Back to The C - Mr. Nicholas Berch
by Liam Gatcliffe
At one of the first faculty meetings of the year, AP European History and Research teacher Mr. Kumer arrived, ready to begin, when we heard what sounded like a student.
“Hey, Kumer!”
The same way many of his students address him, this young returning alum, now a staff member, greeted him. Mr. Nicholas Berch, a member of the class of 2010, is prepared to make an impact on the Columbus community in this new chapter of his life.
Background
Mr. Berch teaches freshman World History at both the College Prep and Accelerated levels. He moderates three clubs: the Entrepreneur Club, the Project Connect Club and the Student Wealth and Investment Club. While earning a double major in business management and marketing, he coached several sports in college, including basketball, football, and soccer.
Eager to travel the world, Mr. Berch ventured off the beaten path. He moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to earn a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification. After spending a year there, he returned to Miami and became a physical education teacher at Somerset Academy Kendall. He taught in the classroom for a couple of years before an opportunity to teach at his alma mater arose. As he says, “the rest is history.”
Returning to Westchester Classrooms
Over a decade and a half after Mr. Berch graduated from Columbus, he returned as a teacher.
“Columbus has always been home for me. Coaching here reminded me how special this brotherhood is. When the chance came to teach at my alma mater, it felt like a natural next step and a way to give back to the school that shaped me,” he said.
Berch believes that the classroom should be a mix of discipline and relaxation. He identifies as a “coach first” and maintains strict expectations regarding habits that are important after high school graduation, such as discipline, accountability and effort.
At the same time, he learned the value of “sabai sabai,” which means a relaxed, easygoing approach to life, during his time in Thailand. He often references a quote from freshman English teacher at Columbus, Mrs. Jeannette Gonzalez-Rojas: “connection over curriculum.”
“His presence is positive, confident and proud to be an Explorer. He has a tremendous work ethic and he exudes the Marist charism! He also joins his Brother Dr. Abraham Berch as a member of our faculty. We are blessed to have him teaching, coaching, leading, and mentoring our young men!” said David Pugh, CCHS principal.
Activity in Clubs
In just one quarter of the school year, Mr. Berch is already very active as a club moderator after 2:15 p.m. Among his three clubs, he is always excited to bring students' ideas to life. He asserts that there is always a “business side” to everything, such as writing a résumé or networking. He believes that high school is the ideal time to start building good habits around investing and financial literacy.
“In a classroom there's usually a right answer. In these clubs, students make real decisions with no answer key. They also learn to take initiative, work as a team, and stay confident when things don't go as planned,” Berch said about club activities.
What Brought Him Here, and Where He’s Going
Mr. Berch attributes a lot of his success to the influence of a college professor in an entrepreneurship course and literature that has shown him insight into the business world.
“He [Mr. Rao] taught with so much passion that it lit a fire in me that's still burning. On the reading side, Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich changed how I think about mindset and goals, and I've also learned a lot from Robert Kiyosaki & Tony Robbins' books as well.”
Mr. Berch says he is excited to be back at his alma mater, making a new impact in the next phase of his teaching career.
“I'm excited to experience all of it from this side: the events, the traditions, the games, and everything in between. Most of all, I'm looking forward to watching my students grow and seeing what our clubs can build by the end of the year.”
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