Fayette County School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Barrow and Deputy Superintendent Sam Sweat were given special recognition At AVPRIDE’s annual Diamonds in the Rough Reception.
Dr. Barrow was presented with the organization’s highest honor, the Diamond Award, which is given to persons who go above and beyond in service to the community, and to support the mission of AVPRIDE. Dawn Oparah, one of AVPRIDE’s co-founders and the organization’s Resource Development & Compliance Consultant, cites that Dr. Barrow has enhanced the partnership between the school system and AVPRIDE by lending support to various initiatives since becoming superintendent three years ago.
“Under his leadership, the partnership has only gotten better. Any project that we have worked on and needed the support of the school system such as the inaugural Hawaiian Run Thingy, the town hall meeting with Judge Hatchet, the development of the Fayette Youth Leadership Pride group, and the town hall meeting called ‘Party at Your House,’ he has granted us permission to attend meetings to explain how the school system could help. He knows better than anyone that in order to create a world-class school system, it will take the school, parents, and community to make it happen. We are grateful that he values the need of community partnerships and the relationship with AVPRIDE,” said Oparah.
Deputy Superintendent Sam Sweat received the Founder’s Award, acknowledging him as an original charter board member of AVPRIDE back in 1998. He was recognized for his support of the goals and mission of AVPRIDE for the last 18 years. He received a personal plaque, plus his name will appear on a permanent Founder’s Award Plaque that will be displayed at the AVPRIDE office. Sweat will retire from the school system at the end of March.
