Full Circle: Cassie (Byrd) Echegaray ’07 Finds Her Way Home

In the spring of 2007, Cassie (Byrd) Echegaray ’07, stood on the softball field as cheers erupted around her. The Scecina Memorial Crusaders had just won the state softball championship, a victory years in the making and one that captured everything she loved about her Eastside Catholic community.

“We worked so hard from the time we were freshmen to get there,” Echegaray said. “Winning State was magical. It showed us what dedication, teamwork, and faith could do.”

Nearly two decades later, that same spirit of faith and community led her back home, this time as a teacher and now vice principal at Little Flower Catholic School, just blocks from where her Crusader story began.

“Coming back to the East Deanery feels like coming full circle,” she said. “This community raised me, and now I get to help guide its future. It’s a blessing I never expected but one I’m deeply grateful for.”

From the Field to the Classroom

Echegaray attended Scecina from 2003 to 2007 and threw herself into student life, from school musicals and spirit weeks to Friday night football games. But her greatest passion was on the softball field. With guidance from longtime coach Tom Moorman, she developed the drive and discipline that would shape both her playing career and her life.

“Coach Moorman pushed me to be the best player I could be,” she said. “He taught me grit and perseverance, qualities that carried me far beyond the field.”

That drive led her to Trine University, formerly Tri-State University, where she played collegiate softball while earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After several years of designing and building infrastructure projects, she realized she was being called to a different kind of foundation building.

“I enjoyed engineering, but I felt pulled toward something deeper,” she said. “God was calling me to do work that built people, not just structures.”

Answering the Call

While working full-time and expecting her first child, Echegaray enrolled in the Transition to Teaching program at Indiana Wesleyan University. She later completed her master’s degree in school administration at Indiana Wesleyan and earned a certification in Catholic School Management from Villanova University.

Now in her 11th year at Little Flower, Echegaray has taught grades 2 through 5 and is in her second year as assistant principal.

“I realized more than ever that education was my vocation,” she said. “Every day, I get to live my faith, mentor kids, and be part of their story.”

Her experience as both a teacher and a leader has given her a unique perspective on the intersection of faith and learning.

“There are hard days, of course,” she said. “But the joy of watching our students grow in faith and confidence outweighs everything else.”

Faith, Family, and Recognition

Cassie and her husband, Kevin, are raising three children: Franco, Francesca, and Marco, who all attend Little Flower and are active in parish and CYO life. Balancing faith, family, and education has deepened her empathy for parents and strengthened her leadership.

“Being a parent helps me connect with our families,” she said. “We all have good days and hard days. I try to be someone who understands both.”

Her dedication to Catholic education earned her recognition in January 2024, when she was named a finalist for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ Saint Mother Theodora Guérin Excellence in Education Award. The honor celebrates Catholic educators who exemplify leadership, faith, and service.

“To be nominated was incredibly humbling,” she said. “It reminded me that God works through us, often in ways we don’t even realize.”

Coming Home, Giving Back

Returning to the Eastside is not just a career move for Echegaray; it is a calling. She believes her work is a continuation of Scecina’s mission to form servant leaders grounded in faith, knowledge, and love.

“Scecina and Little Flower have always felt like home,” she said. “They shaped who I am and the values my family lives by. Being able to give back here is truly special.”

Each morning, as she walks the halls at Little Flower, she sees the same faith and enthusiasm that once inspired her at Scecina. It reminds her that full circles are not endings, but beginnings renewed in every student who believes, works hard, and leads with heart.

That sense of pride and purpose continues to guide her from the softball field to the classroom and through every student she encounters.

“Pride,” she said. “It is what connects us all.”