I started in education teaching in Deschler, Ohio in 66.
Then I taught in Colorado and in Galleon and then at Anthony Whighton.
My first work with the Perrysburg Schools has been on levies, everybody works on levies.
I ran for school board in 2001 and this will be my 16th year on the board.
She was the seasoned veteran even though she was new on the school board so she brought
a perspective that some of us didn't have.
Her compassion, her focus on the student and what's best for students has always been her
guiding principles.
Her tour of duty so to speak, she's been involved in every aspect of the game in 16 years.
Without her being there as a board member to advocate for a district, we would not have
the things that we have today.
She's not only on the board but she's volunteering, she's very active in all of our campaigns.
When we have a levy she's knocking on doors and talking about schools and she's talking
about them everywhere.
One time I was standing out in the rain and we had failed this levy miserably in the spring.
It's now November this is last chance.
Huge cuts are going to happen if it doesn't pass and I'm standing out with my umbrella
with a sign that says vote for schools and I get home after the polls close and my phone
rings and this gentleman said you know I was just going to go home, I wasn't going to vote
but I saw you standing there and I thought if she's standing there in this levy rain
this must be important.
He said so I turned around and went and voted.
Gretchen is a huge part of the Perrysburg Schools Foundation and was extremely supportive
of our efforts to get a girls STEM club started here at the junior high.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics and we're specifically focusing
on girls because they're underrepresented in those fields.
When it had to be approved by our school board Gretchen was the big cheerleader for us that
said this is something we definitely should be doing.
It was something that we felt was needed in the junior high, we had room for it, we had
a great teacher for it.
I like going to STEM because I really have fun here and I love learning about space and
how we girls can do things these days just as well as boys can.
So it's an exciting field for Perrysburg to enter and to inspire our girls.
Gretchen is Perrysburg Schools, she's a champion for students, a champion for staff.
She's someone who is not just an encourager but a nurturer, she makes our ideas better.
And Gretchen has been part of that growth and part of the changes that's been made at
Perrysburg.
We look at when Gretchen came on the board and where the district was then and where
it is today, from top to bottom I think we are in a far greater place.
I can't think of a better person who's more deserving of an award like this, it just really
exemplifies who Gretchen Downs is.
There are many times when people are on your back, they're complaining, but then there
are wonderful times.
Gretchen is a wonderful experience and you fought for these kids for 12 years and here
they are graduating, it makes the whole job worthwhile.
That's the key.
When you see these kids, these bright young people graduating and you say it's worth it.
