#LasallianLife
De La Salle, Dr. Davis, and Mr. Horan
March 31, 2023
As members of our CBA family, we are all successors to John Baptist de La Salle. We are all heirs to the Lasallian charism.
The beauty of a charism is that it is a gift from God – not meant to be reserved for an individual but to be shared with the world for the benefit of others.
Dr. Leslie Davis was a highly regarded faculty member at CBA from 1990 through 2003. Dr. Davis led courses in science, math, and computer but was also a true renaissance man who inspired others by playing the double bass with the students or developing photography in the dark room. He was a proud heir of the Lasallian educational mission and is described by a former student as, “A very intelligent teacher who taught me more about excellence and responsibility.”
In the fall of 2003, immediately after the retirement of Dr. Davis, CBA welcomed a former ship captain, turned attorney, turned teacher – Mr. Vincent Horan. Though Dr. Davis and Mr. Horan never physically passed each other, the Lasallian charism was transferred, took root, and blossomed through the impactful wisdom of Mr. Horan’s religion course. Much like Dr. Davis, Mr. Horan's vocational calling that led him to CBA offered him the opportunity to touch hearts and inspire minds.
On March 23, the granddaughter of Dr. Les Davis, and graduate of the CBA class of 2019, Talia Zames was recognized as an “Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar” at Rochester Institute of Technology. RIT defines the prestigious award as follows:
“The Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar Award celebrates the top 1% of undergraduate students who achieve academic excellence while also giving back to the community through civic or volunteer work, by conducting research, or being engaged in a co-op or work in their field of study.”
As a recipient of the award, Talia was offered the opportunity to invite an inspirational K-12 teacher to attend the awards ceremony. Talia chose Mr. Horan and she provided the following reflection:
“I am Jewish, and I happened to attend a Catholic high school. Learning, discussion, and reflection were core components of each class. Mr. Horan challenged us to go beyond our comfort zones because it is there that real growth is found, but reminded us that we do not have to walk that journey alone. I choose to honor Mr. Horan because he is a teacher that played a significant role in my growth not only as a student, but as a person. There’s a saying— people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. The warmth and compassion Mr. Horan exudes into his classroom is palpable. The lifelong wisdom he shared and skill sets he helped me hone are invaluable gifts that have shaped me into the person I am today and have helped me form the goals I have for tomorrow.”
The Lasallian mission of helping young people grow closer in their relationship with God, develop their own unique gifts and talents, and further their commitment to building fraternal communities has transcended our history. The gift of Lasallian education was lovingly shared by our Founder and has since been inherited through generations of Brothers, Sisters, partners, Dr. Davis, Mr. Horan, and our entire faculty and staff. Talia’s recognition and remarks exemplify that the Lasallian mission remains a beautiful charism - a gift that is not held by an individual, but continues to be shared with the world for the benefit of others.
Mr. Matthew Keough
President, Christian Brothers Academy
