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Catholic Educator Awards

Celebrating Ohio Catholic Educators

The Lumen Fidei (Light of Faith) award is sponsored by the University of Dayton's Center for Catholic Education and honors an outstanding educator in a Catholic school in Ohio.

For 2025, the Lumen Fidei Committee introduced a Rising Star award to be presented to a teacher with 5-10 years of experience.

Nominations are open in the fall and the award is presented in late March or early April.

Frequently Asked Questions
Submit a Nomination
2025 award winners
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2025 Winners

The 2025 Lumen Fidei award goes to Matthew Fletcher from Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

This year's Rising Star award goes to Moira Rodriguez from Romero Academy at Resurrection in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Read About the Winners
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Previous Lumen Fidei Award Winners
2024 award recipient Maggie Banker Taul with award and nominator

2024: Maggie Banker Taul

Maggie Banker Taul has taught science and religion at Cardinal Pacelli School/Our Lord Christ the King Church for more than 20 years. She is pictured with her nominator and the student artist whose photograph was selected to be part of the prize.

2023 award recipient Linda Dintaman with award and nominator

2023: Linda Dintaman

Linda Dintaman is a theology teacher of 39 years at Archbishop Alter High School in Kettering and the winner of the inaugural Lumen Fidei award in 2023. She is pictured with her nominator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the award?

The teacher will receive $1,000 along with a plaque and the opportunity to be recognized at a banquet held at the University of Dayton in the spring.

Who is eligible?

Any full-time, licensed teacher who has served a minimum of five years in a Catholic school within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

What are the criteria?
  • The nominee models discipleship inside and outside the classroom.
  • The nominee creates a classroom environment where Catholic Social Teaching is practiced and lived especially in regard to equity and inclusion.
  • The nominee demonstrates innovative teaching practices.
  • The nominee integrates Catholic teaching and practices into their lessons.
  • The nominee is an excellent teacher who creates a positive and respectful learning environment, shows enthusiasm for their subject matter using a variety of teaching strategies to address a variety of learners, engages the students in critical thinking and inspires students to learn more.
  • The nominator may also include information on the nominee's involvement in other co-curricular activities.
  • The nominator may also include information on the nominee's contribution to the larger community.

Who can nominate?

Any parent, teacher, student, former student or administrator can nominate a teacher.

How do I nominate a teacher?

Complete the nomination form online when it becomes available each fall.

You must provide at least two brief reference quotes from other teachers, principals, parents, current or former students in support of the nominee. Full letters of reference are not needed and should not be included.

When is the deadline?

All nominations must be received by Dec. 1, 2025.

What is the selection process?

Nomination forms will be reviewed by a committee and the winner will be publicly announced on Jan. 15, 2026.

Those who did not win will be notified prior to Feb. 1, 2026, and the nomination form will be shared with them without the nominator's name so they can know how much they are appreciated.