The legacy continues: Second annual Adrianna Chico Evans teaching award given at St. Francis

Apr. 27—Luke Evans couldn't stop giggling toward the end of the program Wednesday evening at St. Francis Central Catholic School.

And, in the way of parochial school dynamics, the kid was publicly called out for it, too.

Principal Arthur Moore, however, did so in the nicest way possible.

"That sweet sound right there, " Moore said.

"He's why we're all here this evening."

The principal was gesturing in the direction of an exit door in the gym, where the 18-month-old was hanging with his father, Zach Evans, to quell some restlessness.

Luke's mother, Adrianna Chico Evans, couldn't physically be there.

Chico Evans, who taught third grade at the school on Guthrie Lane, died two years ago from COVID complications while in her eighth month of pregnancy with Luke.

After an emergency Caesarian section and several weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit, Luke survived.

His mother did not.

As they shouldered their grief, Zach and Adrianna's dad, Bob Chico, had a fiscal notion.

They would take all those GoFundMe dollars that people contributed after news of Adrianna and Luke's struggles broke on social media and they would use them — to recognize and reward teachers for their commitment to the profession.

Thus, the Adrianna Chico Evans Family Fund — ACE, for short — was also born.

Wednesday was the second annual ceremony, which presents a $2, 500 offering to a St. Francis teacher nominated by her colleagues, plus the parents of said teacher's students.

The idea, Bob Chico said, is to eventually grow the award beyond the borders of St. Francis school and West Virgnia, to teachers everywhere.

Now more than ever, Adrianna's father said, educators need to be celebrated for their talents and for showing up in the classroom every day.

Especially in their Catholic school classrooms, he said.

Salaries in such schools are traditionally lower than at other institutions of learning, he added, coupled with the ever-growing specter of gun violence.

"I don't know how you do it every day."

That's easy, the ACE 2023 recipient said — you just show up for work at St. Francis.

"It's truly a blessing to teach at this school, " said Mary Ann Boczek, who's been doing that for 30 years.

"I love my second-graders, " she said. "We get to talk about God. I'm grateful."

One of those students back her early days was Adrianna Chico, a little girl with big eyes—who locked on.

"I can still see her sitting there, " she said.

"I was so happy when she was hired. She always brought her best in everything she did."

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