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Pike County Schools Superintendent Dr. Bazell recently recognized District 1 School Board member Rev. Earnest Green for 33 years of service on the board.

Green, who grew up in the O’Ryan community, said he was shocked when he found out the school system wanted to recognize him.

“It blew my mind,” he said with a laugh. “I never thought anyone would be thinking about recognizing me for being on the board for that long. When they said they would recognize me, I said, ‘What have I done to be recognized for?’

“It just sort of blew my mind and I thought about the years I’ve been on the board and the age I first ran and I count it as nothing but a blessing that I’ve been able to serve on the board for so long.”

Green, who is a pastor at Boughoma Missionary Baptist Church, recalled when he first ran for the school board seat and said that he originally ran for all the wrong reasons.

“I went on the board with the wrong attitude,” he emphasized. “I went on the board with the attitude that there were things that could be done at Goshen that weren’t being done. One lady on the board pulled me to the side and said that, ‘You want things done and we want them done but I want to show you why they are not being done.’ She showed me that we’re trying to take care of what we need to for the kids and then as there is extra money we can do those other things that we want.”

Green said that board member showed him that it’s all about the kids and that’s how he’s served from then on.

“I began to look at it a different way,” he recalled. “She said, ‘Our kids are the first priority and doing the football field and the basketball gym and the baseball field and all of that will come with time but you are on the board for the kids.’ She said, ‘If you are not on the board for the kids you are in trouble.’

“I got to thinking about it and I said, ‘Oh my God, my first priority needs to be the kids’ and after that I’ve been fighting or the kids first and foremost ever since.”