Brad Duplechain Recognized as the 2018-19 Bro. More Schaefer Award Recipient
Each year, the Brother Martin High School Board of Directors awards the Brother More Schaefer Award to an outstanding member of our faculty. Our recipient traditionally has been announced to the Brother Martin community at our annual recognition ceremony in January. This year the recipient was announced following our school-wide liturgy so that our entire school community, especially our student body, could celebrate and honor our recipient.
A native of New Orleans, Brother More graduated from St. Aloysius in 1950 and pronounced his first vows as a Brother of the Sacred Heart in 1952. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics from Spring Hill College, a Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Alabama, and a Master of Science in Physics from Purdue University.
Brother More served in many ways. He was a teacher, coach, department chairman, guidance counselor, Director of Admissions and Vice Principal. At the time of his death in 1983, he had long been recognized as a Master Educator. Comments from his eulogy and from the letter announcing his death included:
“He took an interest in all students.” “His classes were well prepared and methodically executed.” “His deep faith inspired us all.” “In whatever place and in whatever position he served, he was always thorough, professional, challenging and concerned. In a word, he loved.”
Throughout the selection process, faculty are asked to nominate a colleague and, ultimately, the selection committee – comprised of a member of the Board of Directors, the Alumni Board of Directors, distinguished members of the Brother Martin community, and past recipients of the award – is charged with selecting a member of our faculty who demonstrates (1) Excellence in Instruction, (2) Commitment to Formation, and (3) Demonstration of Christian Witness.
In his remarks, Principal Ryan Gallagher ‘00 stated:
Educational Mission and Ministry also says, “We see our school as successful if students graduate with a strong belief that God loves them. Students develop this belief in proportion to two factors: how much their teachers love them and the extent to which students sense teachers’ love through the interest shown them in the classroom and extracurricular activities. (30).
Instruction. Formation. Witness.
Our namesake, Brother Martin Hernandez, reminds us that we “are not here to teach young boys how to make a living, but how to make a life.”
This year’s Brother More Schaefer Award recipient, Mr. Brad Duplechain, does all of these things every day, instructing us in the charism of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart; forming us in God’s likeness; and bearing witness as a Christian example of Jesus’s love for and devotion to our students. This is what it means to instruct, to form, to bear witness.
Brother More would be proud of this year’s recipient of the award that bears his name. Mr. Duplechain is methodical and precise whenever and wherever he is instructing – both inside and outside of the classroom. He extends himself beyond methodology, embodying the educational tradition of the Brothers by instructing “wherever students are found”. In the many places and roles in which he has served, he has always challenged his students and shown his sincere concern for them. His faith can be described as quiet and humble, but it is also powerful and inspiring to many – truly a model of Christian witness.
If it is true that objects in motion tend to stay in motion, then we can rest assured that those students who work with Mr. Duplechain will constantly be challenged to think a little more critically, show a little more compassion, and maybe jump a little higher, run a bit faster, throw a tad farther… He is always pushing his students to achieve more, to be better today than they were yesterday.
Congratulations to this year’s outstanding faculty member, science teacher, and head track & field coach, Mr. Brad Duplechain.
