Board celebrates retired educator's lifelong service to children, families, and teachers in Hillsborough County
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners presented its 2024 Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award to Doretha Wynn Edgecomb during its May 1 Board meeting. The former Hillsborough County Public Schools educator joins the ranks of other esteemed recipients of the award that include Judge E.J. Salcines, former Governor Bob Martinez, and last year's recipient, Crisis Center of Tampa Bay CEO and President Clara Reynolds, to name a few.
A native of Tampa, Doretha Edgecomb worked as an educator at Hillsborough County Public Schools, a career that spanned over 50 years. She served in numerous capacities, including as a teacher, district level supervisor, and principal. Ms. Edgecomb was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board in 2004, where she served with distinction until 2016, and she continues to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hillsborough Education Foundation. In 2020, she was inducted into Hillsborough County's Women's Hall of Fame. After her retirement, Mrs. Edgecomb supported and participated in the establishment of the George Edgecomb Society in her late husband's honor, in partnership with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. In 2021, the Children's Board of Hillsborough County honored her by naming one of its seven family resource centers in her honor: the Doretha Wynn Edgecomb Family Resource Center. It is the only center that is named after a member in the community.
After accepting the accolade, Edgecomb thanked the Board and the selection committee and said that she was honored and humbled to be chosen for the Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award.
"This is a blessing. And every time that I had been in this position of receiving an award or being recognized, I call it a blessing, and today is no exception," she said. "And [I] hope that my work in so many ways reflect the legacy and this prestigious award of Mr. Simmons."
For 28 years, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners has presented the Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award to an individual or group for the significant role they play in improving government through leadership and vision. The award is named in honor of Ellsworth G. Simmons, a respected government and civic leader who served seven years on the Hillsborough County School Board, and 21 years on the Board of County Commissioners.
The Board also presented two proclamations declaring May 1, 2024 as Eighteenth Annual Delta Day and May 2024 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
Interested in all the details about the latest BOCC meeting? Here is a full recap.
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