COURT HOUSE – Nov. 20, Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School officially unveiled Lori Larkin Court, named in honor of retired teacher and athletic director Lori Larkin. During her 16-year tenure at Bishop McHugh School, Mrs. Larkin served as a teacher and coach, singlehandedly ran the athletic program, prepared eighth graders for confirmation and graduation, served as the main liaison for alumni students, and mentored a generation of educators.
Parents, students, coaches and alumni gathered in the gym for the ceremony at the end of the school day, which featured speeches by Principal Tom McGuire, Coach Keith Palek and eighth grade students Shane Klemick and Gianna Balestriere.
“She’s definitely someone that I could rely on to do a really good job, somebody that paid a lot of attention to detail, and enhanced our programs over my three years so far,” said Principal Tom McGuire.
“Her handprint and her impact is all over this school,” said Coach Keith Palek. “This is just a small way for us to show our appreciation for her after all these years.”
“Many of us knew her as teacher but she was more than a teacher, said Gianna Balestriere. “She was one of our ‘bestest’ friends here at Bishop McHugh.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Larkin, for being our mom away from home, our cheerleader, our critic, our teacher, and our role model,” said Shane Klemick. “In my eyes, you are Bishop McHugh.”
Mrs. Larkin turned the event into a teachable moment. She asked everyone to take their finger and write their names on the court, because it belongs to all of us.
“We have four jobs to do on our court,” she noted. “One, always do your best. Two, always work together because we are a family and that’s what makes Bishop McHugh great. Three, always be good sports. Be graceful and kind in victory and defeat. Four, always support Bishop McHugh School. If you do all of these things, it’s because there’s somebody who wrote their name on this court before anyone else did. We are guided by Catholic tradition, and our Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School is a PreK-8 regional school in Cape May County with a student-centered curriculum grounded in the Gospel values. For more information, visit http://bishopmchugh.com/mchugh/. The community is invited to “Like” Bishop McHugh on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BishopMcHughRegionalSchool and follow Principal McGuire on Twitter at @BMRCSPrincipal.
