Catholic San Francisco interviewed Sharon McCarthy Allen about her recent recognition by the San Francisco Examiner as a “San Franciscan of the Year.”
Tell us a little about the award from the San Francisco Examiner that you received?
I’m honored that this is the first time a Catholic educator has been recognized by the San Francisco Examiner as a San Franciscan of the Year. I think educators play such a formative role, and this recognition doesn’t just shed light on me but on all educators and the work that they do for students.
Why did you elect to serve at St. Stephen School, and what do you see as the value of a Catholic education?
I’m a 4th-generation native San Franciscan, my children are 5th, my grandchildren are 6th, and I love being from this city—the city of St. Francis. I love the diversity, the people, the culture, and I love being a school principal. I’ve been in Catholic schools my whole life. I went to Catholic elementary school and high school in San Francisco, and then I went to a Jesuit university. After college, I came back to San Francisco and taught for 21 years and I have been a principal at St. Stephen School for 24 years. I was the first lay principal following 50 years of service by the Sisters of Mercy. I absolutely love working in Catholic schools. I love teaching about the faith. I love that our students have compassion for others. I love the fact that we understand that we are part of a global family. And when we do outreach in the community, we do it not to give a “handout” but to give a “hand up.” Our children engage in so many service-learning projects because it is part of our faith tradition and part of who we are.
How is service different when you view these community projects through a Catholic lens?
It’s never about “will we do service”. It’s about “what service will we do?” It is how I was raised; it’s how the children coming here are raised. It is part of who we are. It’s integral to our faith which teaches us that we need to help our neighbor. That’s what we do, and we do it with great joy and respect for others.
How do you bring that Catholic way of seeing the world into the secular roles in which you participate as a volunteer?
I was raised in a Catholic family, the oldest of four children, and we sat down every night together for dinner. My dad, who spent more than 30 years in politics, always led us in roundtable discussions during dinner. He would throw out different issues for us to discuss at a very young age, and this lasted through our high school years and even into college. We talked about current events, major issues impacting the community, social justice issues, things happening in the Church. We were taught that it is a privilege to serve and you should share your time, talent and treasure with others. Being raised in a family of faith and service, you bring that to whatever vocation, job, work environment or board you sit on because it is part of who you are.
In your many years of service in Catholic schools, you must have seen examples of student transformation due to the influence of a teacher, administrator, or even a service project that left a positive impression on a student. Will you share an example with us?
I come to school every day with a smile on my face because the children make my day. I have the great blessing of working with this fantastic faculty and staff. We are a family. It is not a job, it’s a vocation. I am doing something that I love, and I feel like I make a difference, and what greater gift can there be? Before this interview, I just came back from kindergarten to touch base with the teacher and say hi to the class. Four different children came up to me with cards that they had made for me. That’s my day every day—being affirmed by these wonderful children, and hopefully I am affirming them every day as well.
Last week, I was at a high school basketball game, and this darling girl came up to me and said, “Mrs. Allen, do you remember me?” I hadn’t seen her for 35 years since she was in my 5th grade class. She asked me, “Do you still stand at the door every day and greet every student and tell them to have a great day?” I said “Yes.” She said, “Mrs. Allen, “I have never forgotten that every day you greeted me with a smile.”
It’s the little things in life that make a difference. I try to remind the students and myself daily that big things are wonderful, but it is the little things that we build on that can make a difference.
My guiding motto at school is to treat each other with kindness and respect, and I do feel it has helped to shape the culture of our school and the character of our students. If we make a difference in a small way with our children going out into the community, maybe that will have a ripple effect.
