The St. Augustine City Commission has named the Sisters of St. Joseph as the first of two recipients of the 2025 Adelaide Sanchez Award for Historic Preservation and Restoration. The award recognizes their work in rehabilitating the historic St. Benedict the Moor Schoolhouse. The presentation will take place on April 28 at 4:30 p.m. in The Alcazar Room at City Hall and is open to the public, according to the City of St. Augustine website.
Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline nominated the recipients earlier this year, with full support from the City Commission. The St. Benedict the Moor Schoolhouse, which operated during segregation and served Black students until its closure in 1964, has been preserved as a historic site.
The schoolhouse, nearly 125 years old and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was renovated from January 2022 to March 2024. It now operates as the St. Joseph Neighborhood Center, offering programs focused on education, community support, and spiritual development.
The Adelaide Sanchez Award is named in honor of a St. Augustine native known for her work in journalism and historic preservation. Proceeds from the sale of her former residence fund restoration and educational efforts in the city. Recipients receive a statuette modeled after the lions on the Bridge of Lions, created by local sculptor Enzo Torcoletti.
The second award will be presented to former Florida State Representative Cyndi Stevenson on May 12. These awards are part of Historic Preservation Month, which highlights efforts to protect and maintain St. Augustine’s historic resources.
