As the school year comes to a close, Belmont Hill says goodbye to Dr. DeFraia, who stepped in as a sabbatical replacement for Dr. Tift in the English Department. When asked what brought him to Belmont Hill, Dr. DeFraia replied simply, “I needed a job!” But his time here has left a deeper impact than that modest answer suggests.
Before joining Belmont Hill, Dr. DeFraia taught at Emerson College. Next year, he’ll begin teaching English at Malden Catholic, while also working to complete the editing of his book – “hopefully,” he adds.
Sam Norden, ’28, a student in Dr. DeFraia’s English III class, when asked about his experience with him, claims, “[Dr. DeFraia] is a really passionate teacher. You could just tell that he cares about the students, and what he teaches”.
Reflecting on his first impressions, Dr. DeFraia noted, “They [the students] are smarter than I am,” a compliment to the intellectual spirit of our community. His teaching philosophy incorporates independent thinking and involves the endeavor towards deeper analysis. “Don’t let anyone do your thinking for you,” he advises. “Choose your own words, create your own arguments… and have the humility to know when you are wrong.”
As a parting message, Dr. DeFraia leaves students with this encouragement: “Engage with the world. Stand for something. Fight a few battles… life is in the trying.” Though his time here was brief, Dr. DeFraia’s words and presence will linger. We thank him and wish him well on his next chapter.
