CHAMPION SCHOOLS Longtime board member gets award

John Mahan lost his re-election bid in November.
By MIKE VAN CLEAVE
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CHAMPION -- On the final day of his 28-year run as a school board member, John Mahan took more pleasure from giving than he did from receiving.
Before giving Mahan a recognition-of-service award at Monday's board meeting, Larry Durch, vice president, presupposed what Mahan would have said when he first took his seat on the school board.
"I wasn't there when Jack become a board member, but I bet he said, 'I want to give something back,'" Durch said. "And he's been giving something back for 28 years."
Friend awarded, too
Mahan, who lost his seat to Amy Schwab in the November election, said a few words to an ovation of nearly 50 people before shifting the spotlight to his friend, Harvey Beavers, who was awarded the C.C. Kiser Hall of Fame community service award for his outstanding service to children.
"It's easier to give an award than it is to receive it," Mahan said before explaining why Beavers, retired supervisor at Delphi Packard Electric Systems and a 1944 graduate of Champion High school, deserved the award.
Mahan called Beavers the "man of 1,000 questions" because he often called the board to ask how members were going to help Champion children, and never once asked for questions for his own personal benefit.
Beavers, who had three children and four grandchildren graduate from Champion schools, called Mahan's leaving the school board a catastrophe, citing Mahan's dedication and know-how as primary reasons the board has been so effective in maintaining a sturdy school system.
In all, nearly 30 people showed up to show their support for Mahan and Beavers. Many of them either received their diplomas from Mahan or had children who did.
Also on agenda
In other business, the board:
UAnnounced that Champion schools were approved to receive more than $50,000 in grants to improve computer education this year through the Ohio SchoolNet Commission.
UApproved the purchase of a $53,309 bus from Myers Equipment with a stipulation that officials discuss compensation for a design flaw with the busing company.
"The engine in one particular bus is kaput, and that's probably because of the design problem," said board member Roger Samuelson.
UAwarded a $500 FirstEnergy science grant to David Murdock, sixth-grade science teacher, to purchase two indoor grow labs for an educational gardening program.