Jack Moreland, a lifelong Northern Kentucky resident who has spent his career in education and community and economic development, will be honored April 12th with the Mentoring Plus Seeds of Hope 2019 award.
Based in Newport, Mentoring Plus is a non-profit organization that provides a life coach or mentor to the highest at-risk teens in Northern Kentucky. The Mentoring Plus mission is to empower disadvantaged youth and their families to reach their potential and contribute to the community by forming relationships based on mutual trust, compassion, and respect.
“I have been involved with the Juvenile Justice system in Northern Kentucky for over 35 years, as a Guardian attorney, a prosecutor, and a Judge,” said Mentoring Plus Board Chairman Judge Michael “Mickey” Foellger. “Jack Moreland has consistently been a leader in our community dedicated to the improvement of our young people’s lives, planting Seeds of Hope, particularly in the urban core of Covington, Newport, and Dayton, and preparing them to become productive adults, which of course is the mission of Mentoring Plus.”
A native of Bracken County who for years has lived in Campbell County, Moreland currently serves as president of both Southbank Partners, which promotes and manages economic and community development in Northern Kentucky’s Ohio River cities, and the Newport Southbank Bridge Company, which operates and maintains the Purple People Bridge.
Earlier in his career, Moreland was one of Kentucky’s most distinguished and recognized educators and administrators, serving as a teacher, principal and superintendent in the Dayton Independent School District; superintendent of the Covington Independent Public Schools; interim president of Northern Kentucky University; and a top education official in the administration of former Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton.
“I spent a good part of my life around young people, many of whom needed a mentor in their lives,” Moreland said. “The staff, volunteers and supporters of Mentoring Plus fill a tremendous void in Northern Kentucky by helping the kids in our community who need someone to be there for them. I am immensely honored and humbled to be recognized by an organization that I have long respected and admired.”
Moreland’s long list of honors and awards include:
• Kentucky Superintendent of the Year Award
• Covington Independent Public Schools “Person of The Year”
• Member of the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame
• NAACP Outstanding Support Award
• Ralph V. Haile, Jr., Outstanding Achievement Award from the Covington Business Council
• Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Walter R. Dunlevy/Frontiersman Award
• Eastern Kentucky University Distinguished Alumnus Award
Moreland will be honored at the April 12 Seeds of Hope Gala, which is Mentoring Plus’ largest annual fundraiser.
The event seeks to honor those who have done great work in the community to help their fellow man, and have planted seeds of hope for the less fortunate.
The Gala will feature dinner, music and raffles at The Newport Syndicate, 18 E. Fifth St., in Newport. Doors open at 6 p.m.
For more information and tickets to the April 12 Seeds of Hope 2019 Award dinner, visit the website.
Past David Hosea Seeds of Hope Award winners:
2011 David Hosea (Hosea House “soup kitchen”)
2012 Judi Gerding (The Point/Redwood School)
2013 Sr. Jean Marie Hoffman(D.C. Children Home)
2014 Steve Stevens (N.K. Chamber of Commerce)
2015 Rev. Bill Neuroth (Brighton Center)
2016 Mary Bunning (Boys and Girls Clubs)
2017 Fred & Betty Jo Haas (Youth Haven)
2018 Dick Maile (M+, Youth Build, Jail ministry)
Mentoring Plus
Jack Moreland fully deserves the honors bestowed upon him. The other winners, including David Hosea and Dick Maile are long-time personal friends and they too deserve every bit of any award they receive.