Captain Reich joined our CIS department this year as a social studies teacher. Previously he taught, coached and was a building officer at a military boarding school in Pennsylvania.
Following in his parents’ and grandfather’s footsteps, he entered into education as well. “It is the family business.” Growing up in a home full of teachers, he had insight into what it was to be a teacher, and he enjoys getting kids excited about events that happened hundreds of years ago.
Captain Reich attended an independent school and benefited from the tight knit community and the personal teaching, attention, care, and concern that he received. “As a teacher, you have the freedom to teach each class effectively. Kids are not automatons, and industrialized education does not work for all of them. Students should be able to pursue interests, debate (and argue) with each other and their teacher to learn.”
He is very impressed with Hargrave. “The supportive atmosphere offers options for success and is geared towards cultivating growth as a responsible young man.” He relates our monthly character traits into his classwork to help make them more understandable. “Universal skills like honesty, integrity and leadership are important for our students as they develop the young men they will become.”
We all have memories of middle school history classes where we focused on memorizing dates and names, but like all of our favorite teachers, Captain Reich knows that history is the story of us. “History is how we have gotten to this point as a society.” Students are disconnected with a photo of someone from 300 years ago, but by humanizing events and people, it can quickly become relatable. “What we learn from the past will shape the future. Students are in the very beginning of their lives, and we are setting the life lesson groundwork right now.”
He wishes that everyone knew that “Hargrave is an amazing school that takes boys and turns them into young men. It is understated how needed Hargrave is, not just with education, but with value strengthening. Someone needs to lead this generation and set the example.” Hargrave men will be there for this essential role.
