University of St. Thomas Alumnus Jacob Hernandez '22 was the recipient of the prestigious Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The award recognizes innovative and results-oriented teaching and raises public awareness of the importance of effective and committed teachers in the KIPP Texas Public Schools – Houston, YES Prep Public Schools, Teach for America – Houston, and Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston networks.
Hernandez, who teaches at Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston, was celebrated in a community-wide newsletter. They mentioned, “Mr. Hernandez brings faith, compassion and creativity into the classroom every single day. If it’s teaching core content, integrating Jesuit values or fostering a culture of inquiry and mutual respect, he consistently goes above and beyond to meet students where they are – and then challenges them to rise even higher. His lessons are engaging, rigorous and student-centered, often blending real-world relevance with deep academic content. […] One of the most admirable qualities Mr. Hernandez brings to his profession is his unwavering belief in the potential of every student. He empowers them to believe in themselves, to think critically, and to pursue their goals with confidence and purpose.”
To celebrate this achievement with his alma mater, Hernandez engaged in a Q&A with Bridget Richardson, Executive Producer of UST MAX Studios, to share about his ethos for teaching and his UST experience.
Bridget Richardson: What was your reaction when you learned you were the recipient of the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award?
Jacob Hernandez: I think the best word to describe my reaction was shock. I am very pessimistic and while I recognized somebody from the Archdiocese, I still didn’t think they were there to recognize me.
BR: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
JH: I became a teacher because I am a student; I constantly have a desire to learn, a desire to answer the questions our teachers taught us: who, what, where, when and why? Teaching not only satisfied that desire, but it also allowed me to then pass on the love of learning to those who are in my community.
BR: How do you see your role as enriching the lives of students?
JH: As an English teacher at a Catholic school, I try my best to use my Liberal Arts background to nourish not just the mind of the student but also the soul. We do not simply read Macbeth because Shakespeare wrote it; we read it to understand the history of malice inquisitions, to understand the perils of nihilism, and the development of a good conscience. I hope that as a teacher, I can succeed in helping develop a student who can enter the next phase of their preparation, for life beyond our walls can be both beautiful and frightening.
BR: What impact do you think teachers have on students in their day-to-day lives outside of the classroom?
JH: I say this a lot because I believe it to be true. To quote CS Lewis, “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts.” I believe this statement to be true. Our role is to create avenues to enrich oneself in order to tackle the most difficult challenges of life. As a teacher who teaches seniors and juniors, I know their encounter with adulthood is just around the corner and so I hope that through the lessons they learn in my class, they can feel the necessary confidence to engage with life outside the classroom.
BR: What do you currently teach? Why those subjects?
JH: I currently teach AP Language and Composition to juniors and English IV to seniors. I view English Literature as an avenue by which the Liberal Arts can be seen. I teach English because it deals with the most important skill we as humans can attain – rhetoric. Through reading and writing, one acquires the ability to think critically. Through that thought process, we become members of a community to achieve the common good.
BR: I also see that you coach? How do you think that helps shape young people?
JH: Coaching in any aspect helps establish important values in a person. However, I will admit that coaching golf not just teaches those righteous values but also teaches one to understand that the mind is a catalyst for our actions.
BR: What was your experience at UST like? Share a bit of your story.
JH: I thoroughly enjoyed my time at UST. I majored in Philosophy with a Minor in English at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and I was able to receive my Master's in Liberal Arts with an English concentration. As a high school teacher, I always tell my students that while UST is a smaller school, the teachers I had were the best in my career as a student. I never struggled in any class; however, having children and a full-time job as a teacher made being a student even more difficult. I can recall rushing to night classes after the last period bell rang, sitting in class for two hours, and trying to rush home to see if I could tell my son goodnight. If it were not for having amazing teachers, I don’t think I would have completed my masters.
BR: Were there any professors at UST who impacted you?
JH: Yes, Dr. Brand, Dr. Aquila, Dr. Barloon and Dr. Behr, to name a few, had a huge impact on the teacher I am today. In fact, I use many of the skills and knowledge they taught me in my classroom today. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that this award is as much theirs as it is mine,
BR: How do you think your time at UST shaped what you are doing now?
JH: Not only has UST inspired me to teach Dante, incorporate Aquinas, and find a love for fiction literature, but it has also cultivated, just as importantly, my evolution in the study of poetry. I never taught much poetry due to my discomfort with it, but that all changed when I took a course on Modern Poetry. Now I dedicate a quarter to teaching poetry.
BR: Is there anything else you’d like to add about teaching, UST and/or Catholic education?
JH: I would just like to add that I have been a part of a Catholic education from grade school to post-grad, and it has been something that has really shaped who I am as an educator. I feel that because I am Catholic and teach at a Catholic school, I have a duty to not just teach at a high level but also to evangelize the faith.