Brenda O’Shea has taught history at Somers High School for 11 years and can often be found running the Snack Shack during Somers High School games. For the Dublin, Ireland native, being a role model doesn’t end in the classroom.
“That means if I’m at a football game working the concession stand with my (student council) co-advisor, part of our role is to be someone they can look up to all the time,” said O’Shea, who is president of the Somers Faculty Association. “And we take that very, very seriously and I know my colleagues across the district take that very seriously.”
The SES Hall of Fame, which O’Shea said is jokingly referred to as the “parent prom,” started in 2001 with a husband and wife inductees. Now, 13 years later, another couple will get inducted together.
“It’s a great honor. I’m very proud that they selected me,” Kathleen said. “I do a lot of volunteering around town and I don’t do it for recognition, but it’s a nice surprise when they selected me.”
John has been a den leader and cub master for the Somers Cub Scouts and is the registrar for the Somers Girl Scouts, for which Kathleen has been a troop leader all 12 years that her daughter, Bridget, participated.
Kathleen, who worked in banking for 28 years, has also helped raise money as the chair of the Healthy Kids Campaign for four years and for the Somers High School PTSA.
“Volunteerism is everything,” she said.
John, who has also taught football and girls basketball, is the vice president of the Somers Booster Club, alongside fellow inductee Ward, a ten-year member who is its current president.
In that time, the club has acquired scoreboards for several fields, created the Leave a Legacy brick project at Somers High School, and raised funds to support the seven annual scholarships it awards to senior athletes.
Ward works at the Mount Kisco Medical Group and has two daughters who went through the Somers schools. She has been a referee for the AYSO and FC Somers soccer programs for years.
The annual gala and dinner will feature a silent auction. To register, visit the SEF website here.
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