brian holoubek

Teacher of Queen of Apostles Receives National Recognition

By Alfonso Aguilar
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 4/5/07)

ALEXANDRIA — Teacher Brian Holoubek of Queen of Apostles School in Alexandria recently was among six others recognized nationwide by Louisiana State University for his leadership and dedication.
A native of Shreveport, Louisina, Holoubek has been a teacher of history and religion for the last three years in the school of 220 students from more than 30 countries.
“The school is the best kept secret in the diocese. It’s wonderful to see kids from around the world bringing their culture to us and teaching us about it,” said Holoubek.
“It is a privilege to teach these kids,” said Holoubek, whose classroom shows pictures and stories about national and international celebrities from Africa, Latin America, Europe and the United States.
Other panels hold news clips from newspapers, magazines and journals. “Students learn history and at the same time they discuss current affairs, local and international. At this age, 11 to 14, they pay a lot of attention to the media and analyze it,” he said.
Holoubek was a very active student. He was alumni chapter president at Louisiana State, an organizer of the Mardi Gras event and liaison with other foundations.
He was involved in fields such as recruitment, fund-raising and cultural projects in museums and botanical gardens.
After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Holoubek graduated in 1999. During his time in Baton Rouge, he was a legislative aide for the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Education and worked on congressional and gubernatorial campaigns.
While in school he served at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish as the youth minister and in the Knights of Columbus.
In 2000 he moved to Washington, D.C., to work in the Senate and to study at George Washington University’s school for political management. But soon he changed careers from politics to teaching.
“My heart is in teaching, not politics any more. In teaching you know that you are doing good,” said the teacher.
Holoubek also observed that in politics “you deal in the macro level, in teaching you see a micro level with immediate results.”
His experience in government, military and politics, in addition to his passion for Christ, people and volunteerism, made him a popular teacher.
“He was great. A good teacher, a good leader and a good friend,” said some former students visiting the school and still looking for advice from their former teacher.
“I am accustomed to receiving former students,” said Holoubek in reference to students now enrolled at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria and at Bishop Denis J. O.Connell in Arlington.
In addition to history and religion, Holoubek spends extra time teaching public speaking, critical thinking exercises, life skills, business presentation and research.
The main goal, he said, is to enrich the students’ sense of pride, hard work, leadership, discipline, personal character and adoration for God.
Holoubek, who lives in Arlington with his wife, Michelle, and daughter, Alice Elaine, hopes to pursue additional degrees in education from Marymount University.
“Teaching is a quality of life decision. It’s rewarding watching kids learn and grow in faith,” he said.