Paul Bradford
1. What was your ACE Site/ school/ grade level/ subject taught?
I taught 6th through 8th grade Language Arts and History at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Dallas.
2. In general, how would you describe your ACE experience?
My ACE experience helped me to learn to live coupling reflection with service. The professional, communal, and academic challenges were overwhelming for me, and helped point me towards relying on God's faithfulness. The most comforting words I heard in ACE were from Rachel Moreno, who told me "the children will learn in spite of you," when I was sharing my struggles and concerns. A funny statement at first glance, but one that can be applied in many settings when I need to be reminded that the world is not Paul-centric.
3. What have you been doing since you graduated from ACE?
I taught in a Catholic school for an additional year after ACE. I then studied science/medicine to prepare for practice as a physician assistant. I now work in pediatric orthopedics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. I practice general pediatric orthopedics. I also coordinate a surgical program, which utilizes vertical titanium ribs (VEPTRs - Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Ribs) to treat infants/children with chest wall deformities, allowing improved respiratory function and lung development.
4. How have you stayed connected to ACE?
I remain connected with ACE through keeping in touch with some of my ACE roommates and friends.
5. What are the ways in which you continue to serve Catholic education?
I continue to serve Catholic education by treating Catholic school patients more quickly and effectively than their public school counterparts. Just kidding. I do hold Catholic education in prayer, but I don't think I am serving Catholic education in more tangible ways.
Marjorie Hill
1. What was your ACE Site/ school/ grade level/ subject taught?
I taught second grade at Our Lady of Perpetual Help school in Dallas, TX. Fellow ACEer Paul Bradford was also at my school.
2. In general, how would you describe your ACE experience?
Powerful--I feel really blessed that I was a part of the ACE VI graduating class. To this day, I have a passion for Catholic Education and I am not sure I would have found that had it not been for that last minute call by John Staud to join ACE. (I was called two days before we were suppose to report to Notre Dame for the summer--divine intervention--maybe!)
3. What have you been doing since you graduated from ACE?
After I graduated from ACE, I moved to Providence, RI on a whim. I didn't know a soul there, but thought it would be an adventure and I could still be close to home (home being upstate New York). I spent four years there teaching fourth grade at St. Rocco school (as the name implies, it was pretty much an all Italian community). I grew immensely as a teacher, but was coherced to move to Chicago after my sister had her first baby. (She turned three when I finally moved here--Rhode Island was beginning to feel a little like home and the families of my school totally embraced me as their own. It was a sad day when I had to say good-bye, but I still keep in touch with many of them. In fact, one of my students who is now in eighth grade came to visit me last week.)
For the past year and half, I have been at St. Ann Catholic School where Benny Morten is principal. There is strong ACE and Notre Dame connection there. I am participating in the inaugural ENL program which keeps me very busy this year. In addition to my teaching responsibilities, I am also curriculum coordinator at St. Ann. I also brought Girls on the Run to our school, a program that teaches girls life skills while preparing them to run in a 5K race for both the fall and spring season.
4. How have you stayed connected to ACE?
I consider some of my closest friends from Notre Dame to be the ones I have met during ACE. The ironic thing is that most of us have migrated here to Chicago. We gather regularly to support each other, whether it be as teacher, mom, or continuing graduate student.
Since I have moved to Chicago, I have attended the monthly masses and participated in the annual ACE Fellowship retreats, once in Boston and once in Chicago.
5. What are the ways in which you continue to serve Catholic education?
I am teaching at St. Ann Catholic School in Chicago.