May is recognized as National School Board Appreciation Month.

Greene County School Board Director Sam Harding has been serving on school boards for almost a quarter of a century. He’s one of the longest serving school board members and he recounts what made him run the first time in 1993.

“I was motivated by a young man who came in to apply for a job from me and couldn’t spell diploma, even though he had one. Somehow that really stuck in my brain and I was like, ‘We got to make sure these kids are getting what they need.’ And that’s been my motivation for the entire time that I’ve been on the board.”

During his time on the board, Harding says adding classes has been a highlight for him, especially career and technical classes like the student construction program, as well as improving the reading curriculum in all grades.

Superintendent Tim Christensen also acknowledges all the school board members for their volunteerism.

“I want to thank them for all their hard work, dedication and all the time that they put in for the best interests of the students. A lot of people don’t realize the amount of time that it takes to be a board member and decisions aren’t easy, but they do a fantastic job.”

The individuals that currently serve on the Greene County School Board include Dr. David Ohrt, Dr. Mark Peters, Teresa Hagen, Steve Fisher, Mike Dennhardt, John McConnell and Harding.