Brandon Birr
at La Salle High School in Pasadena. |
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Brandon Birr was the valedictorian for the 2007 graduating class at Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, California. So strongly does he believe in Lasallian education, as he has experienced it in both high school and college, that he plans to make it his life’s work. This fall he begins a new career as a social studies teacher at La Salle High School in Pasadena, California, the school where his Lasallian education began.
“I’m ready to take what Saint Mary’s College has given me and go out in the world to share that by using my strengths where they are best used — in the classroom,” said Birr, a member of the La Salle High class of 2003.
The 22-year-old native of Los Angeles native says he was inspired to become a teacher by the professors and Christian Brothers at Saint Mary’s College who have provided guidance to him both in and out of the classroom.
While pursuing his major in history and a minor in Spanish, Birr served two years as a Bonner Leader working at De Marillac Academy, a tuition-free middle school for at-risk children in San Francisco’s tough Tenderloin neighborhood, and at Saint Mary’s College High School in Berkeley. He also served for three years as an ambassador in the Admissions Office of Saint Mary’s College.
Birr said he is “honored and humbled” to have been named class valedictorian. “What a great way to end my four years at a great place like Saint Mary’s,” he said.
During his valedictory address at the May 26 Commencement Birr spoke about the values of a Lasallian education.
"The Lasallian mission has been so close to my heart,” he said. “Saint Mary’s has been so awesome to me that I look at my speech as an opportunity to say thank you to my classmates and teachers who have made it possible for me to get so much out of my experience here."
Credit for the photograph and the original story from which this was adapted goes to Saint Mary’s College of California, College Communications Office. In addition to Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga, CA (www.stmarys-ca.edu), Lasallian schools mentioned in this article are La Salle High School of Pasadena, CA (www.lasallehs.org); De Marillac Academy in San Francisco, CA (www.demarillac.org); and Saint Mary’s College High School in Berkeley, CA (www.saintmaryschs.org). These and other schools in Washington, Oregon, California, and Arizona are sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers western province, the District of San Francisco (www.delasalle.org). The Brothers of the Christian Schools, founded by Saint John Baptist de la Salle, have been providing a human and Christian education for the young, especially the poor, since 1680.
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