8 AQUINAS LANDMARK | WINTER 2024 Spotlight On . . . ANTHONY TARANA • Class of 2008 SUBJECT AREA(S): Social Studies 7 and US History & Government 11 YEARS TEACHING: 1 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 1 Why did you choose to become a teacher? I enjoy helping people and always enjoyed school at Aquinas. Which AQ teachers inspired you as a student? Mr. Christanis was always entertaining and allowed learning a new language to be fun. Mr. Page is very thorough and made learning about history very enjoyable. What made you decide to return to your alma mater? I had a student teaching assignment here and got hired after. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? I want to be remembered as someone who cared about helping students not just in academics, but life. BEN BOSTICK • Class of 2009 SUBJECT AREA(S): Academic Intervention Services / National Honor Society Advisor YEARS TEACHING: 7 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 6 Why did you choose to become a teacher? My sister, Amanda (Class of 2003), is a teacher. I have always looked up to her and respected teachers for who they are and what they do. I enjoy the idea of coming alongside students and helping them navigate their school years – doing what I can to help them see success and plant a foundation for success in the future. Which AQ teachers inspired you as a student? Picking one or a few is tough! I had a lot of really good ones that I think would spark some good laughs and memories from grads around my time. I realize now that each of them helped shape the student I was and the teacher and man I am today. They all taught me more than just the subject or content of the curriculum, and I have a deep appreciation for their dedication to us. Can we talk about AQ teachers without mentioning Coach (Mr.) D’Ettore though? What made you decide to return to your alma mater? I think any AQ grad will tell you that there’s something about Aquinas that always sticks with you. It kind of gives “Aquinas Evermore” a whole new and personal meaning. Being able interact and teach students in a place where my three siblings and I experienced so much and made so many memories reminds me of my thankfulness for the opportunity I had to be a student here. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? One of the cool aspects about AQ is that its legacy is so rich and deep and much greater than myself. The legacy I hope to have is one of consistency. Consistently doing my best to love Jesus, consistently doing my best to love others like Jesus, and consistently doing my best to have everything I do reflect those two goals. BILLY LOMBARDI • Class of 2013 SUBJECT AREA(S): Social Studies 8 YEARS TEACHING: 7 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 5 Why did you choose to become a teacher? I wanted to positively impact the lives of young adults the way many of my teachers at Aquinas (and throughout my life) impacted me. Which AQ teachers inspired you as a student? This is a hard one to answer because it felt like so many inspired me as a student. If I had to name just a few, I would have to say Mr. Page, Mrs. Baschnagel, Mr. Shook, and Mrs. O’Meara. Each one of them I had at different points in my five years at Aquinas. Each of them contributed to me having a positive experience, and with each of them, I believed they truly took an interest in you as a young man or woman. What made you decide to return to your alma mater? I wanted to give back to the school that I feel gave me such a great high school experience. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? That I worked, and did everything I could, to uphold the same standard of excellence that was set by the thousands of alumni who came before me. PETER HUBER • Class of 2017 SUBJECT AREA(S): Earth & Life Science YEARS TEACHING: 3 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 3 Why did you choose to become a teacher? I chose to be a teacher because I want the world to be better off because I was here. I can think of no better way to make an impact then inspiring the next generation. Which AQ teacher(s) inspired you as a student? Mrs. Krickmire and Mr. Flood (who I teach with now!) showed me the power a good role model can have on a person. What made you decide to return to your alma mater? Aquinas has always been a home for me. It was natural for me to think of AQ as I start my education career. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? I hope my legacy will be one of helpfulness. Every person deserves a mentor that cares about them. I hope I can be that person to my students. There are a number of scholarships at Aquinas set up in honor and in memory of some of our beloved faculty members. • Rev. Thomas Dugan, CSB ’48 Endowed Scholarship • Gerald F McGuire ’53 Endowed Scholarship • Basilian Fathers of East Rochester Endowed Scholarship • Richard J Pilliter ’63 Scholarship • The Raymond Manuszak and Family Endowed Scholarship • Mary Lou Knapp Memorial Endowed Scholarship To give to one of these scholarships, scan the QR code and select ‘other’ for fund to support. Include the name of the scholarship where prompted. If you are interested in starting a scholarship in honor or in memory of a teacher who inspired you, please contact Jay Polston ’90, Associate Director of Advancement, Major Gifts and Planned Giving, at jpolston@aquinasinstitute.com or (585) 254-2020 x1061.
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