The Heart of Stark: Jackson Local Schools Foundation honors community leader Ken Douglas
In partnership with The Repository, every Monday, Stark Community Foundation highlights positive happenings in our community. Here’s to Good News Mondays!
The Jackson Local Schools Foundation recently honored Jackson Board of Education member Ken Douglas with the Jim Camp Visionary Leadership Award for his years of service and dedication to Jackson Township.
The award, established in 2021 and named after longtime Jackson Local Schools Foundation member and board president Jim Camp, honors Camp’s years of dedication and those who share his passion for the school system and its community.
Aside from being a dedicated husband, father and Jackson Township resident, Douglas spent 40 years as an accountant — much of it at CliftonLarsonAllen. He spent 10 years on Canton’s Goodwill board, 12 years as treasurer for United Way of Greater Stark County and 17 years on the Jackson Local Schools Board of Education. He also is a graduate of Leadership Stark County.
Before making official decisions, Douglas always asked himself, “What will this mean for kids?”
Douglas’ dedication to serving the students in the Jackson community was no exception to his involved nature. He was a constant participant at the middle school career fair to give seventh graders a real-world look into the accounting profession, and he even jumped into Lake Cable one frigid February during the Polar Bear Plunge — raising thousands of dollars for the Jackson Local Schools Foundation’s Great Idea Teacher Grants.
During his school board tenure, Douglas oversaw the construction of a 150,000-square-foot addition to Jackson High School and upgrades to each of the other buildings. He also helped taxpayers save close to $2 million by investing in a major energy-saving program that continues in the district today.
After many years of serving the community, Douglas announced in 2021 that it was “time for others with new ideas to fill all of his seats,” and has since retired from his various board positions.
Upon his retirement, he stated, “My belief is that Jackson Local has the best school board in the state of Ohio. Each member has broad experience and a passion for what they do. The community is lucky to have them. I’m still very passionate about Jackson schools, and I’ll watch to make sure they maintain their excellence.”
Douglas enjoyed serving at the local level, where he felt like he could positively affect those in the community he lived. He liked seeing students rise up through the district and become successful adults, finding it incredibly satisfying to see graduates leave their own mark.
From sports to academics, Goodwill to United Way, Douglas has put his heart into making things better for people and his work continues to impact the people of Jackson Township.
Stark Community Foundation helps individuals, families, businesses and nonprofits achieve their philanthropic goals through charitable funds and strategic initiatives. Learn more at www.starkcf.org.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Jackson Local Foundation honors Ken Douglas for community efforts
