By Deacon Matthew Hecker, Ph.D.
Cody Waldman said he knew he wanted to be a teacher, but he admitted he never saw himself being a teacher in a Catholic school.
Waldman grew up in Hickman, Nebraska, a member of St. James Parish in Cortland. He attended Norris Public Schools. Following graduation, Waldman enrolled at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) to pursue a degree in education, with emphasis on secondary social studies and Spanish.
While at UNK, Waldman was a student resident at the Newman Center for three years. In exchange for living at the Newman Center, he said he had light duties around the grounds – mowing and cleaning, in addition to leading Bible studies. There, he grew a deep love for his Catholic faith.
And it was there that he met his future wife Autumn, a nursing student, who was also a Newman Center student resident. Waldman said it was the first time he began to think about teaching in a Catholic school.
However, after graduation, Waldman accepted a public school teaching position in Ravenna. Cody married Autumn and soon they were expecting their first child. The couple decided they wanted to raise their family closer to Lincoln.
With more opportunities for both teaching and nursing positions, Waldman began to search for jobs. That’s when he found his current position, teaching Spanish at Bishop Neumann High School in Wahoo. Autumn found a nursing job at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, and has since moved to a position at Saunders Medical Center just outside Wahoo.
In addition to classroom teaching, during his time at Bishop Neumann, Waldman has been a co-sponsor of National Honor Society and until recently, the sponsor of Student Council. Bishop Neumann recently moved away from a student council and adopted a “community” model; a way of organizing students across grades in the school into smaller, family-type groups. Waldman said he really enjoys the new model.
“It allows students to develop such a strong sense of community and unity,” he said. Waldman serves as the dean of the St. Jose Sanchez Del Rio community.
“I love being a classroom teacher,” said Waldman. He laughs, “I told the administrators I wouldn’t want their job. I just love watching the students develop their Spanish language skills.”
One of Waldman’s favorite days every year is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“The all-school Mass that day is said in Spanish and fourth-year Spanish students lector and lead the school in Spanish responses to the prayers said at Mass. Then, they continue the celebration with lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, speaking entirely in Spanish. Seeing their ease of speaking a foreign language is really satisfying.”
During Lent, Bishop Neumann Spanish students select a Latin American country. They study the country and its culture. They pray, fast, and raise donations for a Catholic charity operating in the country.
“I ask students to fast from something they might otherwise consume, even if it’s only a candy bar, then donate the amount of money they would have consumed. Every year, we raise between $500 to $900. I also ask students to write a reflection paper on what they learned from the experience,” said Waldman.
In reading those reflections, Waldman said, he sees students “come to realize how blessed they are in comparison. I also see how they embrace the works of mercy and grow in their appreciation for the Universal Church.”
When asked what he most liked about teaching in a Catholic school, Waldman said, “We literally have Jesus in our building. No sports program, no academic enhancement program can top Jesus. I can talk to students about what Jesus is calling them to do with their lives.
These are conversations and connections that aren’t possible at a public school. We’re not just educating students; we’re forming souls for Heaven.”
Waldman and his wife, Autumn, are the very proud parents of seven children: Elijah, age 12; Gabriel,10; Lucas, 8; Jonah, 5; Maren, 3; Noah, 1; and baby Edith, 5 months old. They are members of St. Wenceslaus Parish in Wahoo.
Waldman will receive his award Oct. 15 at the second annual “Saints & Scholars” dinner to celebrate Catholic schools, educators and benefactors in the Diocese of Lincoln. All are welcome to attend. See www.goodshepherdscholarship.com for more details.
