Matthew Nanguy | On 28, Sep 2018

Even those students who have not had Mr. Gazzale as a teacher know him from his warm daily greetings and the “sucrose” he likes to give out to the members of our winning teams. This is all a reflection of his magnanimous personality.

Hudson Catholic’s longest-tenured teacher, Mr. Philip Gazzale, has been here since 1973. To say his 45 years at the school have been memorable would be an understatement.

Mr. Gazzale enjoyed his first year at Hudson Catholic. He started a new course in human anatomy and physiology, and as a part of that course he covered microbiology.

He loves working with students and he even started a biology club which went on trips including hiking, camping, and collecting specimen. He remembers going to a barn that had burned down and collecting cow bones and putting them in a lab for display.

“The school has changed tremendously,” Mr. Gazzale said as he reflected on his time here. “One of the biggest changes was the addition of girls to the school. They changed the atmosphere and spirit, academic and athletic competitiveness, for the better.”

Mr. Gazzale also remembers a time when Hudson housed 800 students, including a freshman class of 265.

Though the school has undergone many changes, Mr. Gazzale has adjusted and adapted to keep up with the trends, including the integration of technology in the classroom.

We wrapped up our interview by asking Mr. Gazzale to share any words of advice for our student body. He had a lot of inspiring words.

“Do your best in academics and extracurricular activities,” Mr. Gazzale said. He continued, “Never deny yourself an education, because everyone is smart. Be respectful to faculty, other students, and yourself, because being respectful can benefit you in life. Always do the right thing. You go for the good things, avoid the bad things. There are a lot of things in society that will drag you down, so go for things that will lift you up.”

Shortly after we held this interview, Mr. Gazzale was honored at the September 21 pep rally with a personalized soccer jersey and a booming standing ovation from the entire student body.