Harvard Club to Honor Mrs. Trudy Hoffman April 2

Saint Mary’s is proud to announce that Mrs. Trudy Hoffman, a faculty member of St. Mary’s Elementary School, has been named a “Distinguished Teacher of 2022” by the Harvard Club of Long Island.

“This award honors middle and high school teachers who have profoundly influenced their students’ lives,” explained Dr. Judith Esterquest, Chair of the Distinguished Teacher Selection Committee. “Dedicated teachers like Mrs. Hoffman inspire Long Island students to excel, to become passionate about learning, and to recognize the value of hard work. These teachers devote countless hours to creating better futures for our children.”

Mrs. Hoffman will be honored at a virtual awards ceremony on Saturday, April 2, along with seven other teachers from across Long Island. Delivering the keynote will be Harvard Professor of Psychology Fiery Cushman, who studies how people make moral decisions.

Mrs. Hoffman, who has taught 6th grade English Language Arts (ELA) and Old Testament religion for the past 22 years at St. Mary’s Elementary School, wanted to be a teacher ever since she was in kindergarten. After receiving both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from St. John’s University, she continued her studies, earning numerous New York State certifications. Mrs. Hoffman moderates the Middle School Mock Trial Program at St. John’s. She is also the St. Mary’s team moderator, which consistently achieves entrance to the highly regarded annual regional competition. She is also a member of the Cognia Accreditation Committee. Happily married and a mother of three adult children, Mrs. Hoffman enjoys travel, seeking out art and history museums during European adventures.

Mary Duvnjak, who attended Saint Mary’s Elementary School a decade ago, still remembers her 6th-grade grammar lessons. She describes Mrs. Hoffman as such “a supportive teacher, and kind person [she] inspired my Harvard essay.” Mary went on to say, “she taught me that if I put meaning into my work and work hard, I can succeed.” Mary expects to graduate from Harvard College next month.

When St. Mary’s Co-Principal Sarah Griffin learned of this award, she said, “Through her creative, cutting-edge, and thought-provoking lessons in English Language Arts and religion, Mrs. Hoffman always leaves a lasting and motivating impression on her 6th-grade students.”

Principal Griffin proudly shared that “Mrs. Hoffman does something our School’s patroness taught us all first; she listens. Mrs. Hoffman listens and hears the needs of her students and responds with kindness, genuine care, and compassion.”

At the virtual ceremony on April 2, the Harvard Club of Long Island will announce the Distinguished Teacher of 2022, who will also receive a scholarship for a “Harvard Experience” at the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, MA. Past winners of the scholarships have enhanced their teaching by sampling the resources available to Harvard students, such as meeting with faculty; visiting research laboratories, rare book archives, and specialty museums; and enjoying visual and performance art. The scholarships are funded by contributions from Harvard alumni living on Long Island.

This year’s Distinguished Teacher Award winners were nominated by current Harvard undergraduates and then selected by Harvard Club of Long Island board members. They teach algebra, biology, chemistry, English, history, language arts, and psychology. The winners teach in Copiague, Freeport, Lawrence, Port Jefferson, Syosset, Three Village public school districts, and St. Mary’s Elementary School in Manhasset.

Mrs. Hoffman is the first teacher from Saint Mary’s Elementary School to receive this prestigious award.

Congratulations on this tremendous honor, Mrs. Hoffman. We are blessed to have you as a member of our faculty, guiding our students in their faith journeys and achievement of academic success. We also thank Ms. Mary Duvnjak, who is also a member of our St. Mary’s Parish family, for nominating Mrs. Hoffman for this award. The testimony of your educational experience with Mrs. Hoffman provided the Harvard Club with exemplary words evidenced in your heart. Your continued studies, determination, and work ethic are applauded. We wish you much success in your future.