The Knights of Columbus of Bel Air have named Social Studies teacher, Mr. Jake Hollin, Catholic High School Teacher-of-the-Year! The following is an excerpt from a letter submitted by Principal Madelyn Ball, nominating Mr. Hollin for this honor:
He is an excellent Social Studies teacher, Chair of the Social Studies Department, Wrestling Coach, moderator of the Friend-to-Friend Program, moderates a service trip to an orphanage in Honduras each year, and he moderates the Fellowship of Christian Athletes! Jake began teaching at John Carroll in 2002. That was not his first experience at John Carroll. Both he and his wife graduated from our school. He now teaches U. S. History, Honors U.S. History, and Economics. His classes are extremely popular due to his teaching methods, his use of technology, his sensitivity to the needs of students, and his ability to provide real world experiences in the classroom. He now leads the entire Social Studies Department, which has developed into a stellar teaching machine! They consistently share ideas and collaborate on best practices to improve student achievement. Jake is a very mild mannered man, and it is hard to picture him as a wrestling coach. His ability to inspire the boys and push them to do their very best has paid off in many ways. Our Wrestling Teams have won countless awards over the years. Several years ago, a senior at John Carroll developed the Friend-to-Friend Program as his senior project. In this program John Carroll partners with Gallagher Services to provide activities for their adults with disabilities. We have them come to school for parties, sporting events, etc. Students pair up with our guests for a wonderful time. Jake moderates this program now and it has become a huge success. Giving of his time to serve the poor and marginalized defines who Jake Hollin is. After college, he and his wife worked in the Peace Corp. Last year he developed a service program to an orphanage in Honduras for a group of seniors. It was a life-changing experience for our students, and became so popular that they are planning another trip this year. A further extension of his service orientation is his involvement in moderating the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at John Carroll. FCA focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ. The John Carroll FCA is committed to help develop our student athletes into men and women who live out the JC Mission Statement. The JC - FCA Core Values are: Integrity, Serving, Teamwork, & Excellence.
The John Carroll School community congratulates Mr. Hollin on this award and thanks him for his service to our school.