STA Honors Mother Evelyn O’Neill Awardees

Marzo 27, 2025

At a ceremony held this morning in Goppert Gymnasium, the STA community honored the student and community recipients of the Mother Evelyn O’Neill Award. This prestigious award recognizes excellence in leadership, community service or educational reform.

Out of six impressive student nominees, Kamryn H., STA senior, was named the 2025 recipient. She is passionate about serving her community and volunteers at a diverse range of organizations including Dobbs Elementary School, the Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City University Health, the Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City, Kanbe’s Markets and WeCode KC. At school, Kamryn  is the Leadership Chair of the National Honor Society, is a member of the Spanish Honor Society, and has planned activities for Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month, among many other activities.

This year, STA named two deserving community recipients of the Mother Evelyn O’Neill Award: Patty Davis, MSW, and Rose McLarney, CSJ.

Davis is recognized locally, regionally and nationally for her expertise and service in teaching and leading others to adopt trauma informed care (TIC) sensitive practices. She currently serves as program manager for Trauma Informed Care at Children’s Mercy Hospital, where she played a major role in building capacity within the Kansas City community to screen, identify and respond to children and families who were impacted by the mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs rally in 2024. In addition, she provides family and individual therapy for patients in the Children’s Mercy Eating Disorders Center.

In addition to her work at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Davis is co-chair of Trauma Matters KC, a coalition of Kansas City Metro organizations and providers dedicated to raising awareness about trauma sensitive practices. She serves on the executive committee for Resilient KC and is co-founder and president of Missouri Association of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.

Sister Rose is in her 63rd year as a Sister of St Joseph. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the College of St. Teresa Kansas City in 1962 and a master’s degree in nursing from St. Louis University in 1968. She has volunteered and served in leadership positions her entire adult life in organizations that serve the wellbeing of others, including: St. Joseph Hospital Center for Life (Augusta, Ga.), Carondelet Health Corporation, Center for Women in Transition, Missouri Restorative Justice Coalition, Catholic Charities Turn Around, Journey to New Life, and Center for Conflict Resolution. In addition, she worked as an instructor in Restorative Justice at Avila University and currently serves on the STA Board of Directors. 

Sister Rose received the St. Louis Archdiocesan Women’s Award: Dorothy Day Justice Seeker in 2002, and the Avila University Outstanding Alumni Award for her work with restorative justice in 2010.

In addition, the school gave special recognition to Jan Stacy, who helped establish the MEO award 25 years ago.

2025 Mother Evelyn O’Neill nominees and awardees: (seated) Patty Davis, MSH, and Rose McLarney, CSJ, community awardees; (standing, l. to r.): Vianney G.; Nora R.; Kamryn H. (student recipient), Drew K., Madeleine S. and Victoria Z.

About Mother Evelyn O’Neill

In 1908, Mother Evelyn O’Neill, a member of the faculty, was appointed Superior of St. Teresa’s Academy, then located at 12th and Washington Streets in downtown Kansas City. Though Mother Evelyn and all associated with the old Academy loved it loyally, businesses were being built on all sides and many realized the need of a new site for the school. Mother Evelyn was determined to make the necessary change.

In securing permission for a new location and in arranging for the loan to finance the undertaking, Mother Evelyn displayed an unshakable faith in divine providence and the intercession of St. Joseph, as well as a heroic degree of courage, humility, and perseverance. Added to these virtues, Mother Evelyn possessed a zeal for Catholic education, an aesthetic sense, and great foresight, which enabled her to envision a future for the Academy she loved so dearly.

Mother Evelyn died at Nazareth Convent in Lemay, Missouri, on Diciembre 26, 1938, at the age of 79 and in her 62nd year of religious life. Most of those 62 years were spent at STA.