As we kick off a new school year, Humans of Delbarton (HOD) is BACK with another profile. Delbarton is filled with dedicated individuals, from students, faculty, and staff, to parents and alumni, and each person has his or her unique Delbarton Experience. To bring these stories to life, in 2022 we launched Humans of Delbarton, a series of personal profiles designed to illustrate what makes Delbarton, well, Delbarton.

The concept for Humans of Delbarton is inspired by a very popular series of profiles and stories known as 'Humans of New York'. The series began as a photography project in 2010 where the photographer Brandon Stanton began to interview his subjects, including quotes and short stories from their lives.

In our first HOD profile of the new school year, meet Delbarton World Language Teacher Dr. Theresa O'Byrne.

Dr. O'Byrne first found her love for language after moving from Colorado to the Bavarian Alps. "I learned a second language early and spent a lot of time outdoors in stunningly beautiful places," she said. After moving back to Colorado, O'Byrne got her undergrad degree at the University of Colorado Boulder. While pursuing a degree in anthropology and history, O'Byrne studied abroad at Universität Regensburg, where she pursued her interest in medieval history. "During my final semester of my senior year, I decided to take Latin for fun, and I was hooked," she says. "Unfortunately, I needed to graduate and move on, so I set Latin on the shelf in my mental cabinet of curiosities. After stints working for a children’s museum and AT&T after college, I returned to school, pursuing a Masters’ degree in Classics."

These combined experiences and fascinations enabled her to work towards another degree through Notre Dame's graduate program in Medieval Studies where she wrote an award-winning Ph.D. "I think my original interest in the Middle Ages began when my elementary school librarian suggested I read a book about Taliesin, a 6th-century Welsh poet," she explains. She pursued this passion through graduate and doctoral studies, focusing on medieval Anglo-Irish literature. Her doctoral dissertation explored the works of 15th-century Dublin author James Yonge. Now she contributes to the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland project, helping to reconstruct historical records lost in the Irish Civil War. O'Bryne's research was published in Speculum: A Journal of the Middle Ages earlier this summer.

Before arriving at Delbarton, O'Byrne began her teaching career at Rutgers in their English Department through an ACLS New Faculty Fellowship. "I found I loved teaching far more than I liked the research and administrative tasks handed to me." After six years at Delbarton, O'Byrne has had many great memories and experiences within our community, one of which was Delbarton's production of Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses. "I went to support the students, expecting a run-of-the-mill high school theater experience, and I was blown away by the high-quality acting and production.  Delbarton’s theatrical productions have never failed to impress me with all that our young men are capable of."
 

As we approach another school year, O'Byrne looks forward to the enthusiasm and drive her students and colleagues bring to the classroom day in and day out. "I love the community at Delbarton, the dedication of my colleagues, and the energy and commitment of the young men entrusted to us. Our young men challenge themselves and us to bring our A-game every day."

Learning a new language can be challenging for anyone of any age. However, O'Byrne and the rest of the Delbarton World Language Department led by Dr. Rachel Carlson make the task manageable and entertaining for our students. "Latin gets reduced to dry grammar rules and texts written by and for people who long ago turned to dust," she joked. "To breathe some life back into the language, I encourage students to learn at least a few spoken phrases of Latin that they can use on a daily basis, and I help students learn new vocabulary and grammar by creating short compositions."  Her favorite lessons are the palate cleansers in between chapters, which she incorporates using a modern tactic: playing YouTube videos in Latin. This helps students listen to the spoken word to reinforce recent concepts or expand their knowledge of Roman history and culture.

When not in the classroom teaching or attending one of Diversity Among Peers (DAP)'s cultural events, during winter months you can find O'Byrne on the slopes as a Delbarton Ski Team coach. "I grew up skiing and knew a little about ski racing," she says. "[As assistant coach] I take care of some behind-the-scenes logistics, represent the team to parents and the mountains, and stand at the bottom of the hill at each race, being 'head cheerleader' for our dedicated racers who never cease to amaze me with their determination."

Beyond Delbarton, O'Byrne is currently an associate researcher for the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland project, responsible for preparing digital information about the St. Anne’s Guild deeds for inclusion in VRTI’s database. She reports that this massive project is an attempt to reconstruct the historical records tragically lost in the explosion and fire at the Four Courts during the Irish Civil War.

In her free time, O'Byrne enjoys outdoor activities with her husband and son, including traveling, camping, canoeing, and hiking. The family of three lives in the charming stone cottage, a former dairy, at the Delbarton South Gate entrance.  They also participate in folk dance events, performing Morris and Molly dances in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She is active in a folk song circle, enjoys sailing tall ships, and participates in Washington's Crossing reenactments. At home, she can be found working on research projects, cooking vegetarian meals, sewing, and doing embroidery. 

Dr. O’Byrne epitomizes the ethos, energy, and eclecticism of so many in our community and we thank her for sharing her interesting background and stories with us!