Reverse Raffle

The Green Schools Foundation conducts several annual fundraisers to fund academic classroom grants and student scholarships. These social events allow friends and neighbors to meet in a festive environment while supporting academic excellence in the schools.

Wine and Dine, Buy or Bid
February 23, 2013

Plan to join us at Green Schools Foundation's annual fundraising event on Saturday, February 23rd. You won't want to miss this chance to support our schools while having an enjoyable evening with your friends that includes wine tasting, a delicious dinner, and more. Read about last year's event below where over $15,000 was raised.

Click here to download an invitation.

2012 Reverse Raffle Puts the
Fun in Fundraising

Event Nets over $15,000 for Scholarships and
Classroom Grants

The fourteenth annual Silent Auction and Reverse Raffle brought together nearly 140 Green Schools Foundation supporters for an evening of fun and friendly bidding.
The event raised more than $15,000, which will be used to help fund student scholarships and classroom grants. Guests bid on a variety of items that were donated by friends of the community. The evening also featured a 50-50 raffle and sideboards. Thanks to all who attended. See you next year!

ANITA THRASHER AND JOHN ANDREW FISTER HONORED
AT ANNUAL REVERSE RAFFLE

The Green Schools Foundation honored two members of the community at the annual reverse raffle. Anita Thrasher received the Outstanding Community Member award and John Andrew Fister received the Outstanding Educator award. The awards, which are presented annually, are given to individuals in Green who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, community involvement and commitment to high educational standards. You will want to find out more about these outstanding people in their biographies are below.

John Andrew Fister is the 2012 Green Schools Foundation Outstanding Educator. Mr. Fister teaches German III & IV and math at Green High School. He has been teaching at GHS for nearly13 years.

John Andrew graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in German Literature and a B.S. in Secondary Education. He received a B.S. in Mathematics and is currently working on his M.A. in German at Portland State University.

Mr. Fister has been on four foreign trips with Green students and is looking forward to more trips overseas in the future. He cares deeply about his students both in and out of class and you may catch him at Mr. Zubs Deli in Akron, a favorite place to eat with his German students.

John Andrew is an avid Cleveland Browns fan and loves to coach basketball as well. He also rides his bike extensively and bikes to GHS from his home in Sharon Center as part of his training for upcoming bike trips. He also finds time to talk to residents with Alzheimer’s while visiting his mother who lives in a nursing facility.

Congratulations, John, for this much-deserved recognition.

The Green Schools Foundation is honored to recognize Anita Thrasher as the 2012 GSF Outstanding Community Member.

Anita is a graduate of The University of Akron. She has worked as a medical technologist and currently is a substitute teacher for Green Local Schools. Anita is married to Garry Thrasher and they have three children: Michael (23), Anne (21) and Maria (18).

Anita has been a dedicated and tireless volunteer for many years in Green Schools, in her church, in the Green community and beyond. She has been a volunteer for the Green Intermediate School Outdoor Education program, PTA Carnival co-chair, Green High PTSA president, Green Schools Foundation trustee, Sunday School teacher, Relay for Life team captain, and a Rebuilding Together volunteer, to name just a few of the ways in which she has made a difference.

Congratulations, Anita!

Each year Green Schools Foundation honors a Green High School alumnus at the Alumni Banquet in the spring who is supportive of education and has made significant contributions to his or her field as well as service to society. The Foundation is pleased to announce that Daniel F. Gourley, Jr. is this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Alumni award. Dan is a 1970 graduate of Green High School and has taught a wide variety of history, geography and government classes here at Green High School for 31 out of his 35 years teaching experience.

Dan received a Bachelor of Arts in History, Social Studies Comprehensive and his teaching certification from the University of Akron. He furthered his education at Kent State University where he received a Master of Science in Sports Administration. He presently teaches World History, Psychology and Sociology and is the head coach for the boys Golf Team and the Girls Track team. He also finds time to be an advisor for the Mock Trial team and the Fellowship of Christian Students club, as well as the scorekeeper for the boys’ basketball team and a stadium worker during football season. Dan’s passion for sports was evident when he was awarded the Akron Beacon Journal’s Clem Caraboolad Coach of the Year Award in 2000.

Dan enjoys spending time with his wife of nearly 39 years, Denise, and his children, Dan, Soozi and Joe, and his two grandchildren. His other interests are playing golf, working on golf clubs and traveling.

After retirement in June, Dan is looking forward to whatever the Lord has in store for him. His only plan right now is to go on vacation in August for the first time in 35 years, which he could never do because of his coaching duties. In the future, you may see him teaching or coaching at the university level, supervising student teachers through a university, or even becoming a track official.