The Delaware School Board Association recently honored Richard I. Lewis of Bridgeville with its Distinguished Service Award. Lewis is president of the Sussex Technical School District school board, which he joined in August 1982. He served as its vice president in 1991 and 1992 and has been the board’s president since 1993. Lewis has been a member of the association for 28 years.
According to Sussex Tech Superintendent Dr. Patrick Savini, Lewis’ leadership as president of the school board has set a tone enabling Sussex Tech to seek and achieve excellence.
“He facilitates and nurtures an environment that encourages creativity and risk-taking while clearly providing our administration, faculty and staff with board support and encouragement to pursue excellence,” said Savini.
“He also attends staff in-service, school events and frequently visits classrooms.”
During Lewis’ leadership, Sussex Tech converted to a full-time educational facility in 1991. It has been recognized by the state of Delaware as a superior performing high school and by the U.S. Department of Education as a National School of Excellence.
Sussex Tech has also been named a National Blue Ribbon School two times by the United States Department of Education – the only Delaware public high school to be recognized twice with this honor.
Sussex Tech has also expanded its adult education services to meet the varied educational needs of adults. Today, Sussex Tech’s adult education serves an enrollment in excess of 3,000. The adult evening division was also selected for the Governor’s Award for Adult Literacy/Adult Education in 1992, 1997, 2000 and 2001.
Lewis extends his commitments of service beyond the scope of Sussex Tech. He has been a Kiwanis Club member for 39 years, and is a past president and recipient of numerous distinguished Kiwanis awards, including the Hixon Award. He was a board member of Baltimore Trust and Mercantile Bank for 36 years and a member of its executive committee. A past commissioner of the Town of Bridgeville, Lewis served the Bridgeville Fire Department for 15 years and was a Girl Scout leader for eight years.
He is a member of Union Methodist Church in Bridgeville where he has held several leadership positions.
A U.S. Army veteran of eight years, Lewis served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. He achieved the rank of major and was the recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
Lewis and his wife, Kay, have two daughters and two grandsons.
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