“An exceptional teacher for an exceptional class.” These words express the feelings of the thousands of students who experienced the joy of being in one of Rita Ryan’s Latin classes over her 42-year career teaching Latin at CHS. Rita had the ability to impart to her students her enthusiasm and her love for both the Latin language and the classical culture associated with the language. Her students always performed very well when participating in certamens, student competitions which require an in-depth knowledge of Roman history and the Latin language. Rita also sponsored the Junior Classical League, attending eight National JCL Conventions with her students, and she organized 15 trips to Europe for students, parents, and friends. Because of her teaching excellence, Rita has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award, the Central Teacher of the Year, and the STAR Award, a state world language teacher award. “Te amamus, Miss Ryan,” say all of her students.
Rita passed away in 2022 at the age of 73.