‘You never know what impact you are making, but this happens, and it truly answers that question’

Teacher at Little Flower School in Springfield wins 2025 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award

By ANDREW HANSEN
     Editor

It was 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 7 inside the gym at Little Flower School in Springfield. The hundreds of students and dozens of faculty and staff had just returned from their weekly Mass and May Crowning and were now wondering what this seemingly random assembly was about.

When the program started, Stephanie Pryor, an upper grade science and literature teacher at the school, was called to the gym floor. That’s when the school community erupted in applause as it was announced Pryor, filled with emotion, was the winner of the 2025 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

“I am totally surprised,” Pryor said. “I knew I had been nominated but just had no idea this was coming. This means a lot to me. You never know what impact you are making. You think you are making an impact, and you hope you are making an impact, but when something like this happens and you hear from students, it truly answers that question.”

Pryor has been teaching at Little Flower School for 17 years. Before that, she taught at St. Cabrini School. She is a Little Flower parishioner, is married (Fred), and has three adult sons. The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award recognizes one Catholic teacher who is making a big difference in the classroom, who authentically lives out what it means to be Catholic and instills the Catholic faith into her students, and who embodies St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who founded Catholic schools in the United States.

“Faith is very important. We pull faith into everything we do at the school, making sure the students know how important faith is and that they take our faith beyond school, making their lives and the lives of others better,” Pryor said.

The Office for Catholic Schools and Office for Communications for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, organizers of the award, received more than 100 nominations from across the diocese from principals, teachers, parents, previous students, and current students this year. The Office for Catholic Education then narrowed the list to five finalists (which Catholic Times presented in the April 28 edition) before selecting Pryor as the winner.  

During her speech to the school community, Pryor said that “it was a blessing to be at Little Flower School.”

“Sometimes, I second guess myself if this is where I need to be, then I see students in the hallways, and it just warms me and makes my heart happy,” she said.

Pryor received dozens of nominations. Here are just a few:

“Mrs. Pryor has an incredible ability to make learning engaging and enjoyable, turning even the most challenging subjects into an exciting adventure,” said Brittany Schoenherr, a parent of a students. “When you walk into her class, you can hear the sounds of laughter and great discussion taking place. Her genuine care for each student shines through in everything she does, ensuring that everyone feels supported, encouraged, and inspired to do their best. The impact Mrs. Pryor has left on our kids has been profound and something that they will take with them long after they leave her class. Our family feels extremely blessed that our children have had the opportunity to have Mrs. Pryor as a teacher!” 

“I have always admired Mrs. Pryor’s dedication to her students,” said Laura Boland, a teacher at the school. “She has always been the teacher that sees the best in her students and has their best interest in mind. She has always been the teacher that goes the extra mile, especially for her most vulnerable students. She always has looked after the ‘underdog’ which sometimes included keeping a clean sweatshirt in her room because there was a need. She has fun with her students, and they share an amazing rapport because they know she cares. I have taught with her and have been a parent to her student. I can say that she treats children fairly and always models what a Catholic teacher stands for. Mrs. Pryor has always been a team player and her students and our faculty are blessed to have her.”

“Every student is important to her, and she shows each one so much love and respect,” said Kate Killian, a former student. “I know that the lessons I learned from Mrs. Pryor have really helped me grow in my academics and as a person, and it makes me so happy to know that countless other students get to have her as a teacher too.”

“I have not only had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Pryor for several years, but I have also been lucky enough that three of my own children have had Mrs. Pryor for a teacher during their time at Little Flower,” said Jennifer Killian, the principal. “Mrs. Pryor is a teacher that sets high expectations for her students and is continuously challenging them, but at the same time, she makes sure that they are always getting the support and encouragement they need in order for them to feel successful and work up to their fullest potential. She has a way of making special connections with all of her students. Her students can tell that she has a genuine concern for each and every one of them and that she truly feels responsible for helping them learn and grow as a total person. She shows her students respect and in turn earns that respect back. I am grateful for the imprint that Mrs. Pryor has left on my own children as well as all of the students at Little Flower School whose lives she has touched.”

There are 43 Catholic schools in the diocese (36 elementary, seven high schools). Stay tuned in early 2026 as Catholic Times will announce how to submit a teacher for the 2026 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award.