Principal Doreen Engel named a 2022 President's Medal Honoree, St. John's College HS

We are excited and proud to share this news with the entire Mercy community!  The President’s Medal is St. John’s highest honor, awarded to distinguished alumni and friends of the school who have given extraordinary service to St. John’s and the greater community.

Mrs. Engel’s service has indeed been extraordinary.  While working for Blessed Sacrament, she met Hal DeLuca from St. Anselms, who sought to determine why local students were experiencing challenges getting accepted to Catholic schools. Through this relationship, she went on to design, implement, and direct the St. John’s College High School’s Benilde Program (1998–2006), named for visionary and innovative Lasallian educator St. Benilde Pierre Romancon. To this day the SJC program offers a college preparatory curriculum for highly motivated students with average to above-average intelligence and diagnosed mild learning differences. The program received a national award from the National Center for Catholic Education Association (NCEA) in 2000 and 2002, so that other schools in the country could learn about the program’s potential. From 2014 to 2018, Mrs. Engel went on to create and direct the Benilde Program at St. Raphael Academy in Rhode Island, and in 2020 received the Catherine McNamee Award for the person in American Catholic education who has provided more opportunities for more children to have a Catholic education.

The impact of Mrs. Engel’s effort is far-reaching.  To date, the Benilde Program has been replicated in seven high schools across the country.  It is clear, that when given the appropriate educational opportunities, children with learning challenges can and will, rise to unlimited heights. 

Mrs. Engel’s lifelong commitment to inclusive education is a reflection of her deep and personal faith.  Her work will continue to broaden access to Catholic inclusive education for years to come.  She will receive the President’s Medal at the 2022 President’s Medal Celebration on November 4th.   We are inspired by her example and grateful for her leadership!