From Boulder to Brooklyn: A Will Bangs Story

By: Minan Osman, Class I and Weng Ying Chong, Class I

Photo Credit: Minan Osman and Weng Ying Chong

Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, the newest addition to our history department is a man of many talents and mystery. From chess to improv to film, his interests span far beyond his day job. But where did it all begin for Mr. Bangs?

Growing up in Boulder, Mr. Bangs spent a lot of time outside with his brothers. His summers were spent in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which he visits annually to see family and friends! Ever since he was young, Mr. Bangs knew he wanted to be like his hero Indiana Jones, or in other words, travel around the world and “look at old stuff.” This manifested in an undergraduate career at the University of Colorado, dual-majoring in film studies and history. Later, he completed his Masters right here in New York City attending Columbia University. He considers moving to the “Big Apple” to be his biggest achievement!

When he wasn’t attending classes, Mr. Bangs was working at the library, taking advantage of the opportunity to study in peace, answer questions, and help others in their research. Mr. Bangs describes the job as “way more chill” than being a teacher.

Upon graduating, he began his teaching career in a high school on the Lower East side. That was when his good friend Mr. Arreola (whom you may, possibly, recognize as another history teacher) recommended he make the move over to Brooklyn Latin. Though his friendship with Mr. Arreola was no doubt a perk, Mr. Bangs was also drawn to the focus and rigor of our students.

But hold on a second, didn’t he also study film? Well, before coming to Brooklyn Latin, Mr. Bangs actually taught a film studies class. There is indeed an IB Film course that we don’t currently offer but Mr. Bangs seems hopeful that we may one day. He’s quite the ambitious fellow, though he knows his limits as a first year teacher at Brooklyn Latin, and wants to even the playing field with IB World Religions discipuli by incorporating trips into the History of the Americas curriculum. Godspeed, Mr. Bangs, godspeed.

Mr. Bangs didn’t hesitate to praise our students and school environment, referring to his time at TBLS as his “most fulfilling year of teaching” and stating it was his “platonic ideal school” that he dreamt about when he closed his eyes, which perhaps is the sort of thing teachers dream about. Though he notices students want to do well academically, and finds their passion refreshing, Mr. Bangs hopes to come off as a goofy, less serious teacher than others. Because he himself maintains a strong work-life balance, he hopes to instill those same qualities in his students, prioritizing that they remain passionate about work while being able to relax.

Despite still being a young teacher, Mr. Bangs finds ways to connect with his colleagues through a shared passion for history. Together, they concoct lesson plans and discuss student progress between heated debates about the Roman Empire. Out of all the amazing teachers he’s encountered here at TBLS, though, his favorite is Ms. Braca (sorry Mr. Arreola!). 

As a man of many names, yet hopefully a little less mystery, if Mr. Bangs has piqued your interest and you’re just itching for more information, fear not! Feel free to look him up online! Mr. Bangs is flattered that students continue to seek out his work—mainly his long-standing improv career and work with the Upright Citizens’ Brigade—seeing it as a sign of admiration for their teacher. Or, if the internet is not your style, come talk to him directly! Mr. Bangs is here to stay, as it is only his greatest wish to remain a member of the TBLS community, or in his words “a titanic gator latineer,” for the foreseeable future.