Often the security staff at Mount Carmel is overlooked. Students are more focused on their homework, clubs, or sports after school. This leaves little time to converse with the security guards. Even though the student body might not have much attention to spare for the staff, the stories of the security guards hold value.
Mr. Roberto Garay monitors the Commons in the afternoon. His passion for wrestling is one of the main reasons he was brought to Mount Carmel. In 1982, Mr. Garay was a senior wrestler at St. Francis de Sales High School. He wanted to be the first state qualifying wrestler from De Sales and was able to make it to the sectional tournament for wrestling, but his match did not quite work out at the beginning.
“I started out really fast,” says Mr. Garay. “I was winning until the pressure of the moment got to me.”
At Mr. Garay’s weakest moment during the first round, three Carmel men came to cheer him on at the edge of the mat, and they cheered so loudly that the referee had to pull them away from the mat.
“It was at that moment I realized I could not let these guys down,” Mr. Garay remembers. “Those guys inspired me, and propelled me to win that match.”
Mr. Garay would go on to place in the top three at sectionals, allowing him to go down state. Ultimately, the cheering of the three Carmel men helped fulfill one of Mr. Garay’s biggest dreams.
“I was the first student from St. Francis de Sales to go down state,” says Mr. Garay. “Only three other guys made it after me, but I was the first one to do it. That would not have happened if those three guys hadn’t been shooed away from the mat while I was wrestling.”
For a while, Mr. Garay decided to coach for de Sales, but he now coaches wrestling at Mount Carmel. It may seem confusing why a man with so much pride for the wrestling of one school would end up coaching for another.
“When my son graduated from grade school, to me it was a no-brainer,” Mr. Garay states. “Mount Carmel would be the best choice for us.”
At Mount Carmel, Mr. Garay was a part of the wrestling coaching staff that won the 2022 State Championship. The name “Roberto Garay” is engraved on the 2022 trophy, along with the names of other coaches and wrestlers. Mr. Garay’s son also found success, winning the Catholic League Championship and becoming a two-time regional runner up and a two-time sectional qualifier.
“I never won a Catholic League Championship, so seeing him win was a thrill for me,” says Mr. Garay. “He had a great experience wrestling at Mount Carmel.”
A new addition to the crew, Ms. Michelle Gaona stands out just as bold. She’s worked on the Chicago police force for nine years, so she has a valuable understanding in protecting and serving the community. Ms. Gaona knows various alumni on her job, her brother graduated from Mount Carmel, so did her cousin, and now her son, Jacob Mosqueda, has begun his freshman year.
“As an adult, you’ll look back and be very appreciative for Mount Carmel,” says Ms. Gaona. “My brother’s made a lot of life long friends.”
Ms. Gaona chooses to put in time at Mount Carmel because of its massive community. She enjoys the liveliness of the student body, the participation of the mother’s and father’s clubs, and the Catholic education offered.
“Everybody has their own group, but at the same time, Mount Carmel is super diverse,” Ms. Gaona remarks. “Not a lot of schools say they’re so diverse, and offer such brotherhood and camaraderie.”
The community at Mount Carmel is something worth protecting to Ms. Gaona, it brings her to a time when things were a lot less complicated. Her story at Mount Carmel revolves around the good hearted nature of campus.
“I enjoy it,” Ms. Gaona says. “I want to make sure you guys are safe. I want to be as much of a mama bear as possible.”
One of the most experienced members of the security team is Mr. Joseph Borvan, an alumni from the class of ‘66. He’s a retired police officer who’s been on the force for twenty-six years. When it comes down to Mount Carmel history, Mr. Borvan is the man to talk to.
“There’s brand new buildings on campus,” Mr. Borvan says. “You guys have the Gram Center, before it was a part of a monastery. We didn’t even have a football field.”
Back in 1966, the majority of the teachers at Mount Carmel were brothers. Zeal filled men like Father Lee, Father Jordan, and Father Blaine were a massive help around campus.
“Overall, everybody was pretty nice,” Mr. Borvan remarks. “They knew their job, and they did it well.”
Mr. Borvan’s late brother, Bob Borvan, also worked security. Bob introduced Mr. Borvan into the role of security as a way to pass time during retirement. Unfortunately on November 30th, 2023, Bob Borvan passed away. He was another hard working Man of Carmel among many and upheld tradition ever since he walked into MC.
All in all, Mount Carmel has an incredibly strong base of security guards to rely on. These are the types of people who would go the extra mile, no matter what. Whether it’s getting to state, or giving students a ride home, our staff puts in more than enough effort for our students.
“If you guys are happy, then I’m happy,” notes Ms. Goana. “If you guys are thriving, then I’ve succeeded in what I set out to do.”
