New Year, New Faces: Part 3
It’s time for our next installment of “New Year, New Faces!” In today’s blog, we are introduced to Dr. Ethan Reed and Mrs. Elisa Bruno. We’ve really enjoyed getting to see Dr. Reed and Mrs. Bruno in action over the last few months at LuHi and look forward to getting to know them even better as the school year progresses.
Dr. Ethan Reed
What college(s) did you attend and what did you study?I received my BA in English from Brown University, and my MA and PhD in English Literature from the University of Virginia.
What is your favorite thing about teaching in your subject area?I think the English classroom is a space where students can practice really valuable skills—like writing, reading, and thinking critically—while also investigating some of the “big questions” about life by reading and discussing works of literature. It’s an excellent combination!
What are your interests/hobbies outside of teaching?I enjoy playing sports (soccer and tennis!), singing in chorus groups, and watching movies.
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show and why?This isn’t quite a “book,” but I’ve found a lot of inspiration and food for thought in the poetry of Seamus Heaney over the years.
What other teaching experience do you have? What was that experience like?While a PhD student at the University of Virginia, I taught a number of different courses there. Teaching writing and literature in the college classroom was an important experience for me as an educator, and I’m really looking forward to bringing insights from that experience to LuHi!
Which of LuHi’s core values (Christian love, excellence, community, family) most resonates with you and why?I think community might resonate with me the most. Knowing that there is a community of people out there that supports you, that wants you to achieve your goals, and where you have a real sense of belonging—I think that’s so important, particularly in an educational environment.
What do you hope students learn or gain from your courses this year?I hope students in my courses learn to value the “process” as much as the “product.” The process of working through tasks or assignments even when they are challenging can be a valuable experience in and of itself!
Mrs. Elisa Bruno, Interdisciplinary Department
What college(s) did you attend and what did you study? I studied Advertising Design and Packaging Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Later, I studied Clinical Art Therapy at CW Post Long Island University.
What is your favorite thing about teaching in your subject area? Right now I am teaching a Marketing class. My favorite thing about it is how relatable it is to the students. They are starting to think about how they can market themselves and their own ideas. It’s also fun to show in class all the great commercials that were a result of successful brand and marketing plans. We have had fun discussions about them so far.
What was your favorite class when you were in middle/high school? Art, and English
How did your high school experience prepare you for college?I had the best art teacher who believed in me and my talent. Her former students would come to visit and share their experiences at art college. One former student shared that: “there will always be someone better than you and always someone not as good as you.” That stayed with me forever and really helped me endure the talented climate at FIT.
Which of LuHi’s core values (Christian love, excellence, community, family) most resonates with you and why? Christian love. There’s no other love like the love of Jesus. His love gives us the power to put more love out into this world so desperately in need of it.
What does LuHi mean to you? LuHi means my family has a second home.
What are you looking forward to as you step into this role or for the school year in general? Accomplishing a sense of community in the classroom.
What do you hope students learn or gain from your courses this year? That the students will realize how special and unique each and every one of them truly is.
