As a middle school science teacher and Science Fair sponsor, Joseph Della Malva spent his time at Trinity making new memories and gaining new experiences.

   “I met Mr. Arney at the State Science fair last year,” Della Malva said. “At the time, I was looking for a different school to expand my professional horizons. I had been working in public schools, so Trinity compared [to those] was pretty interesting.”

   Teaching at Trinity and teaching at a public school have been two very different experiences for Della Malva. This year, Della Malva was able to form close bonds with his students, the tabletop game club–which he sponsored–and his advisory. Every year, the 8th graders take a short trip to learn leadership and other useful skills. Trips like these aren’t as common at public school and have left Della Malva with many new memories.

   “The Pathfinder event at the beginning of the year was really neat,” Della Malva said. “It was really interesting to meet my advisees, and [it] helped us to get to know one another and solve problems in life. I think a lot of the skills we have learned there have been helpful for myself, as an advisor, and for my advisees.”

   Della Malva also interacted with his students while competing. His students went face to face with students of other schools during the Science Olympiad competitions. By aiding in students’ research, he was able to go to the Florida Science Fair and lead the Saints to success.

   “I thought that our performance in the Science Fair was extraordinary,” Della Malva said. “Every one of the middle school students that we brought placed in either second or third place.”

   Next year, Della Malva will be spending all of his time as the director of Liberty Institute, an adult language school in Orlando.

   “I’m really excited for the opportunity to continue growing professionally,” he said.