WILMINGTON — The Ohio Educational Service Center honored Southern Ohio ESC Governing Board Member Roger West and Superintendent Tony Long during its annual OESCA Capital Conference Brunch last week in Columbus.

Roger West was presented with the Special Distinguished Service Award which recognizes current members of educational service center governing boards who have served their county school system 30 or more years as a member of the county and local boards of education.

West, who has served as a member of the governing board of the Southern Ohio Educational Service Center for the last 30 years, began serving on the Highland County Board of Education in 1985 and served until 1997 when the Highland County Board of Education merged with the Clinton and Fayette County Boards of Education. He has been an active member of the Southern Ohio ESC Governing Board since 1997, serving as the finance committee chairperson, legislative liaison, vice-president, and president.

West was also a 25-year member of the Southern Hills Career and Technical Center Board of Education, serving as both president and vice president, and currently serves on the Bright Local Schools Parent Advisory Council.

SOESC Superintendent Tony Long was awarded the OESCA Teamwork Award which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in promoting unity and teamwork within the Ohio Educational Service Center Association and among Ohio’s 52 Educational Service Centers.

Long has served the Southern Ohio ESC in various roles since 1992 and has led the ESC as superintendent since 2010.

Under Long’s leadership, more than 125 employees of the Southern Ohio Service Center dedicate themselves to serving their member school districts so that they may better assist students in increasing student achievement.

As an active member of OESCA, Long has served on the association’s executive committee, membership engagement committee, and public relations and marketing committee. In these roles, Long has actively sought out opportunities to work collaboratively with OESCA leadership and his ESC colleagues to support policies and practices that support ESCs: urban, suburban, and rural.

“Tony Long has worked to advance the interests of the statewide system of ESCs, knowing and believing that the whole network of ESCs is greater than the sum of its parts.” said Craig Burford, the executive director of the OESCA. “Tony has led by example by meeting with legislators and other state policymakers on behalf of the OESCA and his fellow ESCs.

According to Burford, “Long exemplifies the Southern Ohio ESC’s stated mission to “foster an educational environment that ensures excellence in performance through shared expertise, collaborative partnerships, and continuous learning.”

Information for this article was provided by Diana Miller, who coordinates communications for several area schools.