Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools.
0213 Hunter Gibson Finley Awards
Hoover High School senior Hunter Gibson received the Finley Award on Feb. 25.
On Feb. 25 a teacher and two students received Hoover City Schools’ 2013 Finley Award Winners, as announced by the Finley Committee for Character Education.
R.F. Bumpus Middle School coach/teacher Mr. Jason Watson was named the employee winner for the 2013 Finley Award. Seniors Hunter Gibson of Hoover High School and Thomas “Tom” Paduch of Spain Park High School were the student-level winners of the prestigious award.
The Finley Committee worked with principals, teachers and friends of the winners to organize school-based surprise ceremonies.
Watson, Gibson and Paduch all will be celebrated March 21 at the Finley Awards Banquet, held at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center on Highway 280. The annual celebration features the recognition of the three winners, in addition to grade-level character award winners from each Hoover school grades K-12.
The Finley Committee for Character Education was created in 1996. Its current chairman is Mr. Jeff Dance. The committee hosts events throughout the year to recognize students K-12 who exhibit exceptional character, in the spirit of Coach Bob Finley, the committee’s/banquet’s namesake. A longtime coach/educator at W.A. Berry High School (the original Hoover High), Finley led by example and was known for his calm demeanor, integrity and strong faith.
