May 12, 2022
Prince Honors Educators of the Year for 2021-2022 School Year
Pictured Left to Right: Mary Beth Minor, Beth Schroeder, and Elizabeth Barry
The mission statement of Prince Avenue Christian School is “to partner with Christian families to provide scripturally based discipleship while pursuing excellence in academics, fine arts, and athletics from a biblical worldview.” None of this mission would be possible without the highly qualified and extraordinarily talented, dedicated, and godly teachers that are hands-on with Prince students day in and day out.
In the spirit of recognizing the commitment and dedication of the faculty at PACS, each year the school recognizes individual teachers as the Colossians 3:23 Educators of the Year, nominated by their peers as remarkable and doing “everything as unto the Lord”.
Lower school teacher Mary Beth Minor, middle school math teacher Beth Schroeder, and high school history teacher Elizabeth Barry are the 2021-2022 Prince Educators of the Year. Each received a crystal vase and a cash donation which are given each year by a generous and anonymous donor.
Mary Beth Minor has been at Prince for four years and currently teaches 4th-grade language arts. Miss Minor’s colleagues describe her as a teacher who always encourages students to have a good attitude and give the glory to God. One peer said, “She is kind, always has a smile on her face, and goes above and beyond the regular curriculum to incorporate creative ideas to make learning fun.”
Miss Minor values the freedom that she has at Prince to talk about the Bible with her students. “My greatest desire for my students is for them to come to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I also desire for my students to love truth, think critically, and become lifelong learners.”
Beth Schroeder has been at Prince for four years and teaches 7th-grade Accelerated Math, Pre-Algebra, and Honors Algebra. She also serves as the faculty advisor to the National Junior Honor Society and the middle school academic team. Mrs. Schroeder has been described by her peers as diligent and committed. One teacher explained, “She is willing to be there at any time for her students without any implication of inconvenience or impatience. She humbly serves our school year after year.”
Mrs. Schroeder says that the cooperation and encouragement from co-workers are amazing, but she especially loves the ability to speak to her students about God and their faith, not just mathematics. “I want them to learn math and be able to use it to better their future, but my hopes and prayers are that each student will seek God and follow Him.
Elizabeth Barry has been at Prince for five years and teaches Dual Enrollment US History, college prep US History, college prep US Government, and US History and Film. She also serves as a reader for College Board’s Advanced Placement US History Exam and is the varsity cheerleading coach. Mrs. Barry is described by her colleagues as enthusiastic and passionate. “She is one of the hardest working teachers at Prince who is willing to come early, stay late, and meet with students whenever she can to help them achieve success.”
Mrs. Barry explains that the community at Prince is what makes it a special place. “The relationships I have developed with the teachers, students, and families at Prince are very dear to me. People are known, loved, and welcomed here. I hope that as my students go forward in life, they will find a community of their own that will love them and encourage them in their faith.”