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In his remarks, Mayor Roach spoke of the Sister’s dedication to teaching and her contributions to literacy in Westchester. "Sister Delany is a remarkable person who has been teaching and caring for others for most of her life,” he said. “You can see the affection that the young people who work with her have for her, and it is heartwarming and inspiring to watch.”
“Sister St. John absolutely exemplifies the values of the Pace University School of Education,” said Andrea (Penny) Spencer, dean of the school. “As a teacher, she is a tireless advocate who ensures that all students have the skills and opportunities to grow into excited and life-long learners. She further serves as a beloved instructor and mentor to pre-service educators, inspiring them to create caring classroom communities where learning is a joy, not a task.”
Sister St. John Delany taught first grade in White Plains from 1941 to 1972 before founding the Center for Literacy Enrichment and becoming an associate professor at Pace. Her past students include former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, football great Bob Hyland, and Pat Casey, editor of the White Plains Examiner. She will also be recognized as a Westchester Senior Hall of Fame honoree at a lunch at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown on Dec. 6.
“We encourage students in their efforts with their studies,” she said at the Oct. 24 ceremony. “We tell the students, ‘You can do it. You can do better’ … and they do.”
