Patricia B. O’Neill, a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, has been named a member of the national network of 100 District Leaders for Citizenship and Service-Learning.

The national award honors 100 district superintendents and school board members who have a demonstrated commitment to high-quality citizenship education.

The network of educational leaders was formed by the National Center for Learning and Citizenship, part of the Education Commission of the States, in cooperation with the National School Boards Association and the American Association of School Administrators.

O’Neill has been a member of the Board of Education since 1998 and has served three times as Board president and three times as vice president. She currently serves as president of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education and has served three terms as co-chair of the Washington Area Boards of Education.

Prior to joining the Board, O’Neill was a longtime PTA activist who served her local PTAs in various volunteer and leadership roles. She has a proven record of leadership at the local, county and state level in the service of students. Providing civic education for all students is a top priority for Mrs. O’Neill. Among her accomplishments are working at the local and state level to raise awareness of teen pregnancy prevention, serving as an advocate for student voter registration, and initiating what became a systemwide Ride by the Rules campaign to help educate students and families about appropriate behavior and safety on school buses.

O’Neill and others who were selected for the network of leaders will engage in further service to promote civic engagement for all students. The network will convene for the first time at the National School Boards Association Annual Conference in Chicago on April 7.

To learn more about the National Center for Learning and Citizenship, visit the Web at the link below.