The Archdiocese of Omaha (www.archomaha.org) honored eight educators on Thursday, September 17th at the 38th Annual Archbishop’s Dinner for Education.
Nearly 1,000 guests packed the Embassy Suites – La Vista ballroom to celebrate Catholic education, while paying tribute to the archdiocese’s finest educators. The honorees have a combined 214 years of teaching experience. Each received a $5,000 award. This year also included a special recognition of the religious order women and men who have served the archdiocese in a vast number of ministries, particularly Catholic education. More than 50 representatives of these orders attended the event as guests of Honorary Chairpersons Mary Lou and Charlie Diers.
Chairpersons for the 2015 Archbishop’s Dinner for Education were Janet and Tom Nichting. The event raised more than $400,000. Funds raised by the benefit will be partially matched by the Children’s Scholarship Fund of New York and will provide scholarships for low-income families to attend Catholic schools in the archdiocese.
This year’s honorees were: Administrators of the Year – Chris Segrell, Christ the King Elementary School, Omaha; Lisa Schumacher, St. Michael Elementary School, Albion. Educators of the Year – Elementary – Mary Kay Esser, Mary Our Queen, Omaha; Sonya Schroeder, East Catholic, Bow Valley. Educators of the Year – Secondary – Kim Dieckmann, Archbishop Bergan Catholic School, Fremont; Paula Atkeson, St. Mary High School, O’Neill. Educators of the Year – Special Education and Inner City – The Maginn Family Foundation honorees are: Theresa Brennan, Sts. Peter and Paul, Omaha; Maureen Lamoureux, St. Bernard, Omaha.