Sarah Mason was honored for her dedication to the Carroll Education Foundation by Arts Council Northeast back in September 2015. Each year the Arts Council Northeast honors volunteers, Shining Stars, who have made a commitment to serve the community and to those less fortunate, according to MySouthlakeNews. We caught up with Mason to chat about her achievement and why she does what she does.
Southlake Style: You were named Volunteer of the Year by The Arts CouncilbrNortheast. Please talk about how that happened and the honor you felt bybrreceiving the award.
Sarah Mason: I was so surprised andbrtruly honored for the recognition when I heard that I had won this award. ThebrCarroll Education Foundation is composed of all community and businessbrvolunteers, almost all of whom work full time but still give generously ofbrtheir time. I feel that our success is due to the work of all of ourbrvolunteers, not just my time. I am humbled to represent the Carroll EducationbrFoundation. The work that the foundationbrdoes to raise money that goes directly to our teachers and students
SS: Talk further about your involvement with the CEF.brWhen/how did you first get involved? Why? What have you done for thebrorganization during your time serving?
Mason: My husband Mark and Ibrfirst became involved with CEF about 10 years ago as business sponsors for thebrCulinary Celebration to show our gratitude for our teachers. We decided tobrinvite our children’s teachers as our guests with our complimentary tickets sobrthat they could enjoy the chef tastings while seeing the work of our volunteersbrand the money raised from community members in support of them. I wasbrapproached 6 years ago to join the Board of Directors and have served on thebrTeacher Grant committee, the Student Scholarship committee, and the CulinarybrCelebration including co-chairing the event for the third consecutive year. Mybrgoal as a member of CEF is to increase awareness of the foundation in order tobrraise more money for Carroll ISD.
SS: What other volunteer efforts, if any, do you have a handbrin? Tell more about each, please.
Mason: I have served on thebrCarroll ISD District Advisory Committee, Student Services Advisory Board, thebrGifted Program Advisory Committee, District Superintendent Search committee,brDistrict Athletic Director Search committee, Senior High School Principalbrsearch committee, past president of the Southlake Association for Gifted andbrTalented (SAGT), and continue my membership in PTO, AP Boosters, and SAGT. I ambrfinishing up my last year of membership in National Charity League, abrmother-daughter philanthropic organization where my daughter and I volunteerbrtogether.
SS: Tell us more about yourself: job, where you grew up, howbryou got to Southlake, what you like to do outside of volunteering.
Mason: I grew up and went tobrhigh school in Denton, Texas and moved back to Texas from California about 16bryears ago. I am a retired dentist, former teacher and educational specialist,brpast adjunct professor, and certified Educational Diagnostician. I now workbrfull time as the practice manager of Southlake Plastic Surgery for Dr. MarkbrMason. We enjoy traveling, cooking, music festivals, and spending time with ourbrchildren.
SS: What is your favorite thing about living in Southlake andbrwhy?
Mason: Southlake is abrclose-knit community whose residents care for each other and our children. Webrare grateful for the great public school system and all the opportunities thatbrour children have had growing up in Southlake. I love how families who move inbrfrom all parts of the country are welcomed as new Texans! It is truly thebrpeople of Southlake that make it the amazing city it is today.
SS: Anything else you'd like to add?
Mason: I hope that I canbrcontinue to give back to the community that has given so much to me and mybrfamily. We moved to Southlake because of the public school system, and we wantbrto be able to continue to support our hardworking teachers and administrators.brMy work on the Carroll Education Foundation is my way of ensuring that everybrteacher, student, and school has the opportunity to receive financial supportbrfor the coming years.
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