About The Lewis Award

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 Lewis Award consists of two components.

The Excellence in Teaching Award

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 Recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award is an exceptionally skillful, dedicated full-time teacher. The Excellence in Teaching Award is presented on an annual basis and carries a monetary award to the Recipient and to the Recipient’s school.

The Award for Lifetime Achievement in Catholic Education

The Award for Lifetime Achievement in Catholic Education focuses on all areas of the education system. The Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award may be in administration, faculty or staff. This individual has made extended commitments and significant contributions to Catholic education in the Diocese of Raleigh, and demonstrates notable and ongoing contributions to his or her family, church and civic communities. The Lifetime Achievement Award is an honor bestowed by the Lewis Award Committee at its initiative and presented only when the Committee deems circumstances warrant. The Award carries a monetary gift to the Recipient. The first Lifetime Achievement Award was presented in 1999.

Designed from the outset to be a prestigious accolade to the Recipients, the intent of the Lewis Award is to honor those individuals who have shown a strong love for and commitment to their chosen vocation. To that end, the Award is structured to honor, in as meaningful a manner as possible, those who excel at what they do. The Award is named in honor of Monsignor Lewis, who served the Diocese of Raleigh for over four decades as priest, pastor, administrator and outstanding churchman in an era of unprecedented missionary work in the State of North Carolina. Monsignor Lewis continues to give of his time, talent and treasure to his church and beloved adopted state.

The Lewis Award Endowment was established in 2008 with the purpose of assuring that the Lewis Award will to continue to honor outstanding educators in the Diocese of Raleigh. The Lewis Award receives no funds from the Diocese; and from its inception, the Award has been entirely supported by private donations. Income from the Endowment will create limitless opportunities to develop new ways to enrich and support the teachers and schools in the Diocese of Raleigh. Look under “Future Plans” for more on the Endowment.

Read the full story of the Genesis of the Monsignor Gerald L. Lewis Award.