Et vadit ad award…Mr. Monafis!

In case your knowledge of the Latin language is limited, those words were simply meant to reveal that Mr. Monafis has won the Teacher of the Year award for Freehold Township. Each year, students, staff members, parents, and administrators vote for the teacher they feel deserves to become Teacher of the Year, and this year, they chose Latin teacher Mr. Monafis.

And it isn’t difficult to see why. Mr. Monafis is widely known for his excellent teaching skills, kind heart, and ability to make a so-called “dead language” seem lively and exciting to learn. However, although it may seem surprising, becoming a Latin teacher was not originally the plan for Monafis.

When asked about his inspiration for becoming a teacher, and specifically a Latin one, Monafis replied, “The answer to both of those go hand in hand actually. When I was in high school I wanted to be a psychiatrist so I took Latin my junior year to help with medical terms I would need in the future. As I took the language I really fell in love with it. I also had a very inspiring Latin teacher who encouraged me to continue with the language my senior year. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here today.” Like his past teacher, Mr. Monafis undoubtedly has and will continue to have a positive influence on his students.

Compared to others, Mr. Monafis may seem like a youngster in the teaching community, having only been a teacher for seven years. In fact, during his first year, he was only a long-term substitute.

Even though seven years might not seem like a while, in this time Mr. Monafis has worked at two other schools besides Township. Previously, Mr. Monafis taught at Freehold Borough and Colts Neck High School, and only this year is he employed at Township singularly. Despite having worked at other schools, Monafis regards FTHS the highest, saying that “FTHS has the best students, the best staff, and the best environment for learning and community. It’s simply a pleasure being part of this school.” Freehold Township would not have all of these honorable qualities if it wasn’t for people like Mr. Monafis, who make this school an exceptional place to learn.

Mr. Monafis also had plenty of positive things to say about his experience with high schoolers: “My favorite thing about high school students is actually two things: I really enjoy how every day is different because the students always keep me on my toes. I also really love to see how in four years the students can change so much.”

Besides his students, Mr. Monafis additionally greatly appreciates his colleagues in the Latin department, including them as reasons for why he won the award. Monafis believes that without other Latin teachers Mr. Herbert, Mrs. Snow-Cosgrove, and Ms. Kiernan, the Latin program would not flourish like it does. When presenting him with the award at the ceremony, Mrs. Higley rightfully stated that the Latin department at Township is very successful. Monafis agrees, claiming that the support from students and the community has contributed to the growth of this language at FTHS. He even went as far as to say that Freehold Township may just have the biggest Latin program in the state!

Undoubtedly, winning Teacher of the Year is an honor. Mr. Monafis described winning the award as “…an amazing feeling. I was so surprised when they announced that I had gotten the award. It feels wonderful to be recognized by the community.”

Amazing teachers like Mr. Monafis are what make FTHS a welcoming, inspiring place to learn. Gratulatione, Mr. Monafis!