Somers Education Foundation to Honor 4 at Gala

This spring, as usual, the Somers Education Foundation is honoring four local individuals for their distinguished service at its annual Gala.

Here's the first Patch post about the honorees: meet Brenda O'Shea, Somers High School Teacher. 

Brenda O’Shea was born in Dublin, Ireland and moved with her family to New York in 1986, just in time to become a New York Met fan! After attending  high school in Yonkers, she graduated from Fordham University.  While completing her masters degree at Iona College, O'Shea was an 8th grade teacher at St. Barnabas Elementary School in the Bronx.  Shortly thereafter, while staying in Dublin , she received an offer to become a social studies teacher in Somers.  The opportunity proved irresistible—so O'Shea abandoned the Emerald Isle and flew back to land her dream job.  She started teaching at Somers High School  (SHS) in 2003. In addition to her work in the classroom, O'Shea has been the longtime Student Council co-advisor.  She and two  SHS students are currently on the board of the New York State Council on Leadership in Student Activities. O'Shea has also participated in multiple committees and initiatives at the school and district level.  She has also been active in the Somers Faculty Association (SFA) and currently serves as its president. Through this, Brenda and other SFA members are active in regional New York State Union of Teachers (NYSUT) events, such as the Food Drive for Food Bank for Westchester. She is also a founding member of HOPe, a non-sectarian charity dedicated to helping people in the developing world.  O'Shea is an avid traveler and can be found walking with her dog, Lucy,  in Rockefeller Preserve most weekends (when she’s not helping to run the Snack Shack at SHS during games). Her parents,  Aileen and Gerry, live in Yonkers and she has two sisters, Siobhan and Ursula, and five nieces and nephews. 
 

The Somers Education Foundation Gala is: 

When: April 26, 2014, 7pm-midnight 
Where: Putnam County Golf Club, Mahopac 
Cost: $125 pp 
What: Cocktails/Dinner/Dancing/Auction
 
More info and to register:  www.sefny.org/gala-2014