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2002 Award Recipient: Bill Cirone
 Santa
Barbara, CA-Bill Cirone, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of
Schools, will receive the 2002 Richard Breza Service to Santa
Barbara Award at a dinner to be held Thursday, October 3, at the
Montecito Country Club. The award, which is named after the deceased
Santa Barbara Police Chief Richard Breza, is presented each year
by Emmaus of Santa Barbara to an individual whose life has exemplified
service to the community and the nation. The award is symbolized
by a 54-pound bronze sculpture of a man literally cutting himself
out of a block of stone. It reflects one of Emmaus' core beliefs
that "Each of us is responsible for creating for ourselves
a productive and rewarding life." As a part of its mission,
Emmaus instills in its program participants that the final formation
of a person's character lies in their own hands.
As County Superintendent of Schools for the past 20 years and
one of the most effective leaders in field of education for over
30 years, Bill Cirone is a fitting recipient of the Richard Breza
Service to Santa Barbara Award, notes John Ramos, executive director
of Emmaus, the award's sponsor. Through his leadership, he has
clarified the mission and vision of our county schools and brought
much needed attention to the role of community service in education.
In 2000, Bill received an award for "making caring for your
community a personal matter by philanthropic contributions of
time, finances, and dedication, and who has worked hard to create
a better lifestyle for his community and the people who reside
there." This intense passion for caring and service at the
most personal level is what Emmaus firmly believes and admires
about Bill.
"Bill Cirone exemplifies many of the qualities we cultivate
in Emmaus participants," Ramos says. "For example, in
addition to creating a climate for citizen partnership in community
education, Bill has guided our educators to concern themselves
with inspiring students to lead lives of service and model lives."
During Bill Cirone's tenure, he created the nationally acclaimed
Santa Barbara "Center for Community Education and Citizen
Participation." Upon taking office as Superintendent in 1983,
he redefined the mission of the office, emphasizing service and
leadership. The Santa Barbara County Education Office is now considered
a state model. He served as keynote speaker at international,
national, and state conferences including the South Pacific Center
for Community Education's Conference on partnerships in Melbourne,
Australia. As a teacher in Harlem, New York for eight years, Bill
won national recognition for teaching excellence. His teaching
methods were the subject of feature articles in New York Times,
Christian Science Monitor, Associated Press, and television networks.
A major factor in Bill's effectiveness as a leader has been his
passion for excellence, service and a life of active participation
in community. He has served and continues to call upon all those
with the time, energy and means to do the same. He serves or has
served on the board of directors or advisory committees for numerous
organizations including University of California at Santa Barbara
Gervitz Research Center, National Association of Partners in Education,
Santa Barbara Industry Education Council, Santa Barbara Foundation,
Thomas Jefferson Center for Character Education, and Santa Barbara
Grand Opera Association.
Awards dinner benefits Emmaus' work with
young people
In addition to sponsoring the Richard Breza Service to Santa
Barbara Award, Emmaus is also the beneficiary of the $200-plate
dinner. Last year's dinner, which honored nationally distinguished
educator Dr. David Winter, raised about $100,000 for the organization
dedicated to providing a powerful, life changing curriculum
that empowers individuals to break the cycles of destructive behaviors.
The late Police Chief Breza was a staunch supporter of Emmaus,
calling it "the only thing that really works" in the
lives of troubled individuals.
Through intensive, experiential workshops and programs, all of
which are offered free of charge, Emmaus gives young people the
understanding, skills, and guidance necessary for them to realize
their self-worth, fulfill their potential, and accept responsibility
to self and others. Emmaus launches young people on the adventure
of self-knowledge and growth, spreading the word that "happiness
is an inside job."
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