{"id":127724,"date":"2026-10-23T11:57:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T09:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lasalle.org\/?p=127724"},"modified":"2026-10-23T14:58:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T12:58:25","slug":"lasallian-institute-for-the-formation-of-teachers-answering-the-call-for-education-in-the-city-of-brotherly-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lasalle.org\/en\/lasallian-institute-for-the-formation-of-teachers-answering-the-call-for-education-in-the-city-of-brotherly-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Lasallian Institute for the Formation of Teachers: Answering the Call for Education in the City of Brotherly Love"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cohort II of the\u00a0<\/span>Lasallian Institute for the Formation of Teachers (LIFT)<\/b>\u00a0spent time living, learning and teaching in Philadelphia, from October 3-23.<\/span><\/p>\n

For three weeks, LIFTers Diego Escarfuller and DeWayne Mason stepped into classrooms, lead prayer and served neighbors in need, all within one of the oldest and deepest Lasallian communities in North America.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The visit was more than a stop on the itinerary. It showed a living picture of how the mission of Saint John Baptist de La Salle continues to shape students, teachers and neighborhoods across the Philadelphia region.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

A city shaped by the Brothers\u00a0<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

Few places tell the Lasallian story like Philadelphia. For generations, the De La Salle Christian Brothers and their Partners have educated young people here from elementary school through university.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Lasallian network in Philadelphia includes\u00a0<\/span>La Salle Academy,<\/b><\/a>\u00a0in Olde Kensington; <\/span>La Salle College High School\u00a0<\/b><\/a>in Wyndmoor; <\/span>West Catholic Preparatory High School\u00a0<\/b><\/a>in West Philadelphia; and <\/span>La Salle University\u00a0<\/b><\/a>in the city\u2019s Logan\/Olney area.<\/span><\/p>\n

Together, these schools form a pathway where a student can be taught, mentored and formed by Lasallian educators at every stage. For LIFT participants, that pathway offers a clear view of the vocation they are preparing to join.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

In the classroom at La Salle Academy\u00a0<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

Most of the cohort\u2019s days begin at La Salle Academy, where both LIFTers work alongside classroom teachers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Diego quickly became a fixture in the 3rd-grade room, where students ranked him as the second most popular adult, just behind their teacher, Mr. Rodriguez. He also taught students some new computer skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

DeWayne brought a science lesson to life, teaching 6th-grade students to use microscopes after learning the technique from Brother Tom Sullivan, FSC, at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The cohort also joined in the school\u2019s community life, from meeting the 2026\u20132027 student council to celebrating Founders Day with Sister Margaret and her students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

Service beyond the classroom\u00a0<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

Lasallian formation did not stop at the school door. On a fall Saturday, the LIFTers joined Brother Ed to pack and deliver food to a local organization serving men in need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The work reflected a core Lasallian value: concern for the poor and social justice. It also echoed service the cohort has done earlier in the year, including meal service in New York and Memphis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Five months into the program, both LIFTers described Philadelphia as a place where the idea of teaching became real.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u201cSome of my favorite moments have been working with students, especially working with the 3rd graders in Philly.\u201d \u2014 Diego Escarfuller<\/span>. <\/span><\/i>\u201cBy the time we began our field placements, where we traveled mattered far less to me than who we would meet.\u201d \u2014 DeWayne Mason<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Both men pointed to a personal invitation as the reason they said yes to LIFT. DeWayne, a computer science graduate, credited Brother Danny for first asking whether he had considered teaching. That theme of invitation runs through the whole program, and through Philadelphia\u2019s Lasallian community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

What\u2019s next for LIFT\u00a0<\/b><\/h2><\/div>