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For Christine McNulty, teaching wasn't simply a career, it was a calling that defined her life. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 1963, Christine devoted 33 years to the Warwick Public School system, spending 20 of those years at Park Elementary School, where she joyfully taught first graders with warmth and sensitivity.

"She loved Park School, and she found a lot of purpose there. She really liked the kids and the whole atmosphere," recalls Dan McNulty, Christine’s husband of 59 years. "She always knew that she wanted to be a teacher."

Christine's impact also extended beyond her classroom walls. She worked tirelessly to meet each student's individual needs, whether they were learning English as a second language or facing challenges at home. She put in extra hours to tailor her teaching, ensuring that every child felt valued and part of 'the same team,' rather than separated by what made each of them unique.

"I'm in awe of the welcoming learning environment she created," says her son Ryan, who followed in his mother's footsteps, becoming a high school teacher.  “Looking back on it with the perspective of being a teacher now and understanding how much work you have to put in to introduce first-graders to the world of learning – the countless hours correcting assignments, planning lessons, and immaculately decorating her classroom, with amazing bulletin boards that changed with the seasons and the units – I appreciate the sheer amount of effort and hard work she invested, in ways that I couldn’t when I was a young kid.”

Even after retiring in 1996, Christine couldn't stay away from the classroom. She volunteered for more than a decade at Park Elementary and then at Matunuck Elementary School in South Kingstown, continuing the work she loved so dearly.

When Christine passed away in January 2025, Dan wanted to honor her legacy and passion for education. Working with their lawyers and the Rhode Island Foundation, the McNulty family established the Christine C. McNulty Memorial Teacher Scholarship to support Warwick’s Pilgrim High School students pursuing teaching careers.

"The Foundation has been very easy to work with," Ryan shares. "It was a smooth process to set up the finances, and the Foundation’s team helped to connect us with Pilgrim High School. We’re really looking forward to awarding the scholarship for the first time."