This month our Alumni Spotlight is on Tim Allen from the Class of 1965.

Tim began his education at St. Bernard’s as a first grader in 1953 and attended SB until he graduated in 1965. In high school Tim was active in football, baseball, and basketball for all four years and also was in Drama, Madrigal Choir, Glee Club and Student Council.

Tim reflected on some high school memories that certainly have not dimmed with time.  He remembers entering Mr. (Jack) Savant’s English class for the first time and deciding rather quickly that he wanted to be a teacher as passionate and as good as he was.  He also remembers spending many hours at Joey Waters’ house across from the high school.  He recalls being very proud when he got his front tooth broken his freshman year tackling senior Jim Brown and then going home and seeing how upset his mother was. Finally, he clearly remembers when all the senior boys were locked/kept in a classroom until someone (the culprit) confessed to drawing breasts on the habits of nuns on the cover of a magazine that they were reading in Religion class!

After high school, Tim was off to Humboldt State College where he earned his BA, MA, Teaching Credential, and Administrative Credential.  His first teaching job was at Arcata High teaching English and coaching baseball and football. He also did a stint as Director of Student Activities.  He then spent a year at McKinleyville High (Dean of Students) followed by jobs at Neff High School in La Mirada (Reading Coordinator), and El Toro High (Assistant Principal).   During this time, Tim was also a consultant for the California State Department of Education for the Right to Read Initiative.

He  then began working with and overseeing programs dealing with treatment of substance abuse for teenagers and for adults.  He also was instrumental in implementing counseling, support services, and drug programs for all Los Angeles area professional sports teams.

For the past six and a half years Tim has been the Executive Director of the Carlston Family Foundation.  The Foundation annually honors outstanding California public high school teachers who have been nominated by former students who believe their former teachers have had a significant positive impact on both their personal and academic lives.

Tim and his wife of 31 years, Kayla, live in Newport Beach and are parents to Jeremy and Trisha and grandparents to Julian, Sean, and Dylan.

Tim has attended almost all of the Alumni “All School” Reunions and has participated in about 12 of the SB Alumni Golf Tournaments and remains in touch with several friends from his high school years.  One ’65 SB classmate that comes to golf with Tim is Milt Iskra from Dallas, Texas.  Tim reflected on how he and Milt got reacquainted in 1976. Tim was stuck in bumper to bumper traffic in Southern California and looked over and saw Milt’s familiar face in a red VW bug.  They reconnected again for a while before losing touch, but as fate would have it, met by chance a few years later in a bar in El Toro, California.  SB grads do get around!

Tim believes that the education he received at SB prepared him not only for a successful academic career, but also a curiosity for life-long learning and a desire to serve and assist others in need.  His career path clearly demonstrates that he has gone in the direction of helping  and serving others.  Great work, Tim.  We are proud of you!