Matthew Stergios ’78 and Michael Hagstrom ’81, SOT ’94 were among 141 teachers honored with 2009 Presidential Scholars Program’s Teacher Recognition Awards from the U.S. Department of Education.  Ceremonies were held in Washington, D.C. in June.  Stergios is a history teacher and speech and debate coach at Loyola Sacred Heart High School in Missoula, Mont., and Hagstrom is a theology teacher at Shanley High School in Fargo, N.D.

Each teacher is chosen by a graduating senior who received the Presidential Scholar Award.  John Kenney, a recent graduate of Shanley, chose Hagstrom. “Mr. Hagstrom had a profound impact on me because he taught how a person of faith should live,” said Kenney. “I have always respected him and thought he deserved the honor of being recognized as one of this country’s outstanding teachers.”

Both Stergios and Hagstrom have been honored in the past with Alumni Achievement Awards from Saint John’s.