Catholic Business Network

Catholic Business Network Presents First Teacher of the Year Awards

By Michael F. Flach
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 5/10/07) cbn

The Catholic Business Network’s annual Catholic Schools/Business Partnership Awards Banquet was proceeding on schedule Sunday night at the Hilton Hotel near Dulles Airport when 90-year-old Irene Shuman walked to the stage to receive her grand prize award for her ongoing generosity toward Corpus Christi School in Falls Church.
The great-grandmother accepted her plaque from Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde. She then asked for permission to address the huge crowd. She said that when she was growing up, her mother always told her that if she was kind to other people that she would get her reward in heaven. “Am I in heaven?” she asked the crowd. The impromptu moment caught everyone by surprise and brought the crowd to its feet in a display of appreciation.
The 12th annual event also included recognition of five “distinguished” teachers. The awards were established at the request of the Diocesan Board of Education and co-sponsored by CBN-NV and BB&TBank. The awards honored pre-K to 12th-grade teachers in diocesan schools who have had an extraordinary impact on students, colleagues and the school community through outstanding teaching, a caring attitude and a commitment to Christian values. Each winner received a $1,000 cash award and each school received $500. irene shuman
The five teachers honored this year included: Tom Hedderson from Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax; Sister Frances Carol Eder, O.S.F.S., from Holy Cross Academy in Fredericksburg; Kitty Brever from St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School in Woodbridge; Jane Broe from St. Joseph School in Herndon; and Diane Knerr from St. Patrick School in Fredericskburg.
The other individual grand prize winners included: Leroy Robert Chittenden from All Saints School in Manassas; Ken and Mary Coan from St. Veronica School in Chantilly; Robert and Karen Fornaro from Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington; Michael Herbert from St. Ambrose School in Annandale; Lizzie Hernandez from Linton Hall School in Bristow; Edward and Lexi Hoffman from St. John the Evangelist School in Warrenton; Warren and Cheryl Hughes from St. Joseph School in Herndon; and Dr. Christine J. Snell from Queen of Apostles School in Alexandria.
The grand prize winners in the business category included: Barnes and Noble (St. Rita School in Alexandria); Dante Ristorante (Our Lady of Hope School in Potomac Falls) and M&M at Your Service (Epiphany School in Culpeper).
CBN also presented three $1,000 scholarships to students from Catholic high schools in the diocese. This year’s recipients were: Alex Harrington from O’Connell; and Jessica Kidwell and Robert Novitsky from Paul VI.
At the end of the evening CBN President Wayne F. Cyron and banquet committee chairperson Valerie Brown presented Dr. Timothy J. McNiff, diocesan superintendent of schools, with a check for $25,000. The money will be used to help fund in-service training programs for diocesan teachers this summer as well as the CBN scholarship fund.
Bishop Loverde thanked all those who organized the event and was especially grateful for the presence of so many “brother priests.” He said McNiff’s leadership and the Office of Catholic Schools “helps keep us focused” on the mission at hand.
“Catholic education is part of our mission as a Church,” the bishop said. Catholic school educators are “integral instruments” in this effort. “It’s not just a job. You share in the mission of the Church.”
The bishop Loverde said CBN is dear to his heart because of its key role in transmitting the Gospel message to the business world. “Catholic school graduates will go into the real world and witness to the Gospel.
“This is a marvelous evening filled with grace and enthusiasm,” he said.