Author: oharaliontales

New Teacher Feature: Mr. Chris DiBello

Who is the New Teacher in Room 346?

by: Victoria Pappas, ’17

    It’s Mr. Chris DiBello’s first year of teaching and his first year at Cardinal O’Hara, and he dibelloalready likes it! The atmosphere is new, fresh, and welcoming.  “I am happy with how together the students are as a student body, it’s what holds a school together and brings the school meaning. It is what makes coming to school everyday a pleasure!” Mr. DiBello said. With a degree in chemistry, which he earned on the enormous campus that is Penn State University, Mr. DiBello brings his knowledge to the classroom in not only chemistry, but physics and algebra II as well. As a new member of the O’Hara lion family, Mr. DiBello is determined and hopeful to reach his goal in life: “to inspire others to teach or learn chemistry. I want to give someone that passion.”

Flashback to when Mr. DiBello went to The Haverford School, he remembers a lot of good memories he made. “I loved it there. It was the best experience. It challenged me to be better in school, as a person, as a friend, and as a son.” One of his favorites moments, DiBello remembered, was in his sophomore year on the football field. “We hadn’t beaten Malvern in nineteen years, and we beat them for the first time. It was crazy and it was awesome!” Mr. DiBello is a big football fan. “I played for years, I’m big sports guy in general.” However, DiBello has always thought of chemistry as his favorite subject because it was challenging, and enjoyed teaching his peers. “My high school chemistry teacher showed me that teachers are more than just the one sitting behind a desk, grading your papers. They care for you. Teaching is good for me, and fulfills what I thought teaching should be.”

The best advice Mr. DiBello was ever given, he notes, was, “‘when you get knocked down, get back up and keep trying.’ If you really like it keep doing it because it can become something bigger. It’s a reminder to not give up on yourself.” This is what motivates Mr. DiBello, but he also has advice for all of his students. DiBello advises, “don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes people may see it as a weakness, or a crutch, but in this world it’s not. You have so many resources, such as your teachers, so it’s good to ask for advice.” In the future, Mr. DiBello plans to do volunteer work either coaching football or wrestling, but for now, catch Mr. DiBello in room 346 doing the job he loves!

Lion Tales….Stories of Pride

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OUR VISION

Cardinal O’Hara High School will serve as a national Catholic leader in the education, spiritual formation and leadership development of young people.

OUR MISSION

To develop graduates of character, competence and confidence who are prepared to lead in this world and live forever in the next.

Our vision and mission statements provide the foundation for our aggressive strategic plan. Having successfully completed 50 years of providing an exceptional Catholic educational experience for students in Delaware County – and beyond – we now embark on “the next 50 years.” Responding to the ever-changing worlds of education and technology, the economy and the workplace, and meeting the challenge of society increasingly drifting astray from any moral anchor, O’Hara has set a course for providing a formational experience equal to none. Education, spiritual formation and leadership development are the defining elements. Focusing on the individual growth of each student in these three areas, we will stay true to our mission of developing graduates of character, competence and confidence, and to our vision of serving as a national leader as we set the example for others to emulate. This is the O’Hara way.

To celebrate all of these men and women and their stories, we have launched our “Lion Tales” blog to tell the stories (“tales”) of our lions….We will have tales of meetings with alumni from around the world. Some of our current students and faculty will share reflections based on their experiences here today. We will share the many stories that showcase the O’Hara spirit of pride, excellence and tradition.

Follow our blog. Send us story suggestions. Want to be a guest author and share your story or your expertise? Let us know. We would be blessed to have you join our team of bloggers and to share your lion tale…