HSD Board Member, Ann Gibbons, Wins the Paul Morris Community Service Award

Imagine bright lights, the chatter of educators and the excitement of an awards ceremony. Then picture (HSD) board treasurer, Ann Gibbons in attendance waiting to hear if she is about to win one of most important awards for which a board of education member could be nominated.

Anyone who knows Gibbons understands her demeanor and constant state of calm. For her to stop and speak means only words of wisdom will be heard.

Now picture this person shocked in amazement and beaming with pride, and you've got the sight of Ann Gibbons after she was announced winner of the Paul Morris Community Service Award.

"I certainly thought I wouldn't get it because I was standing in between two people that had done so much for the organization," Gibbons said of the announcement. "So when they called my name I almost dropped to the floor."

The Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA) FutureBuilders Foundation named board treasurer, Ann Gibbons, winner of the Paul Morris Community Service Award in June.

Gibbons, a 30-year HSD Board of Education member, was one of 10 regional finalists statewide.

"I didn't know this was coming," Gibbons said at a recent school board meeting."They took me by surprise."

The Paul Morris Community Service Award was established by MSBA FutureBuilders to honor the memory of Paul Morris, a school board member from Mt. Vernon, who was serving as president of MSBA when he passed away on February 2, 2009.

Paul Morris Community Service Award recipients receive a $1,000 individual award, and an additional $1,000 award to be used by their school districts for scholarships.

Gibbons and her husband Tom have lived in the Hazelwood School District for 50 years, have five children and have hosted parents of 12 exchange students.  All have graduated from Hazelwood Central or East high schools. They have 11 grandchildren.

Despite her busy schedule, Gibbons has plenty of time for HSD. She has been active in the PTA for 43 years, has been a volunteer for Girl Scouts for 45 years and was registered in Boy Scouts for 12 years as a troop organizer. These are some the qualities HSD Superintendent Steve Price named as he gave nothing but positive accolades of the veteran board member.

"It is a pleasure to recognize Ann Gibbons," he said. "This is the highest honor an individual board member can receive at the state level.

"The parallel that someone told me is that this is like being named superintendent of the year."

Gibbons who remains active was a coordinator for Youth For Understanding (YFU) International Student Exchange Program for 25 years and was awarded the YFU Volunteer Excellence Award.

Gibbons also won another notable award in 2003, as a recipient of the Community Service Award for St. Louis, Commerce Bank and the William T. Kemper Foundation. That was $10,000 award to go to the charities of Gibbons’ choice-–the Hazelwood Scholarship Fund and the Girl Scouts, according to a HSD press release.

Gibbons has also received the Missouri School Board Association’s Gold Boardmanship Award for Outstanding Participation.

The board member said she was very shocked but pleased with the win.