Getting the boot at the age of sixteen, Matt Santambrogio made a life changing decision.
Santambrogio handles struggle with apparent ease. Photo by Ed Gloor.
After seeing a friend walk down a path that led to jail time, TJ English Teacher Matt Santambrogio put his DIY ethic to the test, determined to make it on his own at a young age.
Having bills to pay, school to attend, and making the right choice can be a sobering experience for a teenager. But, with the help of some lessons imparted to him by his father, and creative outlets at school to keep him focused, Santambrogio hit the pavement in stride. “I can think of things that have definitely shaped who I am. I would definitely say that being on my own at sixteen was a critical event in my life. I know that the route I was taking and the choices I was making prior to that point weren’t leading me anywhere good. And having been forced to grow up and make decisions on my own and only having myself to be accountable for them certainly was a huge factor in my life,” said Matt.
As a kid, his dad taught him and his brothers a lot of handiwork, learning things from how to work on cars, to how remodel homes. This hands-on experience continued in high school, where he took shop class and found a love of auto mechanics. Although he loves teaching, Matt says there is something about working with his hands that keeps him coming back. “Auto mechanics is one of my favorite hobbies. It’s great because it can be so stressful and so challenging, while at the same time so rewarding when things go right. But when things go wrong you never want to see it again. I’ve had times where I have stuck the truck on Craigslist and said, ‘I’m tired of working on it, I don’t want to deal with this anymore.’ But then when you finish it, it’s probably one of the most rewarding [experiences]. Visibly seeing something that you have created live again, in a Frankensteinian sense, is a pretty remarkable thing.”
Before Santambrogio became a shaper of young minds, he held various other jobs. “I have been teaching for seven years; this is my fourth at TJ, but before I came to TJ I taught 7th grade English at Rishel Middle School for two years. I have worked in almost any type of job imaginable, from sales to food service, a roadie, a tattoo shop manager, a construction worker, a pyro-technician, an electrician, and a motorcycle mechanic/builder. Many of these jobs were occasionally more exciting and financially lucrative, but none are as rewarding as teaching.”
Many people may love something, but that doesn’t mean they do it well; but this is not the case with Santambrogio. Walking into his classroom, the students may seem laid back, but make no mistake, Santambrogio runs his class with respect. Mateo Rocha, a student in his 3rd period College Prep Literature class, realized that as soon as he joined the class midyear. “Santam seems like a really fair and approachable person. For example, I wanted to switch into his class mid semester. When most teachers might not be as willing to accept me, he more than welcomed me into his class. I believe that in his classroom there is a certain line of respect that both he and students live up to. He lays down the rules, and if you cross them there will be consequences. It’s not like he demands respect, I just give him respect. He doesn’t have to yell at a student to let them know they’re doing something they’re not supposed to. He says what he needs to say, frankly, and everyone listens,” said Rocha.
If he wasn’t teaching right now, Matt says he would be doing something equally as rewarding. “I think if I wasn’t teaching I’d be working on motorcycles. I could never sit in an office all day or in a cubicle or on a computer.” Although auto mechanics is first on his list, another one of his options may be surprising. “I thought about occasionally trying to open a jewelry business. I did a lot of jewelry making when I was in college for elective classes. I really enjoyed that because it is all individual and you don’t really answer to anybody. So I think if I wasn’t teaching I’d be doing something on my own.”
Some people may shrink in the face of adversity, but an individual who has been tested as Matt has rises to the occasion. “I remember losing my best friend. It sort of skews your whole view on what’s really most important to your life, you know? I definitely hope there is more to come. I know that there will be things that I will be forced to deal with and forced to see in my life. That’s tough to look at now and think, ‘Oh this is how I’m going to react to this.’ But I certainly hope there is more to come because that means that there is more life to live, and that there is more to learn from.”
