St. John Paul II High School receives the Above and Beyond Award

ESGR presents the Above and Beyond Award to St. John Paul II High School. From left, are ESGR Elisa Garcia, St. JPII President Father Peter Martinez, St. JPII Principal Michael Edghill, MST2 Benjamin Nye, MST2 John McFarland and ESGR Richard Morganroth.
Two representatives from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented St. John Paul II (St. JPII) High School with the Above and Beyond Award for their extraordinary support of their teachers, Mr. Benjamin Nye and Mr. John McFarland. Second Class Petty Officers Nye and McFarland are Marine Science Technicians (MST2) in the United States Coast Guard Reserves. 

ESGR representatives, Richard Morganroth and Elisa Garcia presented the award to the school’s President Father Peter Martinez and Principal Michael Edghill outside the Immaculate Conception Chapel at St. John Paul II High School on May 25.

Both MST2 Nye and MST2 McFarland have achieved the rank of second class petty officers. They are stationed at Sector Corpus Christi. Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi is an Air Station of the United States Coast Guard located in Corpus Christi. The Station is co-located with Sector Corpus Christi offices at Corpus Christi International Airport. 

In the past two years, only MST2 Nye has been deployed twice to help support vaccination centers in response to FEMA mission assignments. "During my time at St. John Paul II, I have been deployed three different times and each time they were supportive and helpful in making the transition as easy and positive as possible for both me and the students," Mr. Nye said.

The Above and Beyond Award recognizes employers who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by providing their Guard and Reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits such as differential or full pay to offset lost wages, extended health benefits, and other similar benefits.

Last year the school received the Patriot Award.