Dr. Bill Withers of Waukon, board member at Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA), was recently honored as the recipient of the first-ever Dr. E. Robert Stephens Award from Iowa’s Area Education Agencies. Withers received the award during a presentation at the AEA Boards of Directors Conference held March 30 in Des Moines.
This is the first year for the award and it is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate outstanding candidates for their contributions to education and the AEA system. Withers was nominated for the award by fellow board member George Holland of Dubuque.
"It's very humbling and a great honor, especially when considering the legacy the award is named after, the man we call the 'founding father' of AEA, Dr. Bob Stephens," Dr. Withers remarked. "He was just a grand guy, and was pretty much single-handedly responsible for putting this all together before it was enacted by the State Legislature in 1974."