The Award was initiated by Anne Stahel to give Monsignor Lewis a meaningful expression of her immeasurable gratitude for his unwavering pastoral support and friendship through times of family tragedy and multiple personal losses. As Anne very succinctly puts it “he was marrying, burying and being part of the Stahel and Williams families”, a friendship that spans over 50 years.

The expression of gratitude evolved into an idea for the Award endowment modeled on a class project of Anne’s late husband’s Princeton roommate, Ralph Nader, and his classmates. Identify an unaddressed need and move it forward. Anne embraced the idea, focused on the Diocese of Raleigh and through much discussion realized there was nothing in place to honor exceptional teachers in the Catholic Schools. So began the Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. Since the first Award was presented on Monsignor’s 60th Birthday in 1992 there have been 28 outstanding educators who have been recipients as well as 9 Lifetime Achievement Awards presented for significant commitment and contribution to Catholic Schools.

Click here to read the full moving story of the Genesis of the Lewis Award

Consider nominating an exceptional teacher who has touched your lives or the lives of your children. The nomination period for the 2019-2020 Lewis Award will begin September 1 and end September 30. Forms will be available on this website.