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Lang honored for work as school board member
By LINDA M. LINONIS
liberty
Gloria Lang isn’t serving on the Liberty School Board for personal accolades. But she recently received a notable one.
She was named the 2010 Outstanding School Board Member Award by the Northeast Region of the Ohio School Board Association.
When her fellow board members proposed the nomination, she acknowledges that she resisted. But they passed a resolution to follow through on it.
“I’ll go along with anything that adds credibility and could help the district,” she said. “If it opens a door in Columbus or the Legislature, I’m for it.”
Lang was one of two people nominated for the honor and she received it at the OSBA’s fall meeting at the Tangier Restaurant in Akron.
At the football game Oct. 15, she received flowers and was honored.
“They cheered for me, and I was so touched,” she said.
Lang said she just received notification that she was named to the All Ohio School Board, which will be recognized at the OSBA Capital Conference Nov. 7-10.
Liberty is among 633 school districts in six regions in the Buckeye State. On the Liberty board, Lang serves with Jeffrey Grinstein, president; Diana DeVito, vice president; and Christine Flanagan and Joseph Nohra Jr. She has twice served as president and vice president of the board. DeVito, who wrote Lang’s nomination, described Lang as “truly altruistic.” “She’s devoted to the kids and staff,” she said.
DeVito also praised Lang’s academic, cultural and political understanding of issues and how she learns the facts, comes to a conclusion and acts.
Lang is in her sixth year on the board. “I wanted to get involved to serve and help,” she said. “I want the kids to know we care.”
Lang said she believes that serving on the board means more than “just issuing policies.”
She’s a regular visitor in Liberty schools because she wants to be in touch with the students. “Anyone who knows me know that I do it for the kids. They know I love them and want them to have every opportunity in life.”
Lang, who has lived in Liberty for 50 years, is involved in numerous township activities. They include Relay for Life, Blott Needy Kids, the American Legion, VFW, Korean War Veterans Association, Excelsior College Alumni, National Alliance of Women Veterans and the National Association for Amateur Radio Sky Watch.
She also serves as the volunteer Liberty reporter and photographer for The Review newspaper, and she publishes weekly a full page of news and events pertaining to the school and township, all of which she covers independently.
June Smallwood, parks special projects director in Liberty, has worked with Lang on various activities. “She really cares about the kids," Smallwood said. “She’s very dedicated.”