Dr. Gene Harris honored with the Community Leadership Award at the Annual Key Club Recognition Event hosted by Les and Abigail Wexner
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 14:27
For the tenth year, Les and Abigail Wexner generously hosted Key Club members at the annual Key Club recognition event. More than 200 Key Club members and guests attended the reception.
The highlight of the event is always the announcement of the recipient of the Community Leadership Award. This award is given to an individual who demonstrates tremendous leadership in our community, through volunteerism, initiative, and creativity, and inspires others to get involved and make a difference.
This year's honoree is Dr. Gene Harris, Superintendent of the Columbus City Schools. Dr. Harris has led the state's largest school district since 2001. Her leadership has put the district on a successful path, and she continues to set and achieve demanding goals. Dr. Harris also has a deep relationship with UWCO. She served as a UWCO board member from 2002 to 2009, and she and her husband Stan Harris are founding members of Key Club, and led the 2006, 2007, 2008 campaigns as Key Club co-chairs.
UWCO President and CEO Janet E. Jackson welcomed 80 new Key Club members and thanked 2009 campaign co-chairs Peggy Simmons and Bill Darby for their hard work and dedication. Janet also outlined an important new initiative being led by UWCO: Columbus Kids: Ready, Set, Learn. This program will help ensure all preschoolers entering kindergarten in the Columbus City Schools are prepared to succeed. It will do that by providing learning checkups for every 2 ½ to 4-year-old in the Columbus City School district; reaching approximately 12,000 kids. It's an ambitious program that will make central Ohio a national leader in kindergarten readiness.
The event concluded with remarks and poetry by Elizabeth Alexander, poet, essayist and chair of Yale University African American Studies who described poetry as a rich part of the African American culture and our national culture.
