Retired Monroe Teacher An Inspiration For Generations Of Students

MONROE, CT — Great teachers matter. In Monroe, we're fortunate to have teachers like Catherine Belanger.

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This submission comes from Andrea N. Paddock who nominated her son's teacher and colleague, retired Monroe social studies teacher Catherine Belanger.

Why do you believe the teacher should be recognized or honored?

When Catherine was teaching, her students were involved in: Washington Workshop with actual trips to D.C. and Congress; the Stock Market Game where students actually bought and sold "stock" as sponsored by the CT Post; Social Studies fairs in CT; the National Woodsmen contest, and more. In all instances, Catherine's students excelled, winning numerous contests and accolades. To this day, many of her former students not only still communicate with her, but also have gone on to accomplish great success. Among her many students was John Solomon, a prominent conservative noted for many appearances on Fox News and now the voice of Just the News which broadcasts on conservative news networks and publishes online.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the teacher?

She retired from St. Jude School in Monroe, but the number of former students who still visit her, send her cards and flowers, and acknowledge the difference she made in their lives still continues. She taught at St. Jude (aka St. Stephen's School) for 30 years, receiving a mere pittance of a salary.

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