Saint Ignatius College Prep offers junior and senior students the opportunity to attain the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy and the Global Seal of Biliteracy.
The Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy and the Global Seal of Biliteracy are awarded to students to certify that they are biliterate in English and one or more world languages. A biliterate person must be able to read, write, speak, and understand another language in addition to English at the intermediate high or greater proficient level.
One of Matthew Sparapani’s greatest inspirations is his father, an English professor.
When Sparapani saw his dad’s passion for sharing knowledge and helping students, he knew that he, too, wanted to become a teacher. He also loved books. Having grown up reading C.S. Lewis, Lord of the Rings, and a range of literature that got his imagination going, Sparapani cultivated a curiosity about the world around him. An avid learner, he focused on two languages that contributed to civilization building: Latin and Greek.
When it came time for his job search in the field he loved, the only available, full-time Latin teaching position was at Saint Ignatius College Prep. Sparapani had never heard of the school. He said, “It felt like a sign from God leading me to teach here.”
Latin has been part of the Saint Ignatius curriculum for 154 years. So Sparapani feels like he’s “part of continuity” when it comes to preserving the historical legacy of Latin at the school. He’s even taken the tradition and used it as a platform to explore new ways to enjoy the language. That’s how Latin Days, a fun, deep-dive into the classics for the Junior Wolfpack, came to be. Sparapani also leads the Classical Odyssey which is a trip to Italy and Greece, and he guides the Classics Club and Latin Honors Society.
When he’s not in the classroom, you’ll find Sparapani coaching Freshmen Boys Soccer and JV Girls Soccer. In any free time that’s left, he and his wife Alison travel the world and enjoy photographing nature in the places they visit. Some of Sparapani’s favorites include Italy, South Africa and Iceland. He and his wife have written two books that highlight nature photography and hiking. They also have a blog (https://takeahikephotography.com/ ) in which they share the beauty of nature they’ve been fortunate enough to see first hand. It’s not a traditional classroom, but in a way, it’s teaching!
Sparapani says, “The longer you teach, the longer you love it.”
Saint Ignatius College Prep
Saint Ignatius College Prep, a Jesuit Catholic school in the heart of Chicago, is a diverse community dedicated to educating young men and women for lives of faith, love, service and leadership.