Highlands County has more than its share of talented student athletes and fine coaches.
Avon Park coach Joe Franza's induction into the Florida Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame in 2012 is only the most recent honor to be bestowed on a Highlands County coach/educator. There have been other Hall of Famers from here before.
Ronnie Jackson of Avon Park was selected in 1996; Gary Rapp of Sebring in 2004; and Rance "Hoppy" Rewis of Sebring, and formerly of Avon Park, in 2009.
Given that the county only has three high schools, and a fraction of the student population of larger counties like Duval, Hillsborough, Broward or Miami-Dade, the fact that four of our coaches have been so honored is something of which to be proud. Parents have been lucky to have men of their caliber and quality to teach and lead their sons.
Sports, however, get a lot of attention and glory, especially when teams have winning seasons. Coaches are famous locally, respected and admired.
Most teachers of more mundane subjects typically work in the background, unsung and under valued.
Which is why, although belatedly, we want to brag on Gary Lee, an extraordinary teacher, administrator and FFA advisor who has enriched our children for 38 years, and so continues off the clock.
Since Lee began working in Highlands County schools in 1978 as coordinator of career and technical education, he worked to develop agricultural programs in schools that had none.
Partly as a result, he became a leader in the FFA -- formally Future Farmers of America -- helping schools open chapters. Not just about animal husbandry, or growing crops, the FFA provides opportunities for public speaking and teaches paliamentary process. Its most important goal is helping students become leaders.
Lee has been advisor to three state-winning parliamentary procedure teams, a student adviser and an executive of the FFA Alumni Board, among many contributions.
In recognition for his service, Lee received the National FFA Alumni's Legion of Merit 19 years in a row, and was awarded the National FFA Alumni Achievement Award in 2011.
Now he is in the FFA Hall of Fame. That is quite an honor, especially because, as Gary Dressel, another FFA advisor, said when the award was announced, "He's still alive."
But to show how many lives Lee touched, it takes someone who experienced it first hand.
Our own photographer, Katara Simmons, was one of those students.
"Growing up across the street from Gary, I spent much of my time at his house with his daughter Allison. It was completely normal to be greeted with questions, lots of them. He was always quizzing us and encouraging us to become critical thinkers. Once we hit middle school and joined the FFA parli-pro team, it was constant talk of motions, rules and sample questions. Gary has done so much for so many and always with integrity."
That folks, is what makes a Hall of Famer.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013 - www.newssun.com/edt-013013