Catholic educators honored for excellence

Diocesan Office of Catholic Schools

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The top two outstanding educators for 2006 Pat Green and Rox Anne Close congratulate each other. photos courtesy of Diocesan Office of Catholic Schools

SALT LAKE CITY — Teaching day after day, facing young people and teenagers with lesson plans, goals, and creative ideas to keep them interested and engaged is not an easy task. Teachers in Catholic schools do all of it and more. They evangelize, providing openings for lessons in faith, and acting as role models for their students.

Teachers in the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s 14 Catholic schools were honored for their dedication and their excellence on Diocesan Professional Educator Day, March 13 at Judge Memorial Catholic High School. They received awards for years of service, from five years to Daughter of Charity Sister Stella Marie Zahner’s 40 years of service. Ten teachers identified as the 2006 Outstanding Educators were: Patti Buelti, St. John the Baptist Middle School; Rox Anne Close, Kearns-St. Ann School; Tom Delgado, Judge Memorial Catholic High School; Pat Green, Judge Memorial Catholic High School; Barbara Keyser, St. Francis Xavier Regional School; Pam Legault, St. John the Baptist Elementary School; Kristi Oritt, Blessed Sacrament Elementary School; Jeanne Pence, St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School; Karen Streeter, Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School; and Mollie Wood, St. Francis Xavier Regional School.

Of the 10, Close and Green were selected to receive the top Outstanding Educator honors, earning each of them $1,500.

Msgr. Rudolph A. Daz, pastor of St. Olaf Parish, Bountiful, and administrator of St. Olaf School, received the Christ the Teacher Award, given to pastors of parishes that have Catholic schools. Former Christ the Teacher Awards have gone to Msgr. Robert Servatius, Blessed Sacrament Parish; the late Msgr. John J. Hedderman, St. Ambrose Parish; and the late Msgr. John Sullivan, St. Ann Parish.

Holy Cross Sister Karla McKinnie, principal of St. John the Baptist Elementary School was given the Jesus and the Children Award, given only one other time, in 2003 to Diane Cochran. Sr. Karla is leaving Catholic education this year after 40 years in Catholic schools in Utah and other states. She will begin a new ministry after a one year sabbatical.

Diocesan Professional Educator Day included Mass celebrated the Msgr. Daz and a presentation by Christine Cashen.