BMHS Shield CRIMSON SHIELD
THE ONLINE MAGAZINE OF BROTHER MARTIN HIGH SCHOOL		 BMHS Shield
January 2014
Published September - November - January - March - May
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Faculty Profile: Pat McClain
by Garrett Boyd ('14)

Garrett Boyd and Mr. Patrick McClain
Garrett Boyd and Patrick McClain
Patrick McClain, age 27, teaches Advanced Math and Cal­culus at Brother Martin.
  • Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mr. Mc­Clain attended Catholic High, A Brothers of the Sacred Heart school in Baton Rouge.
  • At Catholic High, Mr. McClain joined various clubs such as Mu Alpha Theta and French Club.
  • He excelled in academics, but math developed as his favorite subject.

After graduating from high school, Mr. McClain pursued his passion for math at LSU.

  • At first, he desired work as an actuary - number crunchers who work with statistics and patterns - be­fore deciding his passion for teaching.
  • During college, I realized I wanted to have human inter­action rather than sitting at a computer, regardless of salary.

Also during college, Mr. McClain participated in remarkable experiences in helping others and himself.

  • He worked numerous summers at Lions Camp, which helps handicapped children. Also, he traveled to Mexico for a retreat.
  • In both events, he recognized that not only were these experiences life changing, but that assisting others also helped him to becoming a better person.
  • This revelation only further inspired him to become a teacher.
  • During these experiences, he also met his future wife, who continues to inspire and lead him to impact his community in various ways.
With a religious revival, Mr. McClain pursued his passion to teach, especially in a brothers' school.
  • But after he taught at Catholic High, his wife, who is also a teacher, wanted to move back to New Orleans, where her family lived.
  • With most of his family residing in New Orleans as well, Mr. McClain decided to move to New Orleans and search for a teaching job at a brothers school, and Brother Martin was his first choice.
  • He is now in his second year on the faculty.

Mrs. Bandera, a member of the Math department and teacher to many Algebra II students, says that Mr. McClain is "smart, young, and intuitive." She firmly believes that "his service to his students is inspiring and amazing."

He represents a man who lives for his job, happily helping students in math and moderating Mu Alpha Theta, a club he participated in only ten years ago. Outside of Brother Martin, Mr. McClain is a youth minister for St. Cletus's CYO in Gretna.

In such a short period, Mr. McClain has accomplished so much for himself and im­pacted so many other people.

Editor's note: The author, Garrett Boyd, won first place in December in the South Central Region of the Anti-Defamation League for his essay in the "Imagine a World without Hate" contest.

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