Poole Citizen of Year
PRESCOTT – Robert Poole, superintendent of the Prescott School District, as named Citizen of the Year at the 2019 Chamber of Commerce Banquet Thursday night.
The evening was filled with recognition of those who work to make Prescott and Nevada County a better place to live and work.
Howard Austin, 2018 Citizen, introduced Poole, saying this award was designed to recognize those who contribute to the betterment of the community. He said choosing someone to be Citizen of the Year isn’t easy as there are many who deserve the honor.
Poole, he said, was born and raised in Nevada County, and decided this is where he wanted to raise his family and work. Austin read a list of Poole’s involvement in the community before naming him Citizen of the Year.
Poole was broken up at the honor, unable to speak as he was emotional. “I don’t know what to say. There are so many worthy of this. I don’t like not being prepared.” Poole thanked his family and everyone involved. In the end, all he could do was express his appreciation at being selected.
The honors began with the recognition of the Farm Family of the Year – Todd Brown and family who own and operate a cattle ranch in the Bodcaw area.
This was followed by the Nevada County Ambulance Service being presented with the Business Leadership Award.
Jason Arrington, principal at the Nevada School District, presented Milton Lowe with the Educator of the Year Award for the district, saying Lowe has been an educator for 42 years, encourages students to do better, is honorable, respectful and a role model, who’s willing to help others and allows students to become successes and find their own worth.
Student of the Year for Nevada went to Carolyn Dixon, who, Arrington described as having the qualities of a great leader with an awesome personality. Dixon, he said, is motivated, driven, respectful, humble and takes the initiative when necessary, helping and encouraging others. Her goal, he said, is to become an elementary school teacher.
Poole presented the Educator of the Year Award for the Prescott School District, giving it to not one, but four educators. This year, he told the packed house at the Prescott Junior High cafeteria, the award couldn’t be given to just one person, though there are a lot of great educators in the district. He told how a sixth grade student collapsed and would likely have died had it not been for the response of four people – Tina Smilley, Candy Rogers, Jade Cornelius and Jay Turley – who performed CPR on the student until the ambulance arrived. Their efforts, he said, resulted in a happy ending instead of a tragic one.
Tommy Poole, principal at Prescott High School, presented McKenzie Loe as the Student of the Year. Loe, he said, is the perfect example of a student athlete, putting the team first.
The Prescott Kiwanis Club earned accolades as the Organization of the Year for the work it does in the community. It was pointed out the Kiwanis Club’s first project was to raise money for the former swimming pool by City Park, and has raised money for playground equipment at the park with a focus on youth in the community. The club annually presents scholarships to seniors in the PSD and NSD.
Jim Cross was named Citizen of Gold for 2019. Cross is the director of the Office of Emergency Services in Nevada County, works with emergency preparedness, goes out on wrecks where hazardous materials may be present, worked to upgrade the communication’s equipment in the county, provides training for all volunteer fire departments and installed cameras in all the buses for the NSD when he was transportation director there.
Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo Young was posthumously named Hometown Hero. Young joined the Army after graduating from NHS in 1997, spent 15 years in the Army earning numerous awards, including a Purple Heart. Young died in Aug. 2013 in Afghanistan, giving his life to save his men. This action earned him the Silver Star.