ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS — St. Agnes School announced today that the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) has named Jean Butler, Navesink, a 2001 NCEA Catholic Elementary School Distinguished Graduate.   Mrs. Butler graduated from St. Agnes School in 1945 with 20 classmates.

Sponsored by NCEA’s Department of Elementary Schools in cooperation with St. Agnes School, the award goes to Jean Butler for outstanding personal and professional achievements.  Throughout her life Mrs. Butler has consistently pursued the highest possible standards in all that she pursued.  She is an example of how Catholic schools educate individuals to take leadership roles in their community and beyond.   Mrs. Butler has been a dedicated member of the St. Agnes family all of her life.  She and her husband John raised eight children, now ages 40 to 27.  All eight of her children are also graduates of St. Agnes School.  In addition, she and her husband have been foster parents to a youngster who also attended St. Agnes.  Mrs. Butler has been an active member in a wide variety of organizations in the St. Agnes community including: teaching CCD, the annual parish Passion Play, she has been a member of the Church Choir for 50 years, the Divine Mercy Prayer Group, the Core group for RENEW, a Eucharistic Minister for 10 years and she is a member of the church senior citizen club. 

NCEA established the Distinguished Graduate Awards out of recognition that the significant accomplishments of Catholic elementary school alumni are the hallmark of Catholic Education.  The fist Distinguished Graduate Awards were given in 1991.  As an award winner, Jean Butler joins a notable group of Catholic school distinguished graduates across the country.  They include an FBI Director, a governor, a circuit court judge, a network television anchor, an Air Force combat training division chief, a Peace Corps director, a professional baseball player, actors, a senator, a mayor, a corporate president and a state representative.  

NCEA is the largest private, professional education association in the world.  Founded in 1904, the association represents more than 200,000 educators serving 7.6 million students in Catholic education at all levels, including preschools, elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, seminaries and religious education programs.  

St. Agnes will honor Jean Butler at a special Mass and breakfast on Sunday, January 28, 2001.  The 9:00 AM Mass will also celebrate National Catholic Schools Week (January 28 to February 2, 2001).

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