St. Ambrose School, Schuylkill Haven, announced today that the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) has named Mr. John Semanchick a 2006 NCEA Catholic Elementary School Distinguished Graduate for his outstanding personal and professional achievements and for being the personification of how Catholic schools educate people to take leadership roles in their community.
John is also being honored for his deep commitment to service with the Catholic Church and St. Ambrose School. Since 1992, he has returned annually to St. Ambrose School to speak to the 7th and 8th Grade students about exciting careers in Science and Engineering. This is also his 10th year as part of the panel of judges for the school’s annual science fair projects. More importantly, however, he is a terrific role model of an adult who continues to live the Catholic Faith for all of the students of St. Ambrose School.
John explains, “Two reasons motivate me in my deep commitment to St. Ambrose School. The students are my primary reason. I want them to see how their education now connects them to an exciting career in the future. The second reason is to thank the teachers and staff for their care and commitment toward their students, including myself.”
Catholic education is a common thread throughout John’s life. He is a 1988 graduate of St. Ambrose School and is a 1992 graduate of Nativity B.V.M. High School, Pottsville. He graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, in 1996, where he was the President of the Catholic Newman Center on campus. In 2003, he graduated from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Church Ministry Institute, a 3-year Catholic Lay Adult Ministry Program.
Since 1996, he has been employed as a Systems Engineer performing analyses pertaining to satellites at Lockheed Martin: Integrated Systems & Solutions in Valley Forge, PA.
John is a strong advocate for promoting our Catholic Faith. On a global level, he has made two pilgrimages to Rome, Italy. On a local level, John taught 7th Grade CCD (Religious Education) classes from 1997 to 2004 at his parish, Mother of Divine Providence Church, King of Prussia. He also led the parish high school youth group from 2004 to 2006.
His service work includes volunteering with the Drueding Center/Project Rainbow Day Care Center for Women In Crisis in Philadelphia.
According to John, “My Catholic education at St. Ambrose School started with the revelation that I am loved by God. In that environment, the work of learning had a purpose and the work of character building had a meaning. The meaningful environment was created by the prayer of the Mass, the lessons on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Christian example of the teachers and staff.”
Sponsored by the NCEA’s Department of Elementary Schools in cooperation with St. Ambrose School, the award goes to Mr. John Semanchick for exemplifying the highest qualities of Catholic Education and rendering distinguished service to the Catholic Church and the United States of America.
“It is with great pleasure that we recognize distinguished graduates from our Catholic elementary schools,” said Dr. Robert Kealey, executive director of NCEA’s Department of Elementary Schools, the award’s sponsor. “The education they received in the elementary years has provided a firm basis for growth and achievement in their adult lives.”
NCEA established the Distinguished Graduate Award out of a recognition that the significant accomplishments of Catholic elementary school alumni are a hallmark of Catholic education. These awards highlight “people who as adults put into practice the values and ideals they learned in their Catholic elementary schools,” added Dr. Kealey.
The first Distinguished Graduate Awards were made in 1991 by NCEA. As an award winner, John Semanchick joins a stellar group of hundreds of Catholic school alumni across the country. They include an FBI director, a governor, a missionary, a circuit court judge, a TV news producer, an Air Force combat training division chief, a senator, a mayor, a corporate president and a state representative.
This is the fourth year that St. Ambrose School has chosen an alumnus for a Distinguished Graduate Award. Candidates for this award were chosen from many outstanding alumni submitted to the St. Ambrose Development Office.
The St. Ambrose Distinguished Graduate Award will be presented to Mr. John Semanchick on Friday, June 2nd following the Children’s Mass at 9:15 a.m. in St. Ambrose Church.
