Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Eleven elementary school teachers from the Archdiocese of Louisville were recognized this fall with the St. Katharine Drexel Award after reaching 20 years of service in 2025.

The award comes with a $1,000 prize and is intended to honor teachers’ long-term commitment to Catholic education. According to a statement from the anonymous sponsors, the award is meant to “show appreciation and gratitude to the elementary school teachers of the archdiocese for their dedication, commitment and sacrifice to Catholic education.”

This year’s recipients are Sunny Bowen from Our Lady of Lourdes School; Kelly Fiepke and Danika Peak from St. James School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky; D. Dee Hill from Holy Trinity School; Elizabeth Hinkebein from St. Agnes School; Steve Mercer from Holy Spirit School; Carol Murphy from St. Patrick School; Kelly Schweikhart from St. Stephen Martyr School; Julie Perdue from St. Bernard School; Jack Richards from St. Mary Academy; and Debbie Cunningham from Sacred Heart Model School.