Bentley wins Paul Morris Community Service Award

Roseann Bentley of Springfield is the winner of the fourth annual Paul Morris Community Service Award established by FutureBuilders, the education foundation of the Missouri School Boards’ Association. This award is designed to recognize individuals who provide leadership to their communities through school board service as well as other community service activities. The award honors 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 devoted countless hours strengthening his community and improving its schools through his volunteer work. Bentley is a former president of the Springfield R-XII Board of Education, the State Board of Education and the National Association of State Boards of Education. She is a former state senator and currently serves as Greene County Commissioner. She also has been involved in numerous community service programs. She was recognized on Friday, June 15 in Columbia as part of the MSBA Leadership Summit Recognition Banquet. She will receive a $1,000 individual award and an additional $1,000 award to be used by her school district for scholarships. Other finalists for the award this year were Robert Becker, a member of the Greenville R-II School Board; George Koontz, a member of the Scotland County R-I School Board; Jan Reding, a member of the Grain Valley R-V School Board; and Diane Watson, a former member of the St. Joseph School Board.