By Sam M. Lucero
Catholic Herald
Washburn teacher's faith fills her classroom
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Colleen Greene has been teaching at St. Louis School in Washburn for 17 years. Today she teaches third and fourth graders in the same classroom she sat in while a fourth grader at the school. Greene was awarded the Bishop George A. Hammes Award recently for her contributions to Catholic school education in the diocese. (Photo by Sam M. Lucero) |
WASHBURN -- Teachers have the power to shape the lives of their students. Colleen Greene knows this to be true.
Greene attended St. Louis School as a child and her teachers left a lasting impression on her. "As a student here I had wonderful teachers," she said. "I admired their dedication. From the time I was in second grade I knew I wanted to be a teacher."
Greene realized this dream and today she is in her 17th year as teacher at St. Louis School. Her classroom is the same one in which she sat as a fourth grader.
Having spent a good part of her life at this rural Catholic school has been one of her greatest joys. "This is my life," said Greene. "I just feel this is my extended family. We call ourselves the St. Louis School family and I really feel that."
Greene's steadfast dedication to her classroom and to the St. Louis School family was recognized by the Superior diocese on Oct. 11. She was presented with this year's Bishop George A. Hammes Award by Phyllis Schlagel, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools. The award is given to an individual who has made special contributions to the vitality or growth of Catholic schools.
For 16 of the past 17 years Greene has taught third and fourth grade students. She enjoys teaching these grades because students are "eager to learn, respectful, and they love their teacher."
Born in Ashland, Greene grew up in Washburn and attended St. Louis School from first to eighth grade. She graduated from Washburn High School in 1971 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in education from UW-River Falls in 1975.
Greene married her husband Jeff in 1978, and they have two children, Katie, a sophomore at UW-Madison, and Ryan, a senior at South Shore High School in Port Wing.
In addition to her full-time job as teacher at St. Louis School, Greene has served as director of religious education at St. Ann Parish in Cornucopia since 1985. She jokes about the DRE title since she is the only catechist at the parish, which has a membership of some 50 families.
As sole catechist at St. Ann, Greene is responsible for giving religious instruction to students in grades one through eight. While it sounds like a daunting task, Greene said the enrollment this year is only six students. "One year I had 11 students. That was my largest group," she noted.
Classes are held at the church before Saturday evening Mass, Greene said. Even with the extra weekend work, the veteran educator says she has never felt overworked.
"I love it. It's one of the highlights of my week," she said. "I just feel a great deal of satisfaction because children are there for CCD and it's bringing families back to the church. It's kind of my evangelization."
Greene credits her parents, Herman and Catherine Larson, for forming her strong Catholic faith.
"That is a gift that they gave me," said Greene. "Because of their faith, that is who I am today,"
Receiving the Bishop Hammes Award, which Greene said left her overwhelmed and humbled, was a tribute to her parents. They were on her mind as she accepted the award.
Her mother planned to be in Rice Lake to see Greene accept the prestigious award. She died Oct. 3, however, just two days after Principal Betty Swiston announced to the parish at Sunday Mass that Greene was to receive the award.
"She was with me in spirit as I accepted the award," said Greene. "She gave me strength, as did my dad, who I lost to cancer five years ago."
Greene said she would encourage prospective teachers to consider the Catholic school system.
"The money is definitely not there, but the rewards are far more important," she said. While all teachers can find satisfaction educating children, only parochial school teachers realize the advantages of making religion an everyday classroom experience.
"Being able to witness my faith and to help them get closer to Christ „ that's real important," she said.
Greene offered an example of living faith in her classroom. Last week, she said, one of her students broke a bone in his foot during recess. "The other kids came in from recess and they wanted to pray for him."
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2000