XAVERIAN’S RYKEN AWARD WINNER
Ms. Jenna Vona
s. Jenna Vona has been lighting up the Xaverian
hallways and classrooms with her smile and
her dedication to fostering a positive student
experience since 2009. Now 12 years later, she carries the title
of 2021 Ryken Award recipient, the highest honor bestowed
each year to one faculty or staff member at Xaverian Brothers
High School (and at each Xaverian Brothers Sponsored
School).
Ms. Vona is a theology teacher, currently teaching grades
7 and 9. Though Xaverian was her first teaching position, she
didn’t set out to become a teacher initially. She holds dual
master’s degrees, one in theology and one in mental health,
which is how she started out her career as a behavioral
therapist. However, it didn’t take long for her to realize that
her true passion was sharing her love of theology in
the classroom, and that is how she came to be a
teacher at Xaverian.
Known for her ability to make students
and colleagues alike feel seen and valued,
Ms. Vona has been active in the community
working to ensure a positive student
experience and to promote a healthy
atmosphere of respect. Along with Ms.
Mary Briody, she co-founded Students
Against Destructive Decisions
(SADD) in 2013. Additionally,
in 2017 Ms. Vona and Mr. Jim
Conley, Director of Campus
Ministry, founded a club
dedicated to accompanying
LGBTQ students and
their allies at Xaverian.
It’s called Without
X-Ception, which
pays homage to an
excerpt from the
Catechism of the
Catholic Church (CCC
478) stating, “The Sacred
Heart of Jesus...is quite rightly
considered the chief sign and
symbol of that…love with which
the divine Redeemer continually
loves the eternal Father and all
human beings without exception.”
The Ryken Award is bestowed each December as part
of Xaverian Brothers High School’s Founder’s Day liturgy,
which celebrates Theodore James Ryken, founder of the
Congregation of St. Francis Xavier (more commonly
known as the Xaverian Brothers). It signifies an exceptional
commitment to Ryken’s vision and dedication to the core
values of a Xaverian Brothers education. Each year, Xaverian
faculty and staff nominate colleagues to win the award. Ms.
Vona says this makes it all the more overwhelming that
she was chosen. “I still feel like a baby here, even after 12
years. I am surrounded by talented colleagues — those we
call ‘the giants’ — who have been here 20, 30, and 40 plus
years. To be recognized among a group of people who are so
excellent at their jobs is truly overwhelming.” For Ms.
Vona, “the giants” she gratefully mentions as her
mentors at Xaverian include previous Ryken
Award winners, Mr. David Palmieri ’93,
P ’23, Mrs. Catherine Douglas, P ’21, ’24,
Mr. Alexander Salachi, P ’18, and Mr.
Garrett Bowers ’87, P ’21, ’24.
As the Ryken Award celebrates those
individuals who embody the Xaverian
mission, it seemed only appropriate to ask
Ms. Vona how she believes one lives out
the mission each day. She says,
“Brother Ray (Brother
Raymond Hoyt C.F.X., ’70)
made such a strong impression
on me, because he made it a
point to know kids and know
their names. When someone
comes into our center,
it’s so important to say
‘hello’ using their name.
Those small moments of
recognition are meaningful
to kids, and it makes them
feel like there is somebody
here who knows them. Being
known and being seen is at the
heart of what we talk about when
we say every person has dignity and
every person has value. Being able to
make those connections, even in really
small ways, that’s mission.”
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