Alliance for Catholic Education
Stockton
Life in the City
There’s nothing sweeter than a fresh strawberry from a farm stand. There’s nothing more beautiful than the majestic waterfalls of Yosemite. There’s nothing more thrilling than catching a foul ball at a Ports game. There’s nothing more satisfying than the crunch of fried asparagus at the United States’ largest asparagus festival. Experience it all in Stockton! The city offers the perfect blend of urban energy and natural beauty. Nestled in the heart of the Central Valley, Stockton is just a short drive from big-city adventures in San Francisco and Sacramento, while also offering easy access to scenic escapes like the Sierra Nevada mountains. From taquerias to Indian food, it’s a foodie paradise with good eats everywhere. Come visit the Gateway to California!
ACE Stockton
Ryan Georgi
St. Anthony
4th Grade
David Moretti
Central Catholic
HS English
Kate Rafford
Presentation
3rd Grade
Claire Stella
Our Lady of Fatima
4th Grade
Elizabeth Stone
St. Luke
4th Grade
Hometown
San Clemente, CA
Undergraduate Institution
University of Notre Dame
Undergraduate Studies
Major: Psychology
Minor: Business Economics
What is one of your favorite memories from your first year in ACE Teaching Fellows?
Stockton is only a few hours away from Yosemite National Park. One weekend during the fall, Elizabeth, David, and I decided to embark on a backpacking trip to Yosemite Falls. This excursion was full of great memories, irreplaceable bonding moments, and endless laughter, all of which I documented on 8mm Camcorder Film. Some highlights from the trip include: all three of us sharing a tent, eating cheese and noodle "slop," sampling fancy smoked oysters, meeting European tourists (who ended up breaking our water filter), getting lost (multiple times, thanks Elizabeth), and of course, utilizing the ACE Lesson Planning Template.
Hometown
Cranston, RI
Undergraduate Institution
Catholic University of America
Undergraduate Studies
Major: English
Minor: Irish Studies
What is one of your favorite memories from your first year in ACE Teaching Fellows?
On the day of my English I final exam, a couple of my students showed up wearing fake mustaches. In their moment of exam related stress, they still found a way to feel joy and to spread it within the classroom community. It reminded me that even in serious moments like exams, classroom culture is an important part of making students feel comfortable and, dare I say, whimsical.
Hometown
Tempe, AZ
Undergraduate Institution
University of Notre Dame
Undergraduate Studies
Majors: Economics & American Studies
Minor: Hesburgh Program in Public Service
What are you most looking forward to serving as an ACE teacher this year?
I am looking forward to getting to know my students, their families, and the great city of Stockton. It’s such a gift to be able to move somewhere new and be fully immersed in that community!
Hometown
Wilmington, DE
Undergraduate Institution
Boston College
Undergraduate Studies
Majors: Psychology & English
Minor: Italian
What are you most looking forward to most as an ACE teacher this year?
I am most looking forward to meeting my students and getting to know them as people, inside and outside of the classroom. I am so excited to join my school community, at Our Lady of Fatima, and to learn from the teachers that I'll work alongside. I hope to create a classroom environment in which students feel safe, seen, and loved.
Hometown
Winona Lake, IN
Undergraduate Institution
Saint Mary's College
Undergraduate Studies
Majors: Philosophy & Psychology
If you had to pick one word to describe your ACE experience thus far, what would it be? Why?
If I had to pick one word to describe my ACE experience thus far, it would be mercy! As a first-year teacher, modeling mercy for my students was the foundation of building a classroom where each of my students felt like they belonged. What I didn't expect was how much my students would teach me. My students showed me abundant grace and taught me about the mercy of God through their silliness, honesty, resilience, and patience.