HAMMOND – Teaching mathematics plus a Catholic environment equals the perfect job for Erica Lick, who joined the staff of Bishop Noll Institute this academic year.
Lick grew up in Schererville, where she still resides, and was enrolled in the Lake Central School Corporation for first through eighth grade. She then attended Andrean High School and continued her studies at Purdue University in West Lafayette.
“It truly was the Holy Spirit who called me to become a teacher – it was not something I thought I would ever do,” she said. “I started off college as an engineering major and switched to education after my first semester.”
Lick loves how math is like a puzzle that she gets to solve. She said, “There are so many approaches and ways to solve things, and I love being challenged to figure that out.”
The position at Bishop Noll is Lick’s first official secondary teaching experience. However, she taught a couple courses at Purdue and also taught in Tanzania while studying abroad.
Lick lived in rural Tanzania for a month and taught math in a secondary school at that time. She explained she took a boat to school every day, and there weren't many resources available so learning involved just the teachers, the students and a chalkboard. She admits it was difficult living without modern luxuries like running water, air conditioning, a toilet, a car and stores.
“It was such an eye-opening experience though because even though the people in Tanzania had next to nothing, they were the most selfless and joyful people I've ever encountered,” she said. “It really shifts your perspective on what's most important in life.”
As a member of the current faculty at BNI, Lick appreciates that the Catholic faith is the center of everything the school does and enjoys being able to share her love of the faith with her students.
“Jesus is the priority every single day,” she said. “We are ordering our lives towards heaven because at the end of the day, that is the most important thing.”
Lick feels there is a strong sense of community at BNI and added that everybody she has met – students, parents, teachers, staff – have been kind and supportive. She believes everyone at BNI truly puts their whole heart into everything they do whether it's academics, sports/extracurricular activities, faith or service.
The most challenging part of teaching, according to Lick, is that there are so many things to keep track of every single day, but that outweighs what she feels is the best part about teaching – the students.
"I think an effective teacher is someone who cares about their students and always encourages them to do their best,” she said. “I hope my students view me as someone who is their biggest cheerleader and who is always willing to help them.”
When Lick is not in the classroom, she is likely cooking, baking, watching Netflix, going for a run, or spending time with friends and family.
Both of Lick’s parents also happen to be math teachers. Her mother, Mary Lick, teaches at Andrean High School. She considers herself a “lifer” in Catholic education, having spent 32 years in Catholic Education, 12 of those in the Diocese of Gary.
“I have loved teaching in the Catholic schools because of the core values of everyone involved; teachers, staff, and students come to school with hope, love, and faith in Jesus Christ,” said Mary Lick.
She said from a young age, her daughter Erica had a good mind for math and problem-solving, so she knew she would find a career that involved those areas. It didn’t surprise her at all that she would “follow suit” and become a teacher.
“Erica will make a great math teacher because of her strong work ethic, her integrity, her patience and her faith,” said Mary Lick. “I hope she finds the same joy in teaching high school for many years to come, just as I have.”
