By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
Mater Dei High School Principal Darin Knight was recently named Administrator of the Year by the Indiana Association of Student Councils.
A 1985 graduate of Mater Dei High School in Evansville, Knight was selected as this year’s Administrator of the Year at the Indiana Association of Student Councils state convention March 7-8. He was one of several individuals honored at a March 10 assembly at Mater Dei High School.
Chase Griese, Mayor of Mater Dei-ville, said the work Knight does at Mater Dei does not go unnoticed.
“He has also been to every event, supported every initiative and always trusted and approved our decisions as a council,” Griese said. “His dedication to our school and his belief in student leadership make a huge impact and we are incredibly grateful for him.”
Knight said individual awards such as this one are really team awards. He credited the team of administrators in the office, the teachers, the team of the student council, the students and the community. The school is nothing without the students in the building, he said.
While she did not attend Mater Dei, Knight said his mother supported Catholic education. She supported Knight in becoming a teacher at Mater Dei “when she was told not to do that,” Knight said.
“It’s not always easy but mornings like this make it all worthwhile,” Knight said. “And I so appreciate Mrs. (Jeanne) Thomas and Chase for nominating me. And for all those that are in the building that possibly wrote letters, that supported this endeavor … I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support for Mater Dei High School.”
Thomas also received an honor from the IASC. She received the Pillars of Leadership Award. Griese said this is a well-deserved honor for her dedication to the program. She has led the council for 30 years, shaping countless student leaders along the way, Griese said.
“Such a well-deserved honor to be in the Hall of Fame,” Knight said. “And that means she’s there forever. Every year, when they go to the convention, Mrs. Jeanne Thomas will be on that wall to be honored and to be remembered. And as future students go to that meeting, they get to see that. How Mater Dei was represented. So Jeanne, on behalf of all of us, thank you. A well-deserved honor.”
Mater Dei also earned two more recognitions during the convention. Griese was the recipient of an Indiana Distinguished Student Leader award. He was one of two seniors at the state convention to receive the award, Thomas said.
Student Cooper Miller was elected as the southwest district representative of the IASC.
