East Side Optimist Club Honors Educational Leaders

For the first time in its history, Evansville’s East Side Optimist Club named co-winners of its Citizen of the Year Award during the organization’s March 26 Awards Night gathering at the Golden Gorral Buffet on Evansville’s east side.

Diocese of Evansville Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daryl Hagan and Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Superintendent Dr. David Smith are the 2018 honorees.

“This was a first in all the years that we've had the awards program,” said Larry Neisen, program chairman for the East Side Optimist Club and a member of St John the Evangelist Parish in Daylight. “We are so fortunate in our city to have such fine and dedicated gentlemen representing our students that it was a ‘no-brainer’ to give the award to both of them.”

Neisen said the club narrowed its list of potential honorees to Dr. Hagan and Dr. Smith, and the board of directors decided it could not make an award unless the club honored both superintendents.

The Awards Night program also included the club's Essay Contest winners and Friends of Optimist Awards.