Parting Wisdom: FWCD Teachers Deliver Inspiring “Last Lectures”

The power of storytelling was a theme in the Upper School on April 10 and 11 during announcements. Upper School students, faculty and staff were treated to special presentations by Sil Azevedo, Upper School Photography Teacher, and Shaheen Matuni, Upper School Computer Science Teacher. Both teachers delivered a “Last Lecture” of sorts, highlighting their passions and personal stories as their FWCD careers draw to a close. 

Head of School Eric Lombardi introduced the “lectures”: “As Fort Worth Country Day students, you have some absolutely amazing teachers. I hope you remember the great ones you had in your elementary and middle school days, and I hope you are appreciating the ones you have today as Upper Schoolers,” Lombardi said. “These two are speaking because I have hounded them for years to tell something of their life stories. Sitting at lunch in the FDP day after day six or seven years ago, I started getting to know Mr. Azevedo and Mr. Matuni. Each has had amazing life experiences you might not have heard. 

“Each of these men has decided to leave not only Fort Worth Country Day but also to leave teaching after this year. When they shared with me their decisions to leave, I again asked each of them to please, before they leave the world of schools, before they hang up their teaching togs, to tell our community something of their stories so we can learn from them, not just as a Photography or a Computer Science Teacher, but as people with fascinating life stories.”

Azevedo’s presentation was titled Scenes from Around the World. He shared a slideshow of photography that is meaningful to him – connecting those photos to a trip that he and his wife, Adriana, took in 2016 after a home fire took most of our possessions. The Azevedos decided to reset by taking a 360-degree trip around the world. That trip resulted in a solo exhibition that featured 30 painstakingly curated images (chosen from thousands) from his 12-week expedition to popular and lesser-known destinations, including Madrid, Provence, Dubrovnik, Budapest, Athens and the Himalayas. (He also published a book of photography titled Around the World: In Eightyish Days.) Following the show, Azevedo posed a question to himself: “After all was said and done, I was left with the questions, What did I learn? How was I transformed? What’s Next?”

He shared his passion for photography and his transformation, speaking about the profound beauty he experienced. Azevedo’s “What’s Next” became his tenure at FWCD. “It’s been seven wonderful years I’ve spent with you all,” he said. “The Talmud says, ‘I have learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues and most from students.’ I thank you all.”

Matuni began addressing the ducks in his classroom and clarifying what those ducks meant. “They are called stuck ducks,” he said. “They are supposed to be something you can tell your problem to and it helps you figure out the answer. Have you ever had that phenomenon when you start explaining your problem to someone else and in the middle of it, you say, ‘Wait a minute, ‘now I know what I need you to do?’” 

Those ducks have helped Matuni over the years, and he invited the students to come by his classroom in the Moncrief Library to get a stuck duck. “Before you think, Mr. Matuni surely doesn’t have enough ducks for everyone,” he added. “Thanks to the Class of 2018, I got you covered. Come by for a duck.”

Matuni then dove into a personal story about the gift of family. Growing up in Rendon, Texas, Matuni was surrounded by generations of his family. Because his father died when he was 2, he has had minimal contact with that side of his family. That has recently changed, and Matuni is enjoying learning more about a man he loved and idolized growing up despite not knowing him. 

He had three important sentiments he wanted the students to know: 

1. Learn about your family
2. Be intentional with your time
3. Be curious, not judgemental – everyone has a story

These two teachers will forever be FWCD Falcons and hold a special place in the hearts of students, faculty, and staff. As their careers at FWCD and education come to a close, Azevedo and Matuni leave a legacy of passion, wisdom, and inspiration. Through their final lectures, they shared their professional expertise and glimpses into their personal journeys, reminding us of the power of storytelling and connection.