At this year’s Annual Fundraising Gala for Holy Child Academy, the community gathered not only to celebrate the school’s mission, but to mark a meaningful first: the introduction of the Cornelia Connelly Service Award. Created to recognize an educator whose life and work embody HCA’s motto — “Actions, not Words” — the award reflects something deeper than tenure. It honors a life spent shaping young hearts with devotion and pure joy.

Fittingly, the inaugural recipient was someone who has done just that for nearly two decades.

For many families, including my own, Ms. Lee Barra is one of the first warm faces that welcomes a child into the HCA community. All three of my children began their school journeys in the halls of Holy Child, and my youngest had the great fortune of learning under her gentle, joy-filled guidance. She loved being one of her “busy little bees,” the students she affectionately taught as the “Queen Bee” of her classroom - a bright, buzzing “Beehive” that perfectly captured the vibrant, engaging and collaborative environment she created.

The Cornelia Connelly Service Award is not about the number of years served, but about how those years were lived. The honoree must embody the Seven Goals of Holy Child Schools: Faith, Community, Love of Learning, Compassion, Respect, Personal Growth, and Tradition. They must give selflessly, love fully, and show up each day with the steadfast mission of nurturing children through both learning and love.

Ms. Barra has done all of this and then some.

Her preschool room was pure magic. Laughter came easily, and lessons felt like play. Her incredible, catchy songs often floated through the air (we still catch ourselves singing them at home!). Tiny hands were always guided with patience and every child felt truly seen, safe, and cherished. Ms. Barra didn’t just teach; she instilled the earliest, beautiful seeds of wonder, faith, and compassion that her students carry with them long after they move on.

Adding to the tremendous honor of the evening, Ms. Barra was also presented with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for receiving the award from House Representative Thomas R. Suozzi. It was a powerful acknowledgment of the impact her life's work has had on the community.

Though recently retired, her presence is still felt in the traditions she shaped, the colleagues she inspired, and the countless families who remember her with affection. The resounding outpouring of gratitude at the Gala proved that her legacy lives on in the hearts of the HCA family.