Teacher. Friend. Inspiration. These words and countless others help describe Mr. VanWhy, a graduate and teacher of Saint Edward High School. As he goes to succeed in another chapter of his life, the Edsman Newspaper staff would like to congratulate him and reflect on his influence throughout the community.
Student Experiences
St. Ed’s will greatly miss you Mr. VanWhy, and you have left an indelible mark on the students that you have taught. I see that Danny had referenced that you are always the guy standing outside of your door between classes, and I’m so glad that he brought that up because I think that best exemplifies you as a teacher. It shows how inviting and passionate you are as an educator. Everytime that I walked up to my spanish class this past year, you have always stood outside your door and asked, “how you doing mas”, which although it is a simple gesture, it demonstrates to us students that you truly care, and are willing to engage in our lives. I remember that my class sophomore year was a quite poorly behaved one, but you still didn’t let it get in the way of your teaching. You went the extra mile for your students. You welcomed me into the Edsman sophomore year, and every D day, and now B day, your room has become a safe space for myself and everyone in the club to chat and share ideas. You have helped me to become a more confident and knowledgeable person, and I couldn’t be more grateful. St. Ed’s will miss you, and I am so glad that I got to have a full four years with you in the building. Thank you for everything Mr. VanWhy, and please, don’t become a Steelers fan! 🙂 Peace, – Nathan Masgras.
Mr. VanWhy’s teaching helped me to find where I stand politically, and how to communicate what I believe in a civil and appropriate manner. His conversations about unserious topics like sports, music, movies, and daily life in class and during the Edsman meetings, always fueled enthusiastic debate. Mr. VanWhy’s ability to facilitate conversation will be missed greatly in the St. Edward community. Through his encouragement, I felt compelled to share my opinions via the Edsman, he gave me a voice to speak in the St. Edward community. On a much lighter note, I am not sure how the teachers will ever win another student-teacher basketball game, because the threat of Mr. VanWhy’s jumper lurked off the bench. An absolutely lethal jumper off the bench, he will dominate any rec league he chooses to play in. Salute to you Mr. VanWhy, you will certainly be missed. We wish you all the best for your future. – Cooper Meneghetti
It is much appreciated to not only have a sophomore year with a great history teacher, but also to have somebody in the building who plays the middle ground between teacher and friend for these three years I’ve been at Ed’s. Something as simple as being able to share our weekends, talk about a sports game, or literally talk about anything else for the first few minutes of class contributed to a stronger relationship with just about everyone, and a better learning environment as well. This also meant that when I wasn’t directly in your class, I’d still be able to pass by for my upstairs classes and say what’s up or have a quick few words. Also, actions like showing up to my IB art exhibition and talking for a while with Mr. Williams during the event was a good experience. Even buying one of my LeBron prints to hang in your room helps further show the genuineness which has really helped the St. Ed’s culture and community. Thanks so much Mr. VanWhy for these great years at Ed’s and as Danny said be ready to hear about a St. Bernadette Bulldogs 2025 CYO Championship. – Ryan Ottiger
Thank you for everything over my Ed’s journey. I remember freshman year walking through the second-floor hallway wondering who that dude who was always standing outside his door when I switched classes was. Luckily, I got to know that dude the next year in history. I loved that class and was genuinely interested in what we learned. Your passion in teaching helped me shape my political views, opened my eyes to the world, and did the same for the rest of my classmates. Outside of the classroom, I always appreciated your genuine interest in whatever I had to say. Whether I’d stop in to 209 to talk about SFA basketball, The Wire, or any wild CYO-reffing stories, it always felt like I had someone who truly cared about what I said. I can’t think of anyone in my time so far at St. Ed’s who embodied culture, community, and brotherhood like yourself. I’ll miss talking with you about the state of CYO hoops or really about anything, but I know that you’ll be doing great things and spreading joy wherever you’re at. Again, I can’t thank you enough for the impact you’ve had on me and so many others at this school, and don’t worry, the St. Bernadette Bulldogs plan on bringing home the 2025 CYO state championship. Danny Ottiger
Mr. VanWhy is a teacher who was always there to be more than just a teacher to us, in the way he was a good friend to us and always felt like he cared not just about me but all of his students. One of my favorite parts about being in his class was everyday when we would just have regular conversations before class started and that always lightened up my day by putting a more personable aspect always into the classroom which allowed us to connect with him and each other on a deeper level than normal(and good music taste). I wish Mr Vanwhy the best moving forward and will never forget the impact he made on me everyday and the energy he brought into my daily schedule when walking past his classroom everyday too and from my locker. Tommy Graham
VanWhy has been an inspiration for me both in and outside of the classroom. By being in his class sophomore year, I was introduced to the Edsman Newspaper club – a club I would’ve never joined without his class. Not only that, but I went from fighting the urge to sleep in history class to paying attention every day. Having 10 minutes before class to talk about different present issues was a nice relief during the school day. Whether talking to him about golf (nice trophy!!) or ‘canesian’ economics, it made me look forward to each school day. Although he may not be going to Little Rock Arkansas, I truly believe that he will continue to have an impact on others as he did in our community. Best wishes for his next chapter. – Vinh Lai
I was first exposed to Mr. Vanwhy and his electric classroom on the second day of my sophomore year. Since then it is like I have had a second home. Every school day for the past two years I have visited his classroom and have felt welcomed every time. In this classroom I have had so many fond memories of meeting new people, and further strengthening the friendships that I have. In this classroom is where I was able to learn that I have a love for random trivia quizzes, and that I have to start watching more movies. It never mattered what the school day threw at me, because how could I not be happy to enjoy my time with such a great teacher that genuinely engaged in great conversation with every student and taught us all so well. The Edsman newsletter was the first club that I had ever joined here at Eds. Urged to join by both Vinh and Mr. Vanwhy, it became a place where I grew to express myself through writing about topics that interested me, and gave me something to look forward to on D-days and now B-days. This club will forever be my starting point in getting involved at Eds and I am so grateful for the opportunities that it has given me. Which ever school Mr. Vanwhy goes to I am sure that the same atmosphere he has cultivated at Eds will follow, and I wish him the best in whichever path he takes in the future. Sean M
Mr. Vanwhy is a teacher who has always been more than just a teacher for me. He is someone who has taken a real interest in my life. One of the best memories I have with him is from my sophomore year during the chaos of the World Cup. We were cheering on Morocco while listening to the song Morocco. Now every once and a while he will play the song and I am immediately brought back. every time that I hear it I can’t help but smile. It feels like when I am sitting in his room listening to that song I feel free of all the stresses of high school and that is all because of Mr. Vanwhy. – William Day
Mr Vanwhy gave me an opportunity to do something that I didn’t know I loved, and that was to write. He brought me into the Edsman newspaper and let me freely write about whatever it was that I felt the need to talk about. He was always so open to the ideas I threw at him and never shut down one of my suggestions for a column. I hope his move to Pennsylvania gives him even more stories to write about. – Sean Garlock
Mr. VanWhy is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. His infectious energy and love of history is enough to create excitement and intrigue into even the most jaded sophomores. I first met Mr. VanWhy by my brothers, who had thoroughly enjoyed his class. I remember finding him extremely fun and likable even then. Mr. VanWhy lived and breathed teaching. He got me to care about things that I previously had never even heard of before. I will always remember the lessons he taught and the energy with which he taught them. I will miss him immensely and wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors. – Charlie Cudnik
On behalf of the Edsman Staff, we would like to thank Mr. Vanwhy for his influence on the Edsman Newspaper and for him to excel on his new journey. Until next time, Edsman out.
