THE RECORD OnlineFall 2002
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"It's about trying to change a school and a community in public education for the Lord." |
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"It was small and took some getting used to,” says Matias of GC. “I enjoyed it because I was old enough to decide my course of action, my philosophies of life, my world view, and I think GC extended those parameters so that you could develop your own ideas without being threatened that you were doing something wrong. I like that about Greenville.” He also remembers Dr's. Ken and Sandy Schmidt as well as Dr. Don Jordahl as his most influential professors, citing their open-door policy and confidence in him as crucial to his development during his four years at GC.
While studying at Greenville, Matias met his future wife, Soni, and they have since had three children together, Katie, 8; Jackie, 6; and Pablo, 3 months. After graduating in1990 with an education degree, Matias felt there was only one choice for his first teaching job — Lustre Christian High School. “I thought it was better than going to a big high school somewhere,” Matias explains. “I could work on my teaching technique and give back to the school for the three years they put up with me.” During Matias’ three years at Lustre, he taught U.S. History, Government and Bible. He also started the cross country and track programs and coached basketball at the elementary and high school levels, serving as co-athletic direction his final year there.
After a short stint working at the Evansville Rescue Mission in Evansville, IN, Matias’ next teaching experience came at Bosse High School, also in Evansville. It was here that he discovered his calling to help kids who didn’t have anyone else – many of his students were in trouble as he had been so many years ago. “Whenever I see a student in that deep of trouble, I take them in. I do whatever I have to do to try to make them succeed. A lot of times it fails, but at least you know you did your best.” At Bosse, Matias again coached cross country and track and also instituted a Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and a teacher Bible study group. Both continue to flourish today.
After three and a half years at Bosse, Matias’ mother expressed that she would like him to move back to Chicago with his family. Though he always knew he’d end up back in Chicago some day, his family was happy in Evansville and it would have to be the Lord’s bidding for them to be able to make the move. “Our fleece before the Lord was if we were able to buy a house in Chicago that summer, we would go.” The family moved to Chicago in July 1997.
Matias took a job at Moos Elementary School where he had attended as a child. “I think they were surprised to see me back when they recognized me by face — not by name. You always recognize your bad students,” Matias chuckles.
At Moos, Matias serves as Bilingual Coordinator and IASA Chapter One Coordinator. Having completed his master’s degree in educational leadership and administration, he hopes to move to the next level, assistant principal, by next year. “I’m realizing that the more you move up, the more the servant-leadership mentality becomes a reality, where leadership isn’t leadership unless you’re serving your staff,” says Matias. “It’s about trying to change a school and a community in public education for the Lord.”
As in Evansville, Matias continues to seek out the students who have little hope, taking them to movies, picking them up for school, inviting them into his home. “If I wanted to be known as anything,” he says, “it would be as a father to the fatherless. It’s really, really important to me to utilize education to show a positive male role model.”
Matias is doing just that, offering kind words and even more than that — obvious actions — that show he cares about his students. “The tough kid from Chicago made good,” some would say of Matias, but for the teacher himself, he knows there’s much more to come. Many more responses to his Lord, many more lives to be changed.
Last updated: January
17, 2003