Feb. 17—The naming of this year's "Worthy Citizen" came at the close of tonight's 102nd annual Greenville Chamber/Board of Development Annual Banquet and was presented to a outstanding local and groundbreaking educator, author and speaker
The event, with the theme of "The Greatest Show on Earth, was conducted at the headquarters of Innovation First.
Two previous Worthy Citizens, Luanne Holloway Dickens and Terry Thomas were part of a committee which chose the identity of 2022 honoree and were on hand to officially present the award.
Vance was an educator and administrator in several North Texas public school systems, served as GHS (Greenville High School) Flaming Flashes Drill Team Director, interim Cheerleader Sponsor, Twirler Advisor, and helped to re-establish the Pep Squad. She was the first Director of Clinical Supervision for the East Texas Teacher Education Council which included 12 school districts; the first female Assistant Director and Director of the Center for Educational Field Experiences at ETSU; Dallas Area Coordinator-Texas A&M; Executive Director for the Consortium of State Organizations for Teacher Education in Texas; and, The Association of Teacher Educators International Executive Board. Later she served as the first Executive Secretary for the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Educators (CSOTTE), which included 7 Texas higher education organizations and the Texas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (TACTE-an organization for Deans of all Texas Colleges of Higher Education). In this capacity, she had the honor of meeting with and lobbying on behalf of teachers in her meetings with the Texas Commissioner of Education; the State Board of Education; several Texas legislators; and then Governor George W. Bush. Dr. Vance didn't stop there. She later became an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University, College Station and was appointed as the first female Dallas Area Coordinator of Field Experiences for the university.During her career, Dr. Vance received many National, State and local honors including the President's Award, Association of Teacher Educators; Ben E. Coody Distinguished Service Award, Texas Teacher Educators; Greenville City Council Woman of the Year Award, Beta Sigma Phi; Greenville City Council PTA Dedication Award; Greenville Executive Lady Award; Woman of the Year Award, Xi Beta Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi; Teacher of the Year Award, GHS Yearbook Dedication Award; and the First ETSU Teacher of Tomorrow Award. She passed away in January 2021. Members of Vance's family were on hand to accept the honor on her behalf.
A complete wrap up Friday's event, with additional photos, will be included in Tuesday's Herald-Banner.