Pratt honored by local Rotary Club

Dec. 12—GREENSBURG — Local educator, author and historian John Pratt has been honored by a local community service club.

Greensburg Rotary Club #3437 in District #6580 presented the Paul Harris Fellow Community Award to Greensburg Community High School teacher John Pratt during the club's annual Christmas party Friday at the Bruner Center in St. Paul. The award was presented by Rotary District #6580 Governor Elect Mandy Lohrum of Greensburg.

A Paul Harris Fellow is an award recognizing a person who has done something significant for others.

Pratt is a remarkable figure who has accomplished several milestones throughout his career. He is a graduate of Greensburg High School and Thomas More College where he played tennis and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history.

Pratt has devoted 17 years of his life to philanthropy, which took him throughout the Midwest, New Orleans, and Boise, Idaho.

At the age of 40, he started teaching and went on to become a recipient of several awards including the Caleb Mills Indiana Historical Society's Teacher of the Year Award, the Indiana DAR's Teacher of the Year Award, and a Lilly Creative Teacher Fellowship.

A news release provided by the local Rotary Club notes that Pratt follows the guidelines of the Rotary International 4-way test. He is a truthful and fair person who has fostered goodwill and better friendships by bringing different individuals together through the Chautauqua Program. The Chautauqua program was founded by John Pratt, who was then a social studies teacher at North Decatur High School. His original vision for the program was to create a great school event and recruit talent from across the region to share their talents with students during the school day.

Currently, the Greensburg Community High School Chautauqua is a semi-annual event held in the fall and spring, and it has hosted numerous national and international talents.

Thanks to the support of the community and organizations like the Indiana Arts Commission and many local business and individual supporters, Pratt has been able to recruit amazing guests, inspiring hundreds of projects by the students at Greensburg Community High School.

Chautauqua is currently in its 32nd and final year of existence in Decatur County. Pratt has created lasting memories for many and has earned his rightful place as a role model and permanent fixture of Decatur County.

"This (Paul Harris Fellow Award) means the world to me," Pratt told Rotarians and their guests. "It has been an honor and pleasure to bring an amazing event like Chautauqua to the community."

On behalf of Pratt, the Greensburg Rotary Club has contributed $1,000 to the Rotary International Foundation.

Even though this is the last year Pratt will be involved in Chautauqua for the school, his always racing mind may be thinking of the next big thing with this long-standing tradition.

Rotary International is a group of 1.4 million like-minded individuals who see a world united by taking action to create lasting change.

Greensburg Rotary Club #3437 meets at the Branch Coffee House and Gathering Place in downtown Greensburg at noon on Mondays. Rob DeHoff is the 2023-24 Greensburg Club President.