Jonathan Desmarais ’07
As a high school literature teacher who majored in music, Jonathan Desmarais works daily to make an impact on the next generation.
“One of the biggest parts of my teaching career has been defined by the pursuit of social justice, and that manifests itself in my teaching,” said Desmarais of his job at Logos Academy in York, Pennsylvania.
It’s a passion that was sparked on Messiah’s campus.
“I grew up in a Christian household, but I didn’t get my faith challenged until I was at Messiah,” he explained. “Then I got to see how the Gospel was actually lived out in the real world.”
Logos, a private Christian school, uses a sliding scale for tuition. As a result, every family contributes financially, but many students also receive scholarships annually.
To boost the scholarship fund, Desmarais hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail during summer vacation last year to raise money for Logos. He walked 832 miles and raised almost $5,000.
“I love hiking,” he said, “and it was a good way to spread the word about Logos.”