Most ILS students recall Mr. Danilo Recinos as the gentleman on the cafeteria stage who addresses everyone through a microphone.

Beyond that role, Mr. Recinos teaches the course, World Religions, a class only available to take if you are a senior. twelfth grade. In the 20 years he has taught at ILS, he has educated students in all types of theology-related subjects.

“I have wanted to teach since I was a freshman in high school,” he said.

One night he dreamt of what it might be like to teach theology someday. Before his arrival to ILS, he taught at another Salesian school. Fast forward to the present time, and it has been close to two decades since he became part of the school community.

“I found this place and it became like a home to me,” he said.

Mr. Recinos feels fortunate to have always had a wonderful relationship with God. Growing up, he enjoyed spending time studying psychology, philosophy, and theology.

“In the end, theology seemed to be the one that drew me in the most, and helped me continue to foster my relationship with God, learn more about God, and teach others about God as well,” he explained.

Mr. Recinos believes that relationships may be easy to form, but they are harder to maintain. Therefore, everyone needs to make an effort to see a future.

“We must also dedicate time and work which is no surprise that relationships are visualized as a weakness sometimes among  the young in our community. Teens can at times fail to share time with their parents, and especially, with God,” he said.

In so doing, some teens may distance themselves from the idea of going to Mass, or spending any time at church. As in any significant relationship, he wonders, “What’s the point of it without some sacrifices made along the way?”

With all the people Mr. Recinos has encountered in his years as a teacher, he has particularly noticed how coming in as a freshman here at ILS and going through the entire program, all the way through senior year, there are a lot of core values and morals absorbed each year. At first, he says, it may be hard to recognize these lessons, but within the eyes of the Salesian community, he notices an inner personal growth of students.

“I try to be the teacher who helps students prepare for ‘the real world’,” he said.