Alliance for Catholic Education
Phoenix
Life in the City
Phoenix is just hours from countless breathtaking parks (Grand Canyon and Sedona to name a few). Though most people think Arizona is just a desert, we’ve got quite the varied geography. From waterfalls and pine forests to mountains and lots of cacti—we’ve got it all. Even when it is a temperate 70 in the city, there is great skiing just two hours away in Flagstaff. To top it all off, it averages 306 sunny days a year!
ACE Phoenix
Tom Betterly
Bourgade
HS Math
Meghan Figueras
Bourgade
HS Science
Kate Jensen
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Glendale
4th Grade
Sean Kelley
St. Vincent de Paul
4th Grade
Eliana Temeles
St. John Vianney
MS Science
Hometown
Hazleton, PA
Undergraduate Institution
Saint Joseph's University
Undergraduate Studies
Major: Mathematics
What are you looking forward to the most in ACE this year?
I am most looking forward to being challenged and growing into the new community I will form in Phoenix!
Hometown
Annapolis, MD
Undergraduate Institution
University of Notre Dame
Undergraduate Studies
Majors: Biological Sciences and Theology
What do you love most about your ACE school? Why?
My students! They are so fun, kind, and energetic. I’m so grateful to have been a small part of their lives this year.
Hometown
Omaha, NE
Undergraduate Institution
Benedictine College
Undergraduate Studies
Major: Elementary Education
Why did you say "yes" to serving children in Catholic schools through ACE?
I said “yes” to serving children in Catholic schools because I am thankful for the wonderful teachers I had growing up. Their love and support has meant the world to me and I hope to do the same for my future students.
Hometown
Pittsburgh, PA
Undergraduate Institution
University of Notre Dame
Undergraduate Studies
Majors: Anthropology & French
How do you hope to grow in your experience as an ACE teacher?
To continue to reaffirm my faith and discover the man God is calling me to be. There will be so many trying moments, but I truly believe during the in-between times of difficulty is where we can find glimpses into the inner depths of our soul. To continue to grow in self knowledge and use that to serve others more fully.
Hometown
Granger, IN
Undergraduate Institution
University of Notre Dame
Undergraduate Studies
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
What is one of your favorite memories from your first year in ACE?
During the first semesters, one of the moms of my students brought me a nativity set and told me it was a gift she was given when she first came to Phoenix. She gave it to me so that I could feel similarly welcomed to my new home!