Mr. Bob Peters is busy writing letters of recommendation for a few of his college-bound senior students ahead of the November 1st early application deadline, but he takes some time to chat about his being chosen Brother Rice Faculty Crusader of the Month for October: “I’m not sure why they chose me,” he confesses. Really?
The impact Mr. Peters has made at Brother Rice High School makes it hard to believe he is only in his fifth year here as a teacher. He is a favorite among his students; he is teaching two new startup business electives—Financial Literacy and Business Entrepreneurship-Honors; he helps coach sophomore baseball; and he can be spotted cheering on the Maroon and Orange at almost every home event. This past month during homecoming week, there was a smiling Peters, wearing oversized gloves in an inflatable jump house, “boxing” one of the students before getting knocked down. Or this past May, there was a tuxedoed Peters, laughing in the receiving line as he shook the hands of Brother Rice prom-goers. Or this past January, there was a quick-buzzing Peters, leading his “MOOPS” team to victory on Alumni Mom’s Club Trivia Night. Like the Internet, it seems he’s always been here.
But that’s not the case… Mr. Peters only recently joined the teaching profession after decades as a successful regional sales manager for companies such as Crayola and Nestle. Leaving the businessworld to return to school to earn his education degree fulfilled a dream he had as a teen. “I always loved the camaraderie, the rallies, the school-spirit when I was in high school, but there was a surplus of teachers back then, so I went into business. However, after I had kids of my own, I really felt the calling to teach and coach, especially at a Catholic high school.”
Brother Rice is better for it. Mr. Peters brings his unique experiences into the classroom, and his students appreciate his perspective. He empowers his students to build habits that lead to success, and he encourages them to practice self-efficacy—the belief that one possesses an intuitive ability to achieve his or her goals. “Let’s face it, attending Brother Rice affords a lot of opportunity for our young men, and our students are fortunate to be able to go to this high school. Still, they mustn’t feel entitled. I teach my students that you have to earn your way through life; nothing is going to be handed to you for free. Get your foot in the door and find mentors—there are plenty of alumni who want to help—but success ultimately comes down to who is self-motivated and willing to put in the work.”
Why Mr. Peters, indeed.
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Brother Rice students are eligible to enroll in Financial Literacy, Business Entrepreneurship-H, or any other business elective classes starting junior year. For more information, contact Mr. Bob Peters: bpeters@brrice.org.
