As we look forward to the 25th Anniversary of the Award this school year of 2016-2017, we will continue looking back at past recipients…

Susan Hoying

2003-2004 Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching

Mrs. Hoying was teaching Kindergarten at St. Raphael Catholic School in Raleigh when she received the Award. In 2007 she passed away at the age of 58. She will always be remembered as the consummate educator and for her unending love, patience and understanding of students and parents.

The following comments were taken from Mrs. Hoying’s nomination form for this Award.

“The prime mission in a Catholic education is living discipleship — not just studying or memorizing our Catholic faith but walking in the Word of God in our daily thoughts and actions. Individual academic excellence germinates, blooms and grows in a Christ-filled environment.”

“For nine years I taught in a public school with wonderful children and families. Working in the Catholic school allows me the glorious freedom of teaching the real truth about where all the guidelines for ‘character education’ are based — GOD’S WORD! Working as a co-partner with God teaching our children in the faith is spiritually edifying.”

Joe and Sue Hoying

Michelle Silva

2004-2005 Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching

Then and now: Mrs. Silva was teaching Kindergarten at St. Thomas More Catholic School in Chapel Hill when she received the Award. She started teaching Kindergarten in 1997 and is currently in her 20th year at St. Thomas More.

When asked the proudest or most memorable experience in the classroom, Mrs. Silva noted

“… that seeing the children enter the classroom in the fall, fresh and unaware of so much. Then as their teacher, I am able to take them on the glorious journey of learning confidence, independence, building their self-esteem, while at the same time, providing etiquette so that one day they will become true disciples of Jesus.”

Mrs. Silva encourages teachers striving for excellence to

“… believe strongly in setting high expectations for one’s self, first. Following that, it is imperative to set the bar high (with expectations) for your students and their parents, alike. Teaching is challenging each day; yet it can be so rewarding when you have parents, colleagues and students all knowing the expectations as the school year begins. Once they are established, it becomes the teacher’s objective to provide the right mix of love, nurturing and joy to help maintain and reach those expectations. Happiness will be had by all and the school year will become a fabulous place to learn, laugh and play every day! Therefore, shoot for the stars and enjoy the journey!”

Mrs. Silva believes that

“teaching in a Catholic school is special because one has the opportunity to interject God into every aspect of learning without hesitation! I have been blessed with beautiful people who have been ‘bucket-fillers’, daily sharing God’s love for one another. It has also been exciting to meet so many talented teachers in our diocese over the past ten years. I am grateful to Monsignor Lewis and Anne Stahel for their commitment in recognizing many teachers for their important role in education, sharing their true gifts with children and their families. Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me’; indeed, I am grateful for the gift of children in my life every day!”

Monsignor Lewis, Michelle Silva, Anne Stahel

Laura Gallimore

2005-2006 Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching

Then and now: When she received the Award Mrs. Gallimore was teaching First Grade at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School in Wake Forest. Mrs. Gallimore began teaching at St. Catherine’s in 1999 and is currently in her 18th year at the school.

“My vision of Catholic education is to instill our Catholic faith into each child. Show each child that he or she can make their faith come alive in their everyday lives by what they say and do.”

“… in order to achieve success and confidence (children) need to feel good about themselves.”

Laura Gallimore and Monsignor Lewis

Did You Know?

Did you know that there was a family living in Georgia in the early 1800s that raised 3 sons who became priests with very noteworthy careers? From this same family were 3 daughters who became nuns! Needless to say, all of the children received a Catholic education! For the next 3 months you will hear about the amazing accomplishments of three of these children.

An interesting fact about the parents of these noteworthy citizens is that the father, Michael Morris Healey, was an Irish Catholic immigrant who became a wealthy cotton farmer in Georgia and his common law wife, Mary Eliza Smith, was a mulatto slave. Mixed race children were not allowed to be educated in Georgia at that time, so they were sent to the North to receive their Catholic Education. Next month you will learn about their son, Patrick.