SHA English Teacher, Nancy Brady, to Receive Liberty Bell Award from Erie County Bar Association

Being recognized for her successful mentorship and effective teaching is not new to Mrs. Brady.  Last year she was awarded the prestigious Singer Family Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching from the University of Rochester.  As part of the award, Mrs. Brady received $3000 and Sacred Heart Academy received $2500.  The award, funded by the Paul Singer Family Foundation, was established by University of Rochester graduate Paul Singer to recognize outstanding secondary school teachers for the vital role they play in the intellectual development of American society.

University of Rochester seniors were asked to submit essays to nominate a particularly influential secondary school teacher for the prize, and a committee of University faculty members reviewed the nominations. The finalists were then selected and asked to submit additional supporting material before the winners were chosen. Mrs. Brady’s former student Caitlin Powalski, a 2004 Sacred Heart Academy graduate from Kenmore, New York, nominated Mrs. Brady.  Ms. Powalski, who graduated on May 17, 2009 with a history degree from University of Rochester, plans to get her Masters of Public Health before entering medical school.

In her nomination essay, Ms. Powalski described Mrs. Brady, her ninth grade English teacher, as a “tough teacher” who taught her the writing and public speaking skills that helped her succeed at the university level and also as someone who empowered her as a learner and as a person. “She was an amazing teacher and mentor because she not only expected excellence from me, she inspired it.  In a very basic and intuitive way, Mrs. Brady found ways to encourage our strengths not only as writers, critical thinkers, and readers, but as women.  Her passion, which she brought to class every day, provided each student with the expectation that she would and could achieve greatness,” wrote Ms. Powalski. 

This year Mrs. Brady, along with 2 other high school Mock Trial coaches, is being recognized by the Erie County Bar Association for the hard work and time she has devoted to SHA's Mock Trial team.  She will be presented the Liberty Bell Award on April 23 at the annual Law Day luncheon.  Sacred Heart won last year's Erie County Championship. In fact, Sacred Heart's Mock Trial team has won this championship four times in the six years of Mrs. Brady’s tenure as coach.   Her lawyer husband, Michael Brady, serves as a consultant to SHA's Mock Trial team.

Mrs. Brady has taught at Sacred Heart Academy for the past twelve years and currently teaches ninth and eleventh grade English as well as Advanced Placement English Language and Composition. She is also the founder and moderator of the Franciscan Scholars program.

                                              2010 Mock Trial Team