February 3, 2017

‘Prize Patrol’ surprises four Catholic school teachers with special award

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Sharon Roulier

Four Catholic school teachers in the Diocese of Springfield are recipients of the 2017 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award.

The awards, launched by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation in 2002, are given annually to outstanding public and parochial school teachers in Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties.

The four teachers were surprised Jan. 31 by Franciscan Sister of St. Joseph Andrea Ciszewski, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Springfield, and Gail Furman, associate superintendent. The “Prize Patrol,” as they have become known, traveled from school to school, armed with balloons and flowers, to present the awards.

This year Michelle Castonguay, a kindergarten teacher at St. Thomas the Apostle School in West Springfield, was first on the list. Castonguay has been teaching at the school since 2006 and told Catholic Communications that she was “shocked and surprised” to be selected as a recipient.

“I love teaching in a Catholic school for the children,” said Castonguay, noting that it was important to her that she is able to instill Catholic Christian values.

“It’s a great age group, great kids, great environment,” she added. “I love St. Thomas.”

Next, the Prize Patrol knocked on the classroom door of second-grade teacher Gayle Pula, who was tapped for her dedication and service as a teacher at Mater Dolorosa School in Holyoke.

Pula has been an educator for more than 30 years; 20 of those years have been spent at Mater Dolorosa. She said she comes to school every day “for the students.”

“Every day this is why I wake up. It’s a brand new day for them,” said Pula, who said she enjoyed sharing her Catholic faith in her classroom. “I’m lucky in second grade, I can do the sacraments with them. And it’s very important to me that I keep the faith going and I spread it to my students.”

At St. John the Baptist School in Ludlow, it was sixth-grade teacher Kathleen Hutchison who was caught off guard when her class of middle school students was interrupted.

Hutchison, who has taught at St. John the Baptist since 2007, said she was honored to receive the Excellence in Teaching Award. Her main mission has always been to encourage joy and kindness in her classroom.

“We really work on being kind, and considerate and loving to each other,” said Hutchison.

This year’s New Teacher Award was presented to kindergarten teacher Katelyn Kurpaska at St. Joan of Arc School in Chicopee. Kurpaska is in her second year of teaching at the Chicopee Catholic school.

She told Catholic Communications that she was grateful to be able to serve in a Catholic school.

“Teaching in a Catholic school you have the ability to incorporate your faith into everyday activities in the classroom,” she said.

Equally exciting to Kurpaska is the fact that she is able to teach in the same school that she and her great-grandmother and grandparents had attended.

“This school is family,” she said.

Sister Ciszewski said she was impressed with all of the honorees and their commitment to Catholic education.

“This is an extremely important award,” said Sister Ciszewski. “It’s an opportunity to realize and recognize all of the experience, the expertise, the wisdom and the sacrifices that go into teaching every day. They love their profession. They really do.”

Winners receive $250, a scholarship to take graduate courses at a local college and a three-month membership to a local YMCA in addition to other prizes. They will be honored at a May 3 banquet at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

A video version of this story will be featured this Saturday, Feb. 4 on “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 on WWLP-22NEWS.