Gorham native, Jon Day (GHS ’10), was recently honored by Bridgeton Academy (BA) where he teaches English, serves as the assistant football coach, a focused academic coach and a dorm director.
Bridgeton Academy (BA) is a nationally ranked boarding school specializing in college-prep post-graduate programs for young men. The 50-acre campus, located in the western Lakes Region, houses 170 students.
A 2011 graduate of the Academy himself, Day was honored to be selected from a group of student-nominated candidates to receive The Andrew F. Staub ’04 Faculty Professional Development Award. The award recognizes a faculty member who has mastered their discipline, who fosters academic development in their students and who shows a genuine concern for the young men in his care.
Dean of Academics, Jamie Izaryk said, “Jon’s connection with, and impact on our students is simply outstanding. He relates to our guys on so many levels: as an alumnus, a former college student-athlete, and as a current teacher/coach. Jon brings a down-to-earth, process-driven approach to his students, which clearly has positive effects on the experience of our students.”
Photo credit: Bridgton AcademyDay spoke about how much BA meant to him as a young man. He described himself as a decent (3.0) student at GHS. He was sports-oriented, serving as captain of the football and basketball team his senior year. He also ran track and was involved in the musicals, starring in the role of Tony in “West Side Story” and other musicals. Day said he particularly enjoyed English class with Johnathan Werner and physics with Sally (Hatch) Gherardi, but academics were not a focus for him.
Day candidly admitted that he did not feel quite ready for college, academically or in terms of his athletic skills. During the year he spent as a student at BA, he worked really hard. That extra year produced great results both on and off the field: he brought his GPA up to 3.8 and gained mental and physical toughness, as well. “I left a much-improved student and athlete,” he said. Day went on to play Division III Football at Wesleyan College in Connecticut, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in 2015.
Following graduation, Day was hired as an assistant football coach at Albright College in Pennsylvania. But when his former coach at the Academy, Rick Marcella, called and asked him to come coach, teach, and mentor, Day didn’t have to think twice about coming back to live and work in Maine.
Life has a funny way of working out. When asked about what he likes best about his job: coaching, teaching, or mentoring…hands down Day says that the mentoring he does as a focused academic coach is the most rewarding. Working one on one, he helps students set goals, stay on track and learn how to work hard and smart. He finds enormous satisfaction in watching his students grow. He said, “I have one really intense year to help them learn that what you put in is what you get out.” He added, “Focused academic coaching was how I learned I was in love with teaching.”
During the summer, Day travels to scout players at places like the New England Elite Football Clinic held at Tufts University. When not at work, which is rare, Day loves to boat and fish on Long Lake.
Day is the son of Karen Farley and Jon Day, and the devoted grandson of Grandmother Pamela Russo, who passed away in November. His brother, Aiden Farley, GHS ’22, will play football at Bridgeton Academy in the upcoming year.
Jon can be reached at jday@bridgtonacademy.org