This reflection was delivered during an all-school Fenwick Connect assembly, a meaningful part of the Fenwick experience that encourages reflection, communication, and community. As part of Fenwick Connect, every student is required to deliver a speech at some point during their time at Fenwick. Topics may address any subject meaningful to the student. The following reflection was offered by the chair of Fenwick's Science Department, Mr. Alan DeLorenzo, and was the first non-student reflection.

One of the greatest gifts of a community like Fenwick is that, when we take the time to listen, we can begin to understand the journeys of the people we pass in the hallways every day. My path here was not carefully mapped out or driven by a long-term plan. In many ways, it was unexpected. But when I look back now, it feels deeply intentional.

My arrival at Fenwick began simply enough: a job posting, an application, a resume passed along, and a conversation that led me here. Yet the decision to leave the comfort and familiarity of my family's business and step into education was far more personal than professional. It was shaped by loss, by love, and by the lasting influence of someone who continues to guide me every day -- my twin brother, Jeff.

Jeff was my lifelong "womb-mate," my constant, and my compass. Eight years ago, on a dark winter night, I lost him in a sudden car accident. He had left for the gym after dinner with my dad, a routine he had repeated countless times before. On the way out of the neighborhood, a driver crossed the double line around another car and hit his truck. Jeff wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and he died after being thrown from the vehicle and suffering severe injuries.

There is a saying that you don't fully realize someone's impact until they are gone. I have found that to be painfully true not only with my brother, but with many people who have touched my life. Losing Jeff changed the way I see time, purpose, and the way we show up for one another. It is also why I believe it matters to share this story -- not for sympathy, but as a reminder of how fragile and unpredictable life truly is.

To understand Jeff is to understand the values that ultimately led me to Fenwick. He lived by the idea, later popularized by Ted Lasso through Walt Whitman, to "be curious, not judgmental." As children, in swimming lessons, we once met a girl with one arm. While I tried awkwardly not to stare, Jeff walked right up to her and asked, "What happened to your other arm?" There was no malice or discomfort -- just genuine curiosity. That simple question sparked a real friendship. For Jeff, curiosity was never invasive, always open-hearted, and was an honest act of empathy.

After he died, I discovered something else about him: Jeff kept a journal. Whenever anyone asked how he was doing, he responded, "Living the dream." His journal reflected that spirit.

In it, he wrote what he called his "15 rules for life." Here they are.

1. Form meaningful, long-lasting relationships

2. Find a community and participate in it

3. Vary your routine

4. Surprise yourself

5. Find reasons to celebrate

6. Devote yourself to something greater

7. Work hard

8. Set goals and work toward them

9. Discover your talents

10. Make mistakes and learn to live with them

11. Be active

12. Eat well

13. Keep learning

14. Be the best version of yourself

15. Do all things in moderation

The final line in his journal, written on March 27, 2017, read: "I'm going to need a new journal -- my life is growing." He died the next day.

When Fenwick came into my life, it felt like more than a job opportunity. It felt like a chance to live out the values Jeff believed in so deeply. Teaching -- and doing so within a faith-filled, values-driven community -- allowed me to honor his legacy in a meaningful way. Yes, grades and tests matter. But what truly drew me here were the people, the culture, and the shared belief that education is about forming the whole person.

Seven years later, the reason I stay is simple: the people. It is colleagues who bring laughter into long days, students who remind me why curiosity matters, and a community that values relationships. Fenwick allows me to live Jeff's lessons every day -- lead with empathy, remain curious, and treat each day as a gift.

So, when you see me in the hallway smiling and saying, "Living the dream," know that it is more than a catchphrase. It is a tribute, a reminder, and a promise to keep my brother's light alive.

Why I came to Fenwick was about finding a place where I could live out Jeff's legacy. Why I stay is because this community allows me to do exactly that -- every single day.



ALAN DELORENZO IS A FACULTY MEMBER AND CHAIR OF THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AT BISHOP FENWICK HIGH SCHOOL IN PEABODY. FENWICK IS A CATHOLIC, CO-ED, GRADE NINE TO 12 HIGH SCHOOL PROVIDING EDUCATION FOR LIFE TO STUDENTS FROM OVER 40 TOWNS AND 80 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.