Educated to lead with faith

Commander Chris Meek poses with his family at Nolan Catholic High School. (courtesy/Alex Mechalske)

Esto Dux, Latin for “Be a Leader,” is the motto that has guided students since Nolan Catholic High School opened in 1961. Through its curriculum, extracurricular activities, and specialized programs, the faith-based institution not only prepares its graduates for professional success but also helps them develop the communication, problem-solving, and team-building skills needed to assume leadership roles in society.

Nolan Catholic boasts an impressive list of alumni whose outstanding achievements in public service exemplify “Be a Leader.”

One of them is Commander Chris Meek, the incoming executive officer of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron known as the Blue Angels.

The 2002 Nolan graduate credits his education in Catholic schools for his ability to successfully navigate the rigors of the U.S. Naval Academy and, later, military assignments.

“I’ve been in uniforms since I can remember,” quipped Meek, who graduated from St. John the Apostle Catholic School in North Richland Hills before attending Nolan. “I learned a lot about discipline at an early age. My days at St. John’s and Nolan were pretty regimented.”

While visiting the Naval Academy before the start of his senior year, the structured schedule of the midshipmen seemed like familiar territory.

“I loved it,” enthused Meek, who made the Naval Academy his top college choice. “There was the continuation of challenging academics I was receiving at Nolan, and I loved the camaraderie I saw among the brigade of midshipmen. It was very much like my experience at Nolan.”

Commissioned in 2007 after receiving a Bachelor of Science in systems engineering from the Naval Academy, he earned his Wings of Gold as a naval flight officer in 2008. In that position, he works the radar, navigation, and weapon systems while the pilot focuses on flying the aircraft.

Over the years, the North Richland Hills native served both on the Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and the amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima, and supported combat operations from the air in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.

For the past decade, Meek, his wife Bridget, and their four children have lived in Virginia Beach where he is currently assigned to the Joint Staff J7 handling combatant command-level training exercises.

During a recent trip to Fort Worth to spend time with extended family, the Nolan graduate visited his alma mater and was impressed with recent improvements made to the campus. The new Integrated Design, Engineering, and Arts building and a natatorium featuring a 10-lane, 75-foot swimming pool and spectator area left the former Viking cross country runner awestruck.

“It’s wonderful to see how the school continues to invest in the education of its students and empowers them to be leaders through accountability and the honor code,” the naval officer added. “I know it helped shape me to be a leader.”

Meek, whose dedication to faith, academics, and willingness to serve the community, was recognized with the Chaminade Award at Nolan graduation, said he appreciates the values instilled during his time in Catholic schools. His eldest child, McKinley, will begin her freshman year at a Catholic high school in Virginia Beach this fall.

“I feel a debt of gratitude to all the educators who spent time with us as students,” he said. “It’s important to keep Catholic education strong.”

Meek will assume his role with the Blue Angels during an air show in Pensacola, Fla., on Nov. 8.

A pro-life champion

If you ask Stephanie Klick what shaped her views on protecting the unborn, caring for the disabled, and helping vulnerable families, she immediately credits her years in Catholic school. As a member of the Texas House of Representatives for 12 years (2013–2025), the nurse turned politician was instrumental in achieving significant legislative pro-life victories during her tenure.

“Roe v. Wade was in the background when I was in Catholic school, and I learned at an early age that involved unborn children,” said Klick, who graduated from St. John the Apostle Catholic School and attended Nolan Catholic for ninth and 10th grade. “There was also a lot of discussion about euthanasia so that laid the moral foundation for my work in the pro-life movement.”

Named the Pro-Life Champion of the 88th Legislature by Texas Right to Life in 2023, the North Richland Hills native was applauded for banning partial birth abortions; co-authoring the landmark pro-life heartbeat bill; authoring a bill to ban mail-order chemical abortions; and leading the effort to ensure only girls can participate in girls’ sports.

Focused on issues that spark tremendous controversy, the former legislator never shied away from expressing her opinion.

“I often had to defend my position, but my background in Catholic schools helped me to do that,” Klick asserted. “It wasn’t difficult because I held those beliefs from a very early age.”

After her sophomore year at Nolan, the former legislator transferred to another high school that required fewer credits to graduate.

“I already knew what I wanted to do in college, and I was looking out for myself and my future,” she explained.

But her time in the Catholic high school continued to benefit her in a tangible way. When Klick was placed in the foster care system, a Nolan teacher who learned of her plight offered the teenager a home.

“Peggy Norman and her husband were pretty much my family until she died in 2008,” Klick said, remembering the modern language teacher. “I was blessed with a foster home situation not every child had. They were my cheerleaders throughout life.”

Volunteering as a candy striper at Glenview (now North Hills) Hospital and at a camp for kids with Down syndrome inspired Klick to earn a degree in nursing from Texas Christian University in 1981. She launched her political career in 2012 after working in a hospital and group homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“Health care is a very regulated industry and there were a lot of people making decisions who had no background in it,” she asserted. “Being a nurse helped me explain the medical part of it.”

As chairman of the Public Health Committee, she authored House Bill 3162 which significantly improved protections for vulnerable patients in Texas hospitals who are at risk of having their life-sustaining treatment withdrawn against their will. Under the 1999 Texas Advance Directives Act, hospitals could stop life-sustaining care for patients after 10 days if an ethics committee and physician decided to end treatment.

H.B. 3162 increased this period to 25 days along with other changes.

Now retired from active politics, the former representative of Texas House District 91 is an unpaid consultant helping other lawmakers pass pro-life legislation.

“I had some struggles early in life with a mother who had mental health conditions,” she admitted. “Who I am today is very much based on my Catholic upbringing.”

Civic service

Whether it was volunteering at the parish fish fry or becoming president of the neighborhood association, Carlos Flores always believed in giving back to the community. So when he was asked to run for the District 2 seat on the Fort Worth City Council, the aerospace engineer didn’t hesitate to consider the move.

Elected in 2017, Councilman Flores represents an area that includes the historically Hispanic Northside neighborhood, the Fort Worth Stockyards, and Meacham International Airport.

“I serve in a nonpartisan fashion using critical thinking and objectivity to look at the issues and see how they affect people,” said the University of Texas at Arlington and 1986 Nolan Catholic graduate. “I try to arrive at a decision that will bring the most benefit to the most people.”

Core principles are needed to make those types of judgments.

“My Catholic education grounded me on a good moral footing,” explained Flores, an All Saints parishioner. “A moral center governs us as persons first, but it also affects how we arrive at decisions.”

Critical thinking is another skill the councilman honed in the Catholic school classroom. Some people think a Catholic education is nothing more than religious indoctrination.

“That’s absolutely false,” Flores insisted. “At Nolan we had spirited debates about theology, religious dogma, and even discussed other faiths — our differences and similarities. It was an open discussion, and I appreciated that.”

The back-and-forth dialogue encouraged critical thinking.

“Not just in religion but other facets of life,” he continued.

The third-generation Fort Worth native relies on tools learned during his formative years to help govern the city. Recently elected mayor pro tem, Flores cites improved infrastructure at Meacham Airport, the preservation and development of the Stockyards, and repairs and improvements to the underserved Northside area as notable accomplishments.

“We took a half-cent of our sales revenue and reinvested it in neighborhoods that may have gotten overlooked over time,” he said, explaining how upgraded streets, lights, and sidewalks bring stability to an area. “Our neighborhoods should be vital, supported, and maintained.”

Supplemented by Community Development Block Grants, funds also renovated the Northside Community Center and the branch library, and made public safety additions like more police cameras and enhanced lighting.

With over a million residents, Fort Worth is unofficially the 10th largest city in the country, and the Stockyards welcome more visitors annually than the Eiffel Tower. Continued growth requires effective leadership.

The council member believes Nolan Catholic, a college preparatory school, set him up not only for the next step in his education but also life.

“I’m glad my parents made the sacrifice to put us all through Nolan. It’s a gift,” said Flores, who has four siblings. “I want to give back some of what I received to my city and community. That’s what really drives me.”