By Cara Spilsbury
The Haverhill YMCA awarded its first Educator of the Year honor Wednesday night to Matt Castonguay, fifth-grade teacher at Bradford Elementary School.
"This is amazing," Castonguay, 27, said after receiving the award. "Thank you. Thank you."
Castonguay, who is highly involved in cross country and many other activities at the school, went on to thank the colleagues he works with every day for their hard work and dedication as well.
He said he was ecstatic, but was extremely surprised to be nominated and he certainly didn't expect to win.
"I like to stay under the radar," he said. "I do what I do because I want to. It's all for the students. They're why I love going to work every day."
The other nominees were David Cunningham from Whittier Tech, Barry Mooers of Haverhill High School, Judy Reilly of Walnut Square School, Valerie Wood of Bradford Elementary, Judy Collins of Pentucket Lake School, and Noemi Custodia-Lora of Northern Essex Community College. The teachers were nominated by colleagues, students or parents who sent glowing letters of recommendation.
All seven of the nominees were honored at the event with trophies and citations from Mayor James Fiorentini and State Sen. Brian Dempsey.
The gymnasium at the Haverhill Y, usually a bustling mecca of basketball and floor hockey, was transformed into a gala reception by 12 tables covered in white table cloths and coral colored napkins. White string lights twinkled around the room. Balloons in a rainbow of colors lined the halls to the gym.
To start the event, the YMCA's Kindergarten Enrichment students led the room in the Pledge of Allegiance. Haverhill High singers Katie Amaro and Michael Buckhout provided the mood music.
The nominees — minus David Cunningham, who was unable to attend — sat at various tables around the room, surrounded by family, friends and colleagues. Each nominee was easily identified by a corsage and the constant stream of guests congratulating and praising them.
Tracy Fuller, executive director at the YMCA, was one of them.
"You clearly are shining stars," she said to the crowd of about 100, addressing the seven special teachers. "Thank you for all you do you every single day."
