Mr. Jack Viorel (right), with Mrs. Joyce Price, Principal of St. Mary School and Fr. Robert Kus, Pastor of St. Mary Church
Mr. Viorel came to North Carolina from San Mateo, California, where he was a Master Teacher in an elementary school there. He has been teaching 1st Grade at St. Mary for four years. Mr. Viorel uses his passion for surfing and promoting environmental care of the oceans in a wide variety of community activities. Through his surf school business, he offers opportunities to individuals with disabilities such as HIV/AIDS, blindness, and diabetes, as well as wounded veterans and autistic children, allowing them to experience the enjoyment activities not readily open to them. Some of his other civic pursuits include his involvement with the Boys and Girls Clubs, JDRF, Wounded Warriors, and the East Coast Wahue Surf Championship. Mr. Viorel’s surfing outreach was featured in the April 2010 issue of NC Catholics magazine.
“I feel blessed and honored to be a teacher at St Mary School,” Mr. Viorel said. “One thing that makes St. Mary so great is that our focus is on teaching students to treat others with respect and kindness, and I think that translates into good students. Joyce Price, our principal, and Father Bob both make St. Mary an incredibly great place to teach.”
“The school feels like family,” Mr. Viorel, whose daughter attends St. Mary, said. “Before I came here I was really wondering whether I should continue teaching, but the kids, my colleagues, and all the people I met here rejuvenated me.”
Mr. Viorel was chosen from among three Finalists selected for the Award in January by the Lewis Award Committee. The other Finalists were Mrs. Mary Barber, 5th Grade, St. Egbert School, Morehead City, and Mr. Alan Johnston, 6-8th Grade Science, Our Lady of Lourdes School, Raleigh.
The Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award was initiated in 1992 to honor outstanding educators in the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Raleigh and to recognize, promote and encourage teaching excellence. The Excellence in Teaching Award honors superlative classroom teachers, grades K-12, who have illustrated strong commitment to their students, colleagues and schools and to their family, church and civic communities. The Award is presented on an annual basis and carries a monetary award to the Recipient and to the Recipient’s school.
The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Raleigh, will be the Presider at a Celebration Liturgy honoring the Recipient at St. Mary Church on April 13th.