This wonderful guy is Frank Rocco Scalero. He was my English teacher sophomore year in high school. Quirky doesn't even begin to describe his sense of humor and crazy comes nowhere close to describing the awesome stories he tells of his life adventures. That was the year that I really started to develop my craft as a writer and his guidance and feedback was crucial in that process (no matter how much he denies credit). He always pushed me to be better, to search deeper for a clearer and more resonant truth. I remember once when I got a 28/30 on a paper--I wanted to know how I could make it a better essay, how to be a better writer, so I worked on it some more, got feedback from a few people, and resubmitted it asking him to be especially critical. I got it back with a 27/30--noticing my disappointment, he said: "I did exactly what you asked me to!" And he was right. Another lesson learned. What I especially loved about his class is the way he taught the great literature he assigned (To Kill A Mockingbird, Huck Finn, "Swamp Boy"---to name a few) and the great conversations we struggled through. I also benefited greatly from his direction during Creative Writing Club--as much as I hated the "forced writing" time, it really helped my creativity.
Aside from his inspiration in an academic sense, he's also been a wonderfully compassionate confidant who always has an encouraging word to offer. High school was a really tough time for me but he urged me to use all of my experiences in my writing, saying that with everything I was going through I was going be "the best damn writer out there." I don't know about that but it sure made me smile. :-) He also offered the perspective that I was "blessed with misery" -- that my suffering would not only help me be a better writer but was a unique preparing of my soul to reach and help others. Those high school years weren't pretty but I faired through them as well I did in great part because of Scalero--I don't know what I would have done without him.
I also have Frank Scalero to thank for the last several wonderful years that I've spent at Calvin College. He went there as an undergraduate and was always advertising, telling his students that they should apply there. I never really took that seriously until my last semester of high school. I needed to get away and immerse myself in a new environment. Calvin's location, small size, reputable English dept., and faith based education was enough to get me on board--without even visiting I applied and enrolled. And although these past few years haven't been without their struggles there's no doubt in my mind that Calvin was the perfect place for me. And if it weren't for Scalero going on and on about Calvin all throughout high school I would never have known it existed and my life wouldn't be as richly blessed as it is today because of my time at Calvin.
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| Scalero goes up to Calvin every other year for the bi-annual Festival of Faith & Writing. Luckily, I got to spend some time with him each time. Here we are, in front of Calvin's infamous "Wandering Cheese" in 2008 :-) http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/news/cheese.htm |
Can I picture my life without this kooky character? --Not a chance.
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