will work with their editors to hear stories and traditions from their school and see the differences in our Holy Cross institutions.

At San Juan Diego Catholic High School, what roots us in Holy Cross is the dedication and care employed by our teachers. In our tight-knit community, they’re truly what bind us together. As a whole, teachers are severely under-appreciated and given little recognition from society, which is strange considering how deeply they shape students’ lives. At San Juan Diego, and other Holy Cross schools, teachers are committed not only to academics but to the development of the heart and mind of their students. To better understand what drives this Holy Cross mission in practice, I spoke with two teachers from San Juan Diego: one has taught here for many years and another who has just begun his career in education. 

The first teacher I interviewed was Mr. James Dolan, our school’s Alliance for Catholic Education teacher, who teaches social studies. Before being placed at San Juan Diego, he spent most of his time in Jesuit environments. Now, entering a new community and beginning his career in teaching, he brings a fresh perspective on what it means to guide students and serve a school community. I also spoke with Mr. Daniel Tarin, a science teacher who has taught at San Juan Diego for ten years. Having spent a decade here, he has witnessed the growth of both the community and its students over time. While Mr. Dolan represents the perspective of someone beginning his journey in education and Mr. Tarin reflects a long-term perspective, both shared how San Juan Diego has deeply shaped them as teachers. Together, their stories help show how teachers play a central role in shaping the Holy Cross mission at our school. 

One thing that stood out in both conversations was that neither teacher originally planned to become an educator. Instead, teaching became something they felt drawn to over time. For Mr. Dolan, that realization came from a desire to use his talents in service of others rather than pursuing a career focused solely on himself. He had originally considered attending law school, and while that may still be a possibility for him one day, he realized that right now he wanted to do work that would allow him to serve people more directly and immediately. His biggest inspiration was from his mother, who cared deeply about the students in her English as a second language class and modeled a selfless approach to her work. As he explained, he could have pursued work that was “very me-centric,” but instead chose to “put [his] talents at the service of others.” 

Mr. Tarin’s path to teaching was also unexpected. Originally, he planned to pursue research and even worked in a DNA laboratory before entering education. His transition into the classroom began when he took a position as a long-term substitute teacher at St. Ignatius Catholic School. Through that experience, he discovered that he enjoyed working with students and helping them learn. Eventually, an opportunity opened at San Juan Diego for a science teacher, and he decided to apply. Looking back, Mr. Tarin described the process as something that seemed to naturally fall into place, saying it felt like God was guiding the path that ultimately brought him here.

At a time when many schools are facing teacher shortages, I asked Mr. Tarin and Mr. Dolan what continues to motivate them to teach and what has kept them at San Juan Diego specifically. Their responses revealed that much of that motivation comes from the strong sense of community within our school. For many teachers, school typically feels like a workplace, but at San Juan Diego it feels more like a home built around a shared mission. Mr. Tarin described the environment by saying that “it’s like being family… building hearts and minds.” Being surrounded by students and coworkers who share a commitment to faith and education has helped strengthen his dedication to teaching and deepen his relationship with his faith. Mr. Dolan similarly emphasized the importance of community within the school, particularly the way San Juan Diego celebrates both its Catholic and Hispanic identity. He explained that the school creates a space where students feel supported and connected to their culture and faith. In many ways, it is this sense of community that allows the Holy Cross mission at San Juan Diego to take shape in everyday life.

Despite the strong sense of community at San Juan Diego, teaching remains a demanding profession that often requires far more dedication than most people realize, especially for students. Teachers invest not only their time but also their emotional energy into the lives of their students, constantly balancing the demands of the classroom with the responsibility of guiding young people through important years of their lives. Both Mr. Dolan and Mr. Tarin expressed that although it is not the students’ responsibility, they sometimes wish it were more widely recognized that teachers are people too. Mr. Dolan spoke candidly about this reality, explaining that he often goes months without taking a true day off, and that the work can be both mentally and physically exhausting. 

Despite these challenges, teachers continue their work because of the moments that remind them why it matters. Mr. Tarin reflected on how there are days when teachers quietly wonder whether they are making any real difference in the lives of their students. However, those doubts quickly fade when a student reaches out to express their gratitude. Receiving a message from a former student thanking him for believing in them, he explained, can reaffirm the purpose of the work and remind teachers that their influence often extends far beyond the classroom.

Beyond the challenges and rewards of teaching, both conversations ultimately pointed back to the deeper purpose of education at a Holy Cross school. Blessed Basil Moreau believed that true education must develop both the intellect and the character of students, reminding educators that “the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.” In practice, this philosophy means that teachers are responsible not only for delivering academic content, but also for guiding students as they grow into thoughtful and compassionate people. Mr. Tarin reflected on this idea by explaining that educating the mind can often be straightforward, but shaping the heart is far more complex. Teachers must model kindness, patience, and compassion so that students learn how to treat others with the same respect. Mr. Dolan similarly described high school students as people in the middle of a transformation, constantly discovering who they are and how they want to engage with the world around them. By connecting education with faith, reflection, and community, teachers at San Juan Diego help students make sense of that transformation and grow into individuals who are both intellectually curious and deeply rooted in their values.

Ultimately, the stories of Mr. Dolan and Mr. Tarin illustrate that the Holy Cross mission at San Juan Diego is not only sustained by tradition alone but by the daily commitment of its teachers. Through their willingness to serve, their dedication to community, and their belief in educating both hearts and minds, they embody the values that define the school. Whether they arrived through unexpected paths or long-standing conviction, both teachers chose to remain here because they recognize the deeper purpose behind their work. At San Juan Diego, teachers are not just employees fulfilling their responsibilities; they are mentors, witnesses to faith, and builders of character. In their classrooms, conversations with students, and in the example they set each day, the Holy Cross mission becomes visible. It is through them that students experience what it truly means to be rooted in a community where intellect and compassion grow together.