Sachem recently started a social feature called “three questions” where students and staff give their take on the school district and their experiences. This week we spoke with teacher, coach and alum Alex Grimm.
Grimm graduated from Sachem East in 2005, the school’s first graduating class, and is a social studies teacher and coach at Sachem North.
What does Sachem mean to you?
“To quantify what Sachem means to me is no easy task! Entering high school can be unnerving for any freshman, but when you are a brand new student from private school and have ZERO friends in a class of over 1,200, it can be demoralizing! But joining the football, track, and lacrosse teams helped not only boost my confidence, it gave me friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Sachem introduced me to coaches like Fred Fusaro, Dave Falco, and Rick Mercurio – all important male authority figures in my young life – who taught me the value of hard work, dedication, and honoring the tradition of excellence Sachem holds dear.
As a senior captain of the football team I met a cheerleader named Taylor, who eventually became my wife in September 2015. Today I live in the district, work in the district, and can only hope to remain in the district until I have children who will someday get to enjoy Sachem the same way I did. To me, Sachem is NOT a building or collection of buildings, or towns, or a sports team. To me Sachem means growing up and learning how to be a good citizen, it means caring for one another and finding people you can call your friends and loved ones. Sachem means PRIDE, TRADITION, and EXCELLENCE become a part of who you are and what you do long after your time as a student here is done. Sachem is Sans Egal, without equal, and unique to any other community I could think of…I am very lucky to be a part of it.”
Tell us one thing people may not know about you…
“After spending the past six years working at Sachem North, I think many of my colleagues and students know that I’m a proud Sachem alum. However, many of them might NOT know that I was a member of the first graduating class at Sachem East High School in 2005. I attended Sachem South as a freshman and sophomore then Sachem North as a junior. In the fall of 2004, Sachem East High School opened and as the district borders would have it, I ended up in a new building.
Although I was bitter at the time (that was an extremely stressful transition as a 17-year-old), I look back on the experience with a positive lens because I got to be part of Sachem history! Recently, I have heard a lot of negative talk from parents and community members about the future of Sachem while it undergoes yet another reconfiguration so I would like to offer this advice: REMAIN OPTIMISTIC! Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for, especially Sachem kids. They will persevere just as the class of 2005 did, making new friends, unforgettable memories, and going on to accomplish great things just like many other Flaming Arrows have before them!”
What is your favorite Sachem story, anecdote, or moment?
“My favorite Sachem moment came six years ago when I returned to Camp Fishkill for the first time since 2003. When the district split in 2004 during my senior year, I lost out on the opportunity to attend the annual football camp in Poughkeepsie and the chance to have some closure to my high school football career. But when I joined the varsity staff as an assistant coach in 2010, I got to head back for some ultimate gratification. The experience is far different as a coach than it is as a player, but the nostalgia still exists for me in the bunks, cafeteria food, sweltering summer heat, and three-a-day practices. Every August brings another trip to Fishkill and another chance to relive my favorite Sachem moment.”
-As told to Chris R. Vaccaro