(l-r): Tonasket Elem. Principal Jeff Cravy, ESD Board member Harlan Warner, Dick Tuttle, and Tonasket S.D. Superintendent Randy Hauff.

Bridgeport S.D. Superintendent Gene Schmidt, Ken Krugel and ESD Superintendent Rich McBride.

Board of the Year: Manson S.D. Supt. Steve McKenna and Manson S.D. board member: Kelly Peterson, Jama England, Fred Miller and Robin Bloch.

Worthy recipients from two different school districts were honored with the “Friend of Children” award at the North Central Educational Service District’s fourteenth annual staff award banquet, May 17, at Campbell’s in Lake Chelan. This award is the highest honor given annually by the ESD to citizens who have exemplified a lasting commitment to children in north central Washington.

The Friend of Children nominations came from local superintendents across their districts and across their communities who wished to honor the best among the best. They nominated those who serve unselfishly, without wish for fame, and give willingly to make a better school and a better community.

Dick Tuttle, a retired teacher nominated by Tonasket Superintendent Randy Hauff, Tonasket Elementary Principal Jeff Cravy, and the Tonasket School District Board, was selected because, as Jeff Cravy commented, “of his love for children and his love of teaching.” Although retired several years, he spends his “free time” teaching the students of Tonasket Elementary their basic P.E. skills. He has also organized the Tonasket Elementary schools Hoop Shoot for the past seven years.

Ken Krugel, recently retired as Bridgeport Postmaster, was nominated by Superintendent Gene Schmidt from Bridgeport School District. Mr. Krugel, recently retired as Bridgeport Postmaster, has been instrumental in developing and promoting a wide assortment of youth activities, including Dollars for Scholars, the local fishing derby, and the Vietnam Moving Wall. Gene Schmidt commented, “I believe that Ken Krugel is a powerful example of what a Friend of Children should be . . . for the unselfish contributions that he has made to the children of Bridgeport.”

The North Central ESD Board of Directors and the North Central ESD Superintendents’ Advisory Committee agreed that 2006 would be the year to begin recognition of our area school boards. They felt it would be an appropriate and encouraging award for those who give so freely to make such a huge impact on the future of our students. The Manson School District Board nominated by Superintendent Steve McKenna, received the distinction of being the very first North Central ESD “Regional Board of the Year’ because of their exemplary governance and leadership. In his nomination, Mr. McKenna stated, “The work of the board to re-think their governance structure has been to thrust the majority of the board’s thinking into the future . . . the board has utilized the precious gift of time more productively to provide the much needed vision and leadership for the district – a roadmap to guide the district’s efforts towards continuous student learning for each student.”

North Central ESD Board members Si Bautista, Ed Daling, Charles Beresford, and Harlan Warner presented engraved Friend of Children and Board of the Year Awards to the honored guests. Their names will be added to a plaque on permanent display at the ESD.

The Friend of Children Award was created in 1992 to recognize people in the communities represented by the districts within our four-county region. The award winners have made extraordinary contributions to local schools, not for the fame or the notoriety, but because that is just simply who they are...”givers” in the truest sense of the word. In 2002, the award was appropriately renamed the “Gene Sharratt Friend of Children” Award. The ESD serves 29 school districts and over 38,000 students in the four counties of Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan.