The Lake Wales History Museum has named Sharon Kurschner as Lake Wales Pioneer of the Year, recognizing her decades of service and extensive civic involvement. She will be honored during a ceremony at the 49th annual Pioneer Days festival Oct. 25 in Lake Wailes Park.
Born at Lake Wales Hospital in 1946, Kurschner is the daughter of Jean Fordham Horton and Lee Roy Horton, the 1992 Pioneer of the Year, the museum said in a news release.
Kurschner graduated from Lake Wales High School in 1964 and earned an associate of arts degree from Emory at Oxford, a bachelor of arts in English from Stetson University and a master of education in curriculum and supervision from the University of South Florida, the release said.
She worked for more than three decades in Polk County Public Schools, teaching English at Frostproof High School, Lake Wales Junior High and Lake Wales High School. She was assistant principal for curriculum for 14 years at Lake Wales High School before serving as principal of McLaughlin Middle School from 2001 until her retirement in 2007.
Kurschner has been involved with the Rotary Club of Lake Wales, the Lake Wales Depot Commission, the Historic Lake Wales Society and the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, the release said. She served on both the Lake Wales Chamber Leadership II committee and the Chamber’s education committee and has been a longstanding member and Sunday school teacher at Lake Wales First Baptist Church.
“Sharon has touched the lives of so many people in Lake Wales, as a teacher, a leader, and a neighbor,” Brandon Alvarado, president of the Lake Wales History Museum board of directors, said in the release. “Her dedication to our schools and her love for this community makes her a shining example of what it means to be a true pioneer. We are proud to celebrate her story and honor her legacy.”
Community members nominate residents of Lake Wales for at least 50 years who have demonstrated a lifetime of service, passion, and dedication to the community, the museum said in a previous news release.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Retired educator Sharon Kurschner will be honored Oct. 25 as Lake Wales Pioneer of the Year
Reporting by Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
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