November 28, 2025 // Schools

‘Once a Knight, Always a Knight’

Todays Catholic

While there’s a common saying that goes, “You can never go home,” there are several teachers who are alumni of Bishop Luers High School who have done just that.

These teachers have experienced Bishop Luers firsthand; they know how we feel because they all went through the same things. These teachers who were once in our shoes make our time here fun and useful. High school is a time to make memories, find out who we are, and learn from our mistakes. Our teachers are here teaching us new things while also bringing us closer to God. We have many alumni who work at Bishop Luers who help us do just that, but how do they feel about working at their alma mater?  

Adam Hanke, Class of 2011, who teaches instrumental music in the fine arts program, offered some advice to current students by remembering his time at Bishop Luers, saying: “The thing that made me most successful in high school was my involvement in extracurricular events, such as soccer, band, show choir, and the plays. They helped me establish relationships with teachers and classmates, which gave me a good group of people to rely on when things got tough, whether there were personal or academic troubles. I would also encourage students … to push yourself out of your comfort zone … by challenging yourself. I feel these are incredibly effective ways to grow as a person. It also helps you find things you like that you may have never expected to enjoy.”  

Kate Sturm, an English teacher who also graduated from Bishop Luers in 2011, was asked what skill she developed in high school that she still uses today. Sturm said it was having “high expectations for myself.” She continued: “My teachers had high standards for me, and so I had high standards for myself. This has served me well in every aspect of my life!”

Sturm said it was important for current students at Bishop Luers “to make friends with those who will help them become better versions of themselves. It sounds cliché, but you are the company you keep! I made life-long friends at Luers who helped me do just that!”

Mayson Whitman, Class of 2013, who teaches English, said she “never thought I would teach English at Luers. I was/am a very sensitive person, so naturally, high school was difficult for me. In fact, English was my least favorite subject. It was not until I went through the trials and tribulations of adulthood that I realized the importance of English class and the things discussed in English class.”

Whitman continued, saying: “Reading did not come naturally to me, but writing did – apart from all the rules! I use the struggles I faced to help struggling readers and writers. Language forms one’s reality. It is my job to give them the skills to manipulate English to get the most out of their lives. These skills we develop as a class in English are very important and give students the ability to think critically about their own lives and the world around us.”

When asked about where she thought she’d be after graduating from Bishop Luers, Whitman said: “The Lord works in mysterious ways. – I know this to be true. I was first a criminal justice major with the hopes of joining the police force. Then, I became an elementary education major because I knew teaching was a vocation that would fit my goals as a woman. My job matters. I felt a call to improve the culture of my home. I chose high school because I was exceptionally moved by literature and its positive effects on my life. I also felt a calling to teach adolescents as I know it can be a very confusing, difficult time of change for some. Teenagers are exceptionally smart and clever, but they still have a lot of growing and learning to do. Being back at Luers helps me be the adult I wish I had growing up. I know and love the community to my core. I use my connections and empathy to help students in any way possible. I cannot imagine working anywhere else.”

Whitman gives credit to God for bringing her back to her alma mater.

“Everything comes back to God,” she said. “I cannot even imagine trying to explain the purpose of things and events without relating it back to God. God gives us purpose. I feel blessed every day to be able to encourage kids to turn to the cross. The kids strengthen my own faith and bring me closer to God daily. I love Bishop Luers forever and ever.”

Our teachers guide and shape us into the people we’re meant to be. They motivate us to be the best we can, especially at a young age. When they were walking these same halls years ago, these alums of Bishop Luers might not have imagined that they would be back making in imprint on each of our lives – and best of all, bringing us closer to God – but they certainly live the Luers motto of “Once a Knight always a Knight.”

Riley Heard is a junior at Bishop Luers High School.