The days of students memorizing dates and state capitals and sitting through boring lectures in history class are long gone.
That’s according to Christopher Maraschiello, who is an educator at the Hamilton High School – Freshman Campus. He’s been teaching history in the Hamilton City School District for a few decades.
It wasn’t always his plan to be a teacher: Maraschiello says he was headed toward law school when he was an undergraduate at Miami University, but plans changed.
“During my senior year, I was presented with the opportunity to continue my graduate studies in the history department as a graduate assistant. After teaching undergraduates at Miami and getting a Masters in history under former Miami president Dr. Phillip R. Shriver, I took a gap year. I worked and decided to get a Masters in Teaching Social Studies from Miami,” he said. “I student-taught at old Wilson under the dean of Butler County history — the late Jim Blount. When he retired in 1994, I became his successor at Wilson.”
HHS Freshman Campus principal Jesse Wiesbrod says Marascheillo makes a large impact on students.
“He is one of the most dedicated people I know to immerse himself in ways he can make a positive impact for all,” she said. “Spend 5 minutes in his classroom and you will immediately see a classroom environment that is intentionally created with students to positively impact learning for all that walk through Room 224.”
To make things fun and interesting for his history students, Maraschiello has them think like historians.
“I teach them that history is an argument about the past that needs to be actively engaged in. The last three years have proven the necessity to possess critical historical thinking skills and to use history to understand the present and plan for the future. History must be relevant and useful in our kids’ lives,” he said.
Maraschiello and his wife Tracy, an English teacher at Hamilton High School, have two kids. Nick is a junior at Badin High School and Kate is a sixth-grader at Queen of Peace. He is an avid reader who serves on the Parish Council and Education Commission at Queen of Peace, where he is also a lector.
Other activities he is involved with include being on the board of trustees for New London Hills Swimming and Tennis Club, serving as a civil service commissioner and he has served on Hamilton’s Charter Review Commission. There’s more:
“I am working the early desk shift at the Central Y as well as the Booker T. Washington Community Center. I am also a founding member of the Hamilton Bourbon Guild,” he said.
It’s important to share your talents with your community, he advises.
“The transformation of Hamilton is truly astounding, but should not be any surprise. We have great people, parks, arts, architecture, history, restaurants … and positive momentum. I encourage everyone who lives and works in Hamilton to get involved.”