 |
|
Father Boes shakes the hand of Barba Edwards, thanking her and Tessie Edwards for their contributions to children during the Wegner School ceremony Jan. 18.
|
|
|
Boys Town Honors Tessie and Barba Edwards for Efforts in Shaping Future for Children
Boys Town honored native Omahans and relentless child-care advocates Mses. Barba and Tessie Edwards during a ceremony at Wegner School January 18.
The sisters were recognized as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations for their invaluable and lasting impact on Boys Town and the Omaha community, given through their values, love and enormous talent. Serving for 12 consecutive years on the Boys Town National Board of Trustees and acting as mentors to the children who find help and hope in its care, the women were recognized for their tireless efforts helping children find a safe, caring environment in which to learn.
“Just as Father Flanagan did 90 years ago, Barba and Tessie Edwards made a home for children in their hearts,” said Father Steven Boes, Boys Town National Executive Director. “Their hard work, generosity and community spirit make them a shining example for all our children to follow.”
In the ceremony, Wegner School children dedicated “Edwards Hall,” where Boys Town’s youngest children gather to begin each school day, in their honor. Portraits of the women and a plaque recognizing their works in the Boys Town and Omaha communities will teach future generations of Boys Town children about their great works. The women also addressed the young students as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations.
 |
|
Ms. Barba Edwards
|
Barba Edwards became a trustee in 1996 and Tessie Edwards succeeded her in 2002. Together, the women helped lead the organization during some of the most momentous years in its history, including Boys Town’s expansion across America and its most recent strategic initiative to provide the right care to families at the right time.
During her career in nursing, Barba Edwards grew from an RN position in staff development to being the Chief Nurse Executive at Bergan Mercy Medical Center in Omaha. Becoming known for her expertise in the management of operating rooms, she rose to the position of President of the Association of Operating Room Nurses, a nationally-recognized organization. Having achieved national recognition, she continued to speak extensively and offered her expertise to improve the management of operating rooms and address the medical ethics involved in healthcare across the United States. While her love of cooking had to take a back burner to her career in health care, she directly impacted the lives of thousands by improving clinical care in many organizations.
 |
|
Ms. Tessie Edwards
|
A respected teacher at Creighton Prep, Tessie Edwards taught World History and Global History and moderated the National Honor Society. She was well known and respected for her demanding curriculum and loving care and concern for her students. Ms. Edwards keeps in touch with many of her former students and has had the pleasure of seeing many of them become community leaders. She is well-respected by her colleagues and mentored many new teachers. In recognition of her embodiment of Jesuit ideals, she was awarded Creighton Prep’s Ancilla Domini Award and received the Woman of the Year in Education from the Women’s Fund. Her generosity of spirit is boundless.
Boys Town is a beacon of hope for America’s children and families through its life-changing youth care and health care programs across the United States. Now 90 years strong, Boys Town is embarking on a new mission to affect change in a puzzling system of youth care by building a continuum of family services to provide the right services at the right time based on a child’s or family’s needs. The nonprofit, nonsectarian organization provides children and families with services in their own homes, or, when necessary, family-like out-of-home services to children with special treatment needs. Boys Town works with communities and schools in order to meet the growing and more diverse needs of today’s children and families.
In 2006, a record number of children – 47,170 – received help from Boys Town’s youth care and health care programs in 14 states and in the District of Columbia. Nearly 450,000 children and families were directly assisted through the Boys Town National Hotline, including more than 34,000 calls from youth where hotline staff intervened to save the caller’s life or provide therapeutic counseling. Nearly one million more children were assisted through Child and Family Support Services last year.
|
