Christ the Teacher Award Recipient Passionate About God, Science, Service

Lindsey Goshgarian teaches all subjects to her class of 5th graders at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School – but she especially loves teaching children about science, writing, and the God who created it all. Her passion and dedication are hard to miss, and the 14-year veteran teacher was recently recognized by the You Can Lend A Hand™ organization with the prestigious Christ the Teacher award.

Gosharian accepted her award alongside more than 40 educators from the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese, Diocese of Kalamazoo and the Diocese of Gary at the organization's annual awards luncheon. Goshgarian was named a recipient of the Christ the Teacher award for demonstrating the qualities of being Christ to others, both in and out of the classroom.

Goshgarian attended the awards luncheon with her husband, mother, and Sherri Kirschner, the elementary campus principal who’d nominated her. "She lives her Catholic faith in her classroom daily and in her interactions with students,” shares Kirschner. “She is devoted and goes above and beyond to create opportunities for students. From science fairs and student retreats to praise and worship programs, she brings our Catholic faith to life for others.”

“It was a lovely time,” says Goshgarian. “The Bishop was the keynote speaker. It was especially nice to have my mom and my husband there, too. They were proud and got to hear about what I do. Teaching is a profession that is, of course, mainly practiced in front of students – it feels great to be able to be acknowledged in the larger community as well.

Goshgarian has been teaching since 2009 and has been at Our Lady of the Lake for 12 years. When she began, there were no student retreats. Now, students benefit from two retreats that she plans annually. She introduced Lakers to the science fair and Innovation Expo. And she integrates Catholic culture into the curriculum in creative ways that keep kids engaged and active.

Goshgarian also developed the school’s new family life program, which is based on Theology of the Body. Updated textbooks support the initiative and a pediatrician leads class for the unit’s final lesson.

Next year, Goshgarian will expand her impact on students even more, as she will be teaching STEM courses to K-5 students and training others on how to utilize the school’s new Maker Space.“There are so many examples,” shares Kirschner. “Lindsey is deliberate in her lesson planning. Her days are full of cross-curricular activities, Catholic culture, and instructional best practices.”

Goshgarian’s classroom is a special place where students benefit daily from her talent and dedication. She writes guided Bible meditations for her students, which they practice together while listening to contemporary Christian music. After a unit on symbolism, students use air-dry clay to create symbols that represent them as individuals. Her class writes puppet show scripts and designs hand puppets that demonstrate the need for charitable giving to their 2nd grade buddies. They learn how to add and subtract decimals by doing sprints to see their run times on a stopwatch.

“It is a gift to know that my daily work truly makes a difference, both now and eternally. The students and I learn together about challenging material, who we are in Christ, and who we are as part of the Laker family,” she explains.

Families interested in a quality faith-based education can call to schedule a tour: 269.429.0227 for pre-school through 5th grade; 269.983.2511 for 6th through12th grade. A private Catholic school accredited by the Michigan Non-Public Schools Accreditation Association, Our Lady of the Lake provides an exceptional academic experience by focusing on Education, Faith and Citizenship. Learn more at ollakers.com.

	Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School Downtown Campus Grades 6th - 12th Grade 915 Pleasant Street St. Joseph, MI 49085 Phone: 269-983-2511 Fax: 269-983-0883		Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School South Campus Grades PS - 5th Grade 3165 Washington Avenue St. Joseph, MI 49085 Phone: 269-429-0227 Fax: 269-429-1461		"Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rooted in Sacred Scripture and centered on the Eucharist, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School embraces the values of Education, Faith and Citizenship.”
	Diocese of Kalamazoo Policy on Non-Discrimination The Schools of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the schools. The Schools of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of education policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school administered programs and activities, employment policies or contractual agreements.