Longtime learning assistant recipient of Catholic schools’ award
By LAUREN THOMSON Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on June 12, 2021.
Brenda McDowell, a learning assistant at St. Mary's School, has been honoured as the division's inaugural Face of Christ Award.--SUBMITTED PHOTOA new recognition award was given to longtime Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education employee Brenda McDowell on Tuesday.
The Face of Christ award – a new award this year – is “for any staff member in the district who is not a teacher,” said Brad van Middelkoop, vice principal at St. Mary’s School. “The award is looking for service, leadership qualities in a staff member. Reflecting the face of Christ would mean humbly serving, being there for people.”
Van Middelkoop has observed McDowell’s work at St. Mary’s School and felt she was more than qualified for the award, so he nominated her to the board.
“Probably the No. 1 thing that led us to want to nominate her is how kind and patient she is with kids who tend to not bring out those qualities in other staff members,” van Middelkoop said of McDowell. “She has an eternal amount of patience … She’s able to speak kind words in the unkindest of situations.”
Van Middelkoop praised McDowell for her willingness to go above and beyond.
“She often takes personal, unpaid time to make our school beautiful; putting up bulletin boards, helping out our librarian,” he said. “She’ll identify a need and she’ll just be there for that person, whether it’s during her hours or not … We’ve watched her work with students outside of her paid hours.”
McDowell has worked as a learning assistant for MHCBE for 20 years, the last 14 spent at St. Mary’s.
“When Brad approached me and told me he was nominating me, it was very humbling because to me, that is the model of our whole division, that’s all we want to do every day when we come to work, in our interactions with students, with each other,” said McDowell. “We want to show what our faith wants us to do.”
McDowell spends her time in Grade 6 and 7 classrooms, helping students and making sure they have the support needed to succeed. Her favourite part of her job is “the interactions with the kids.”
“There is nothing like junior-high kids,” McDowell said. “They keep me young … It’s awesome when they just look at you and say, ‘Oh, thank you,’ or “I get it now.'”
For winning the Face of Christ award, McDowell will get to attend the Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association SPICE and Blueprints Conference next April.
“I’m very appreciative of the division giving me this award,” said McDowell. “And to Brad for putting me up for it.”
