Bonamico celebrates her 50th year at TCC
Roseann Bonamico
This year Roseann Bonamico celebrates her 50th year in Catholic education. Bonamico is a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Dennison, and to help her sister Margaret and her brother Joe, she volunteers at Trumpet in the Land.
Originally, Bonamico thought she was being called to married or religious life; however, she was actually being called to Catholic education.
According to Bonamico, “When I student taught in a public school, I truly enjoyed my students and would have eagerly accepted a job there. And then something happened. It was Ash Wednesday, and I was teaching a seventh-grade social studies class when a student asked why some of us had dirt on our foreheads. I proceeded to go through the whole history of ashes and Ash Wednesday. The students had questions beyond words, and I answered all of them readily. When the bell rang, it hit me. I wasn’t allowed to talk about this in a public school. Thank goodness my supervising teacher had not been in the room. At that point I realized I could not teach in a school where I could not share my faith. This is my ministry.”
Bonamico graduated from Kent State with a Bachelor of Science in History and Government and Social Psychology. She first began teaching in 1974 at St. Joseph Elementary School, then began teaching at Tuscarawas Central Catholic in 2009. She has taught American and world history, English, literature and religion.
Bonamico went into Catholic education because she wanted to have the freedom to talk about her Catholic faith in class without fear of repercussions. Her favorite moment in her teaching career was when she took her students to the Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton and the nuns complimented on how prayerful her students were.
Family and faith have been a crucial part of Bonamico's life and teaching career. Bonamico credits Mother Teresa, her mom, her dad, her pop, and her aunt and godmother Sister Wilma as influences in her life. She also is influenced by Anne Frank, who always saw the good in people. Her favorite saint is Saint Francis of Assisi.
Bonamico also said her favorite sport is tennis, her favorite book is “Mr. Peabody’s Apples,” and her favorite music is rock 'n' roll, jazz, Motown and James Taylor. Bonamico finds inspiration in the following Bible passages:
—I Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
—Luke 18:16-17: “But Jesus called the children to him and said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.' Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Bonamico sets high expectations for students, and her standards encourage the students to get good grades and be respectful to everyone they meet in life. Bonamico has inspired many through her 50 years in Catholic education, earning the respect of students and staff.
Ethan Rothrock is a freshman at Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School.