Little Flower High School senior theology teacher Maureen Gillespie was recently recognized with a Teacher as Hero Award at the National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut St.
The program, in its 14th year, honors outstanding educators in the Philadelphia area who represent best practices in teaching and leverage their excellence in teaching to make a difference in the lives of their students.
Specifically, the program seeks to honor educators who make “every young person feel welcome and valued.”
In a nomination form, Gillespie, who began teaching in 1997, was credited with bringing energy to her theology classes, listening to and respecting student voices and advocating for students as student government moderator.
Gillespie and the other winners will be part of a dedicated “Live Like a Hero” museum exhibit for a year. They received a commemorative glass trophy, family memberships to the museum, a guided tour for their class and complimentary participation in a professional development workshop.
“What all these teachers share is not only a passion for teaching and an ability to imbue learning with creativity and a sense of compassion but also a commitment to their students as people outside the classroom walls,” said National Liberty Museum CEO Gwen Borowsky.
“All of these educators’ accomplishments reflect the very best of our area,” said Dwayne M. Redd, of State Farm, the program sponsor. ••
