After 45 years of educating at Manasquan High School, longtime science teacher Jim Freda was honored by students, teachers and administrators with a clap out ceremony on June 13, his last day at work.
Warrior students and staff lined the halls and grounds and gave a roaring round of applause as Freda walked the halls for the final time as an employee.
Freda told The Coast Star, “It was very emotional and very moving. Like I said, every day here has been a blessing for me.”
The clap out ceremony is a relatively new tradition at Manasquan High School that honors longtime teachers and staff members set to retire or move on with the next step in their professional careers, Freda said.
James “Jim” Freda joined the faculty at Manasquan High School in 1980 after graduating from Rutgers University and the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education. Throughout his tenure, Freda taught nearly every science course offered, Superintendent Robert Goodall said. Some of the courses taught included honors physics, lab physics, lab chemistry, AP biology, anatomy, oceanography and marine sciences to name a few.
Looking back at his long teaching career, Freda said one of the main highlights was being able to teach his three children, Christie, Carlie and Tommy, so they were able to get a better idea of “what Dad does.”
Outside of the classroom, Freda was involved in student life throughout his tenure, serving as an advisor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Fishing Club. Freda is a U.S. Coast Guard-certified charter boat captain and serves as Sea Girt’s beach manager, in addition to authoring a weekly fishing column in The Coast Star (see page 44).
At department staff meetings, Freda said he advised fellow educators, “You make it what it is,” hoping to encourage them to take their professional careers to the next level. Throughout his career, Freda received numerous honors and awards including teacher of the year in 1993, Fellowship of Christian Athletes New Jersey coach of the year in 2011 and the governor’s convocation of excellence in teaching in 1993, to name just a few.
Giving advice to fellow educators, Freda said, “Be the best you can be here, with yourself, it will serve you, the kids and the community better. That’s what makes us great.”
While his time educating full-time at Manasquan High School is finished, Freda said this summer working as the beach manager in Sea Girt won’t exactly feel like retirement. Although come September, when the busy summer beach season is finished, Freda said he will continue operating his charter fishing business and await the next journey in front of him “to see where the Lord leads me.”
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