Flannels, friendships, and festivities: Catlin Gabel teachers as high school students

By Nina Perov ‘28

From left to right, Charlie Grant, Virginia King, and Mickey Del Castillo pictured in High School. Photo by Nina Perov.

At Catlin Gabel School (CGS), we see our teachers in class, in meetings, or speeding across the quad. These are the familiar environments we catch them in. We think we know a lot about them: their quirks, classroom rules, and personalities; but how often do we consider that the very teachers we are taught by everyday were once students like us? 

They went through the same late night homework assignment you forgot about, the same classes you rolled your eyes going to, and in some cases, like Upper School Counselor Charlie Grant, the same teachers that some of us have today. 

Grant described his high school experience as almost two parts to one whole, saying “it felt like a tale of two selves, in that my freshman and sophomore self felt very different then my junior and senior self.” 

Coming to CGS from a small school called Arbor School Arts & Sciences was already a big change for nervous ninth grader Grant as he adapted to a new environment. Breaking into the CGS bubble didn’t happen overnight for him. One of the things that helped Grant pop into the soapy sphere of high school was through Post 58, an outdoor program which he eventually became president of.

The basketball team was also important to Grant’s high school character. When asked if there was a high school stereotype he would categorize himself as, Grant responded, chuckling, “Somewhere between … like the flannel wearing crunchy kid, and a jock.” People may have underestimated the flannel, but when it came down to the court, you’d have to dribble for your life.  

Through these hobbies, Grant found his place within CGS and felt like he had finally broken in. He still continues to have a love for the outdoors, continuing his passion for rock climbing and flannel wearing today. 

One of the biggest turning points for Grant was in junior year, when his parents moved to Italy. He said, “it was a really formative moment for me.” It made him realize he could be independent when navigating through school, and have the internal integrity to be a good student without the codependence of a parent. 

Some things at CGS never change. Grant’s best memories are the bonfires, senior-first grade buddies, and all of the other iconic moments that make CGS what we know it as today. As for his senior prank, Grant’s class sneakily brought a petting zoo, and placed it right in our very own quad.

Another memory engraved in Grant's mind took place when he was a ninth grader, sitting in beloved English teacher, Ginia King’s English class. Leaning back in his chair, Grant took a tumble backwards, and left his test half blank on King’s rule of: “anyone who falls over in their chair is banished from the classroom.” 

Speaking of King, long before she became our dear English teacher whose classroom rules Grant had to experience firsthand, King’s high school tale began in Middleburg, Va., where she attended Foxcroft School for four years. 

King described the boarding school experience as “a never ending slumber party.” The friendships she made there were one of many aspects she brought with her from Foxcroft. She continues to cherish them today, sometimes flying across the country just to reconnect with friends.

Before starting her high school slumber party journey, King talked about herself as “kind of awkward…most of my friends before I went to boarding school were boys.” Growing up with only brothers, an all girl’s school was a big change for ninth grade King. 

After discovering the joy of sisterhood, King grew to cherish her female friendships because “they just brought so many moments, like where friends helped me out and supported me when I was feeling kind of low.” Even in tough times, like when King barely fell short of being elected for class president, what she took away from that moment was not the sadness. She remembers walking around the school afterwards, her friend taking the time to cheer her up.

Despite describing herself as a nerd, King’s high school experience was far from quiet. She was quite the star athlete, playing varsity lacrosse, varsity volleyball, and vaulting, which is gymnastics on horseback. With that athletic background, it’s not surprising that years later, she was unimpressed when Grant decided to test his balance on “chairback.” 

If you thought her schedule couldn’t fit anything else, you’d be mistaken. King was also a part of the student council, ran the literary magazine, and practiced ballet, sometimes up to four hours a day. How did King possibly have enough hours in the day for this? No one knows. Perhaps she found some extra under the hay in the horse stables. 

Ironically, high schooler King did not imagine herself growing into the amazing English teacher she is today. At Foxcroft, King said she was “good at English, but…didn’t enjoy it.” She didn’t have the intention of following in the footsteps of her English teacher parents. 

However, King said she “rekindled that academic fire” when she attended Yale. King found her enjoyment in the subject through inspiring mentors and professors, leading her to the path she took to today. 

Something King realized later in life was the value she placed on collaboration. 

In high school, she wasn’t encouraged to collaborate with other students. “That’s not something that we did. Your work was kind of your own thing, ” said King. She grew to appreciate that here at CGS, and realized how beneficial it was, which was just one more thing she brought from Foxcroft with her today. 

Mickey Del Castillo’s tale jumps south, to Miami, Fla. Growing up in Miami, there was a lot to navigate for Del Castillo. Not only in the glowing, flashy city, but in a school with over 3,600 students. 

In a big school with all different kinds of students, Del Castillo came across many different characters. “I went to high school with future NBA players…future, like, football, NFL players” said Del Castillo. He, however, categorizes himself on the more academic side of the school, describing him and his friends as a more academic, “underground,” artsy group. 

Outside of school, Del Castillo spent a lot of time experiencing the city, taking in the vibrance of Miami through personal adventures. His sagas span from exploring museums, libraries, and art galleries, to underground nightlife, raves, and the booming music scene of Miami. 

Sometimes Del Castillo could be found in the library cuddled up with a book, other times in a crowd with his friends enjoying music. Once in a while, you might spot him as the one behind the DJ booth.

With bangs and a pierced nose, Del Castillo described himself as the “industrial Goth” type. He proudly proclaims this personality trait “definitely hasn’t left.”

Since high school, Del Castillo has had a passion for social studies, labeling English and humanities as two of his favorite subjects. A particularly bold and memorable moment for Del Castillo was when a fist fight almost broke out between two students in his English class during a discussion. The students in his class were possibly almost as nervous for their next Harkness discussion as the Modern World students are for theirs.

Del Castillo claimed that if his high school self knew he was a teacher today, “he wouldn’t be surprised.” He has always seen himself as an independent thinker, and the city of Miami was very important to this process, helping him thrive in his amazing teaching today. Considering his love of reading, writing, and independent thinking, perhaps it was always something that was meant to be. 

The stories of CGS teachers are not something we can determine just by looking at who they are today. Who could’ve guessed that Grant was flying solo for the last two years of high school, that King was a triple Varsity athlete, or that Del Castillo could have been your favorite DJ in Miami? 

Before they became our teachers, they were all ninth graders figuring out their schedules, students finding their interests, and people that were building who they were. So when you see them around campus, don’t forget they were once students like us, figuring out what their futures would be.