Published April 3, 2025
BY TULLAH MCCOLL
In his 33 years at Carmel High School, English teacher Dale DePalatis continually changed the lives of students and colleagues through his genuine passion for language and expressing oneself,
Since joining the CHS community in 1992, DePal, as students call him, has worked hard to create opportunities for students to discover and pursue their passions. He took over leadership of the Carmel High School Foundation; championed the Ron Stoney Educational Pathways Program and the Tyler Fellowship Program; advised the Yearbook class, and, previously, advised The Carmel Sandpiper, all in hopes of aiding his students’ ambitions.
DePalatis found that when students are writing in order to create something they care about, like the yearbook, they want to improve their writing more than any other class assignments, which he enjoyed being able to aid their success in.
Around 2008, DePalatis started the project for which he will be most remembered and in which every sophomore at CHS has participated: the Carmel High School Poetry Slam.
Since starting to advise the CHS yearbook, DePal has enjoyed helping students improve their writing in order to make something they care about. (courtesy of DALE DEPALATIS)
“I’ve always loved poetry and feel like it has so many purposes in life,” DePalatis shares. “It can help make sense of the world around you, it is something that can be used for social protesting, it can be something used to declare your love for somebody else…it’s a powerful way of expressing your emotions.”
After attending an English teachers convention where he was introduced to the idea of student poetry slams, DePalatis began experimenting with an in-depth poetry unit for his English Honors sophomores, and then an individual class competition for prizes. Eventually, all teachers of sophomore English became interested in the idea and decided that the top poet in each class would compete with the others.
Every spring the theater hosts the final event for parents, friends and classmates to watch.
“Though not everybody enjoys writing poetry, it’s such a great medium for self-expression at a time in life where you’re bursting with feelings and ideas,” says English teacher Barbara McBride.
Both DePalatis and McBride describe the importance of this activity for sophomores specifically. The sophomore class doesn’t get a lot of attention compared to the new freshmen, college-focused upperclassmen and graduating seniors. The poetry slam not only helps students become more comfortable speaking in front of their peers, but is intended to bring the grade together by the end of the year.
“Most other forms of writing are for the purpose of explaining or convincing people of things. Poetry is stuff that describes things we care about,” explains DePalatis. “When you speak about the things you care about, there’s a kind of magic. Parents are kind of blown away by what their kids have to say.”
The poetry slam is one of the many ways since he began his teaching career 40 years ago that DePalatis has consistently worked to help students learn more about themselves and find their voices.
“He gave the gift of poetry to thousands of students at Carmel High,” says English teacher Shelley Grahl.
Although teaching became his life’s passion, DePalatis had originally intended to go into the medical field after graduating from Stanford University with an English bachelor’s degree.
DePal and his wife, Caroline, plan to embark on a reconnaissance trip across Europe after his retirement. (courtesy of DALE DEPALATIS)
After spending about six months working in a hospital, DePalatis’ junior year high school English teacher reached out to meet up for tea. Having heard of the Chaucer and Middle English course DePalatis had taken at Stanford University, she asked if he would come to teach her British Literature class about it. After three days, DePalatis was hooked on the idea of teaching, and shared thinking it would be fulfilling to work with people who could listen and learn from what he has to say. So, he went back to Stanford for a Masters of English Literature, and then to University of Alaska, Anchorage, to get bachelor’s degree in education and obtain his teaching credentials.
“He’s kind, thoughtful, and he really, really loves literature and believes in its power to transform lives,” expresses McBride, a 30-year-long colleague and friend of DePalatis. “He deeply believes English, as a content, should be learned, savored and enjoyed.”
His contributions to the dynamic of the English department will be missed.
“He represents a different generation of English teachers who really focus on the importance of classic works of literature and imparts his love of discussing great books to his students,” shares Grahl.
McBride expresses the comfort she has felt over the years knowing DePalatis is just across the CHS quad and says she will miss their shared love of dark chocolate, tea and “The Dead Poets Society,” but most of all his wise words and sage presence on campus. McBride also expresses a feeling that DePalatis has always tried to be a teacher similar to Mr. Keating in “The Dead Poets Society,” who urges his students to think for themselves and live their own extraordinary life.
“He is the most level headed person that I know,” says McBride. “[He has] that sort of ‘everything’s going to be okay’ attitude. DePal is like the school dad. He’s like family.”
Despite the sense of loss on campus anticipated for next year, teachers and many of those who have worked closely with him, are looking forward to DePalatis being able to explore and immerse himself in the things he deeply enjoys, like traveling, learning about other cultures and reading all the books he has yet to have time to.
“I love students and talking about life, literature, poetry, ideas, and I don’t feel like I’m tired of teaching and what I’m doing here,” says DePalatis. “I want to try to have some other experiences in my life.”
DePalatis and his wife, Caroline, plan to travel across Europe after his retirement. From traveling Spain, Italy and Germany to visiting their eldest son in Ireland to wherever else the wind takes them, DePalatis desires to expand his mind in different ways while exploring other parts of the world.
“I just love being in other cultures, especially ones that don’t speak English. When everything is different, it makes you more alive somehow,” says DePalatis. “I’m looking forward to having that experience again.”
DePalatis explains that even trying to figure out a food label at a grocery store in a foreign country, although sometimes frustrating, expands people’s minds in a way that cannot happen in a place of sameness.
Having taught in Japan for a few years, DePalatis shares that he would be open to the idea of teaching internationally again if the opportunity presents itself, and he feels his ability to speak Japanese, Italian and German, at a high enough level of understanding would help this possibility.
DePalatis says he hopes to continue to learn new things, have new experiences and see more of the world during this new phase of his life he will soon embark on.
“I would like to be considered as a teacher who cared about his students,” expresses DePalatis. “And I don’t mind if they call me ‘the poetry guy.’”
This year’s sophomore poets will compete in the finals April 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the theater and be a part of DePalatis’s final poetry slam.
