“What I found was a modest, unpretentious community with the resources of NASA— not in facility, but in faculty.” – John McLean ’11 I didn’t go to Guerin Catholic by choice. I know that’s probably not how you expected this article to start. The truth is, most of my friends from grade school were going to a different high school. But, I didn’t have that option. My sister was already attending Guerin Catholic, and my parents were pretty adamant about me following her there. It made sense. But to a graduating 8th grader, sense wasn’t the first thing on my mind. I walked in ready to dislike the school. I knew almost no one, save for a few of my 8th grade comrades. But, my first period was my elective, and it was possibly the one thing I had looked forward to: Mr. Mike Panasuk’s acting class. We quickly dove into beginning methods of Stanislavski and Strasberg, and I was hooked. I had come looking for reasons to dislike this establishment. What I found was a modest, unpretentious community with the resources of NASA—not in facility, but in faculty. In particular, the faculty that ran the Fine Arts Programs. I developed relationships with a few teachers in particular who very much helped shape me into the man I am today—Mrs. Marcia Murphy through her constant support and encouragement, as well as her knowledge and zest for life and art; Mr. Panasuk through his tough but fair coach attitude, and unexpected outbursts of comedy. Not to mention the opportunity he gave me to act. I walked in freshman year with a passion for acting that grew into my college major because of his plays and his guidance. Mr. Mark Duray got a hold of me my first year as well, with speeches of Truth and Beauty that were reminiscent of a southern preacher. He was taller on his soapbox, but that isn’t a dig. It made it easier for us to hear him. He provided the hammer to knock in some information that teenagers desperately need to hear sometimes. He also fostered my musical sensibility and my voice. I wouldn’t have the confidence or ability that I have today without any of these people. Which brings me to the point that drives this pen to paper (finger to keyboard?). The Fine Arts Program at Guerin Catholic is something special. It is a resource, a guide, and inspiration that cannot be measured by grade point average or standardized testing. It is so much bigger than that. It provides the stressed and the weary with an outlet for emotion in a world where we are so often told to stifle and conceal our feelings. After my graduation from Guerin Catholic, I attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Art, one of the top undergraduate acting programs in the country. I can honestly say, without Guerin Catholic, none of that would be possible. The Fine Arts Program at Guerin Catholic isn’t just a director and actors, or a music director and singers or musicians. It’s not a sit down and listen mentality. It lifts people up into their best version of themselves. It sets a challenge in front of you, and gives you the opportunity to meet it. It gives students an outlet and a canvas on which to create their own curriculum of growth. It creates the occasion for which you rise. It changed my life. It changed the lives of my fellow students. It changes lives now. And, it will continue to change lives. Alumni Spotlight JohnMcLean’11
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