Congratulations to Mark DeLaRosa, the 2016-2017 recipient of the Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Excellence in Teaching Award. Mr. DeLaRosa was presented the Award following a special liturgy on April 4 at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh.
Photos courtesy of Cardinal Gibbons High School
Mr. Mark DeLaRosaThe Lewis Award Committee is pleased to announce that Mr. Mark DeLaRosa has been selected as the 2016-2017 Recipient of the Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. Mr. DeLaRosa, a Master Catechist, teaches Ninth and Tenth Grade Theology at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh. He is in his 15th year of teaching with the last twelve years at Cardinal Gibbons High School.
Mr. DeLaRosa feels that teachers striving for excellence in Catholic schools should recognize
“that our efforts have ultimate purpose: the building of the Kingdom of God! This means that each day can be a source of blessing for our students and ourselves. We are part of God’s saving work. This means responsibility but it also means blessing! Be courageous and know that what we do is part of the ministry of the Church. Embrace it!”
In the Award nomination letter for Mr. DeLaRosa, Mr. Jason Curtis, Principal of Cardinal Gibbons wrote:
“Mark is a passionate educator, who furthers our school’s mission as an outstanding Theology teacher, and also as a club moderator, mentor and leader on campus. … I’m always inspired by the remarkable classroom that Mark has been able to create for teenagers: a space where they know they will be encouraged, supported, challenged, and most of all, loved. … I have always found that Mark is not only educating in the classroom — his impact on students’ formation extends far past the traditional ‘academic’ setting. … He is fully committed to leadership of the spiritual life of our school community. … There are pages more that could be written about Mark: how every time I attend a Confirmation I find he is once again serving as a sponsor, how he is always the first person to visit a colleague or student’s family member in the hospital or to provide support and prayers to them, and how he gently inspires colleagues to be better teachers by finding ways for them to be the best version of themselves.”
Beyond the classroom, Mr. DeLaRosa is very involved in school, parish and community. His activities include being a Holocaust Educator Network Fellow, a Holocaust Seminar facilitator, an Oblate of St. John’s Benedictine Abbey, a member of the Knights of Columbus, an Adult Education presenter for scripture courses, faculty mentor, a coordinator of the Ugandan Student Lunch program through Cardinal Gibbons, and a volunteer for Special Olympics.
Mr. DeLaRosa received a Bachelor of Arts from St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN, and a Master of Theological Studies from Duke University.
The Lewis Award will be presented to Mr. DeLaRosa at a special Liturgy on April 5 at Cardinal Gibbons High School.
In January the Lewis Award Committee announced the Finalists for the 2016-2017 Monsignor Gerald L. Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. For more information about each Finalist, you may read the announcement here.
The Committee will observe the Finalists in their classrooms during February. Each week one Finalist will be featured. This week meet…
Ninth and Tenth Grade Theology
In the pictures the class is involved in a Newspaper Project. Each team imagines they are on the staff of a Jerusalem newspaper. The objective is to produce an edition reporting the crucifixion of Jesus and the events leading up to it.
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The Lewis Award Committee is pleased to announce the following as Finalists for the 2016–2017 Monsignor Gerald L. Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching:
The selection of this year’s Recipient will follow onsite classroom visitations and interviews by the Committee during the month of February. Congratulations to the Finalists!
Mark DeLaRosa has taught in the Diocese for 14 years and Theology at Cardinal Gibbons High School for the past 11 years. He is a certified Master Catechist in the Diocese of Raleigh. In the classroom Mr. DeLaRosa believes the best way to teach about faith is in community. He strives to create a community environment where students can “experience the Lord, the Church, each other and themselves”.
Among his many involvements Mr. DeLaRosa is a Holocaust Educator Network Facilitator Fellow, Faculty Mentor, Volunteer for Special Olympics, and Presenter for Adult Scripture Courses at Our Lady of Lourdes.
Carolyn Moser, with 41 years of teaching experience, has taught Eighth Grade Science at the Franciscan School for the past 11 years. Ms. Moser describes teaching “as a lifelong journey. Effective teachers must be passionate and continue to grow and develop. Caring deeply about the children I teach and wanting to guide them to new levels of success drives me to continue to grow professionally, spiritually and personally as a teacher”.
Ms. Moser is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescent Science, a Kenan Fellow at NCSU and received a Fulbright Fellowship to Japan. Multiple years she was a session presenter both at the NC Science Teacher Conference and the National Middle School Conference.
Patti Wagner, with 29 years of teaching experience, has taught Second Grade at St. Thomas More Catholic School for the past 10 years. Ms. Wagner focuses on differentiated learning in her classroom. She “believes that integrating all subjects easily lends itself to differentiated lessons, which allows every child to succeed. It is my goal to make every child feel special and valued in my eyes and in God’s love.”
Ms. Wagner’s activities include: Coordinates middle school service projects; Organizer for ‘Walk for Africa’ to raise funds for hunger relief; Presenter at the annual Diocesan Schools Conference; Founder and driver for ‘Appalachian Shoebox Christmas’ that provides gifts for needy children in Appalachia; member of School Advisory Board.
