The response for nominations for the Lewis Award this year has been wonderful. Thank you to those who took the time to recognize a special teacher in your student’s life. Being nominated means a great deal to teachers.
Finalists will be announced on this website and in the NC Catholic in the new year!
Thank you for the support you have shown our teachers. We received a number of heartfelt nominations. The finalists for the 21-22 school year will be announced in the New Year.
This year, even kids want to go back to school. That says something about how important the school experience is to everyone, and teachers are the people who create that experience for our children. So now is the time to let teachers know how valuable they are in our lives.
For example, consider the teacher who encouraged your child to try something new, or the teacher who saw and nurtured a talent in your child. How about the teacher your child talks about constantly? Even the teacher that your child thought was mean but later realized that was the teacher who wouldn’t just settle for less than this child could do. It is often that teacher that shows a child that they are more capable than they believed.
The form is open, waiting; It only takes a little thought and a few minutes to nominate a teacher for this recognition.
Remember just a nomination is very affirming for a teacher and this is a year that teachers really need that affirmation.
Currently, there is a growing teacher shortage country-wide. Many teachers are taking early retirement or finding other jobs. Without a dedicated teaching staff, Catholic schools will not survive.
One way to ensure that teachers know that they are valued is to nominate a teacher for the annual Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. For more than 25 years, this award has recognized teachers throughout the Diocese of Raleigh.
Nominating a teacher raises the morale of the school. The publicity around this award informs the community of the excellence of our Catholic Schools.
Consider nominating a teacher who has made an impact on you or your child. The nomination form will be posted on this page at the beginning of September.
Dr. Colleen Grochowski, the Chair of the Lewis Award, will relinquish the position in May. Dr. Grochowski, the Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs for Duke University School of Medicine, has been offered and accepted an excellent job opportunity in another state. Colleen has served on the Lewis Award Committee since 2005, as Vice Chair from 2010 to 2017, and as Chair from 2017 to the present.
In 2017, when asked to reflect on her role on the Lewis Award Committee she responded:
“I was honored when Anne (Stahel) asked me to join the committee, but I had no idea just how special this experience would be! … The Lewis Award has humbled me in so many ways. I am inspired by Anne Stahel’s passion for Catholic education and her devotion to Monsignor Lewis. Monsignor Lewis is completely amazing himself! And the committee members are remarkable — each with busy lives yet so generous in giving their time to the Lewis Award. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to be allowed into teachers’ classrooms to observe them. I’m touched by their commitment to their students, their energy, and their creativity. Their love for their students is palpable. I also am impressed by the leadership and support provided to the teachers by the principals. I’ve had the opportunity to travel from ‘coast to coast’ in the diocese, observe educators, and honor them. What could be more extraordinary?”
The Committee has been so fortunate to be led by Dr. Grochowski. She has been an integral part of the Committee through her unwavering commitment and support. Colleen will be sorely missed. Through her leadership, the purpose and the goals of the Lewis Award continue to encourage and recognize excellence in teaching in our Catholic schools. Thank you, Colleen!
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“During this new year I resolve to begin a new life. I do not know what will happen to me during this year. But I abandon myself entirely to you, my God. And my aspirations and all my affections will be for You.”
— St. Gemma Galgani
