Photo Courtesy of Notre Dame Academy

DULUTH—A former youth minister turned theology teacher, Jason Gambon believes the best way to connect with students is to learn their passions.  

“The greatest part is getting to connect with the students, getting to know their passions and helping to use those as kind of a bridge to then connect them to the faith,” he said. 

Gambon, 37, has taught theology at Notre Dame Academy since 2019.    

For his work on campus, Gambon was named as the teacher of the year at Notre Dame Academy, an independent Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. He wears many hats at the Duluth school, among them teacher, dean and retreat leader.  

Gambon teaches “the faith with enthusiasm, compassion, and respect,” according to the school’s nomination. 

In his student-centered classroom, he displays his LEGO sets, colorful posters on the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching and a bicycle to illustrate the “Ship of Theseus” paradox for his philosophy students.  

Gambon prioritizes knowing students’ interests and shaping his teaching to their backgrounds, from talking in sports metaphors with student athletes to allowing upper classmen a little fun.  

At one point, a class was reading “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis. The junior and seniors suddenly adopted a British accent each time the text was read aloud, bringing the material to life for them, he said.  

Gambon, his wife, Ashley, and their young son worship at St. Lawrence Church, in Lawrenceville. Before moving into the classroom, he earned a master’s degree in theological studies from Spring Hill College.  

Gambon teaches Introduction to Catholicism and Sacred Scripture and Church History, in addition Philosophy and Apologetics and Moral Theology and Catholic Social Teaching.  

The topics challenge high school students, but his approach to disengaged or discouraged students is rooted in remembering that all students have “inherent dignity” and personal struggles.  

One of his recent achievements has been expanding the ‘Big/Little Buddy Program’ which pairs every high school student with younger students.  

Gambon is enthusiastic about the way it engages students and draws them out. High school students act as mentors with “a chance to kind of hang on to that childhood” by spending time with youngsters and in return, younger students admire them and learn from them. Gambon has witnessed “straight-laced” students surprising him with magic tricks with their buddies. 

The program creates “small moments, but they stick with both students for a long time,” he said.  

With five years of teaching experience, Gambon said he stays motivated by recognizing both the world and the students are constantly evolving.  

“Even if I’m teaching the same stuff year to year, the environment in which I’m teaching it and the people to which I’m teaching it are going to change all the time,” he said. “It is anything but stagnant.”