Helen Chaykowsky, who served in the U.S. Catholic school system for 48 years — including 26 years as principal of several Catholic high schools — received the award for her half-century commitment to Catholic education, her lifelong accompaniment of young people, and her leadership in ensuring the protection of children. For several years, she has served as the Chair of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia Review Board. Accepting the award, she emphasized that she does so on behalf of the entire board: “It is a wonderful group of men and women who work tirelessly to ensure that our children are safe and protected.”
Introducing the honoree, Metropolitan Borys joked, “She is a true Ukrainian Philadelphian.”
He also described the challenges facing Catholic schools: in the 1970s, there were 11,000 Catholic schools in the United States — now the number has been cut in half. In the Philadelphia region, 18 Catholic high schools once served students; today, only three remain. Mrs. Chaykowsky served in six Catholic schools — part of the oldest Catholic school network in the country. The Metropolitan highlighted that she became the first laywoman appointed principal of an archdiocesan high school at Bishop Conwell.“Imagine American teenagers of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. What a responsibility! It is an even greater responsibility than being a bishop,” he remarked.
Helen Chaykowsky was born in Ukraine and came to the United States in 1949 at age six. Her family settled in Philadelphia. She graduated from St. Basil Academy (1961) and Chestnut Hill College (1965), earning a degree in English. She received a master’s degree in counseling from Villanova University and a secondary education administration certificate from Temple University. She remains a dedicated member of the Annunciation B.V.M. Parish in Melrose Park and continues to serve actively within the Church.