Jack Strassman Receives District 7210 Vocational Service Leadership Award

Some Basic Information on Jack Strassman (Thanks to Gary and Judy Siegel)

·        Jack has been president of the Liberty Rotary Club 5 times and an active member of the club’s Board of Directors for most of his rotary life. 

·        Past member of the district membership committee

·        Active in recruiting new members to Rotary

·        Past chairman of the club’s Rotary Foundation Committee.

·        Co-chaired the Liberty Rotary Club’s annual Polio Plus fundraising dinner helping to raise over $5000 towards Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio worldwide. 

·        Bestowed the honor of becoming a Paul Harris Fellow in 2009 in recognition of his continued efforts towards ‘service above self’ 

In his professional life, Jack has been the glue to bring school and community service organizations together to work toward common goals.

·     Initiated meetings that helped the Interact, Student Council, and National Honor Society consolidate their efforts toward common goals of raising funds for community and world projects such as the local Interfaith Food Pantry, Shelter Boxes, Books for Africa, Boys and Girls Club, Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County and the WVOS/WSUL Heartathon.

·     Encouraged and supported a Saturday morning youth basketball program bringing the school and local parks and recreation committees together to run the program. 

Education Resume

·        Public School Educator for 24 years.

·        Administrator in the Liberty Central School District for 17 years

·        Elementary School (4 years), Middle School (5 years) and High School (7 years)

·        Recently has assumed the duties of Middle and High School Principal. 

·        Jack Is dedicated and passionate about his profession and has touched thousands of students, teachers and support staff throughout his career.

·        Jack prides himself in forming relationships with all the students and professional staff that he oversees and supports.

·        He observes and develops teachers’ abilities to more effectively teach and develop their students. 

·        Jack has volunteered to mentor prospective school administrators by training interns throughout his career. 

In the Community:

·        Instrumental in reestablishing the Liberty Interact Club and has been an active advisor from September 2009 – June 2011.

·        Helped to demonstrate to the Interact students the idea of “Service Above Self” through getting them involved in school, community and world projects.

·        Actively involved in raising funds for numerous organization and charities throughout his community and the world including but not limited to:

o       WVOS/WSUL Heartathon where he distributed hearts through the community to be sold for the local event

o       Boys and Girls Club of Sullivan County where he has co-chaired raffles and served at their annual “Celebrity Dinner” fundraiser

o       The local SADD where he helped to initiate the inaugural 5K Student Run Charity Spring Fling Race

o       Actively initiates and participates in all of the Rotary Club’s fundraisers. 

o       Has volunteered for the local AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) for over 10 years and has served on the AYSO board.  Gives up numerous Sundays in the fall to volunteer as a referee for the youngest division. 

o       Active member of his temple and has served on the board of Congregation Agudas Achim for close 10 years. 

o       Jack is involved with helping to award major scholarship monies to students not only through Rotary, but also through other organizations.  He sits on a local board that distributes donations to youth groups throughout the community. 

o       Jack is a member of the Liberty Community Development Corporation and Sullivan County Association of Retarded Children.

These are just a few of the numerous ways that Jack has a made a positive difference as he has touched thousands of people in his community and the world.

What makes Jack special is:

·        He can often be found meeting with individual students in helping them make the right choices for their future. 

·        He has helped to guide individual students to different careers and higher learning institutions through his encouragement and caring attitude. 

·        He supports students at all levels and areas of education academically including the arts and physical education. 

·        He has always been supportive to the emotional and social needs of all the students he oversees and their families. 

·        He can be found at almost every after school and evening event including sporting events, music and theatre, parent meetings, etc. 

·        Jack prides himself on setting positive examples during his daily activities so that others see him as a role model to learn from and follow. 

Jack is a family man with his wife of 24 years Sherry and his two children, Matt and Danielle who are both in college. 

“When I think of Jack Strassman, I think of a person who is a thinker, someone who notices the little details that matter, someone who is passionate about his family, his work and his community and someone who makes this world a better place to live in through his vocation and through rotary.  I for one am honored and proud to be his colleague, exercise partner, work wife, fellow Rotarian and most of all his friend.” Quote from Gary Siegel    

Jack Strassman not only talks the talk but he also walks the walk!