Major Contribution to Ravenna Schools
Frank was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, in 1952 and was the oldest of four children of Whitney and Pearl Hairston. All four Hairston children, Frank, Pauline, John and Mark, were proud graduates of Ravenna High School. Frank has been very involved in all aspects of life in the Ravenna Schools community. While attending RHS, Frank was elected president of the student congress, captain of the football team, sang in the school’s choir and was selected to receive the school’s prestigious Manhood Award. Frank graduated in 1971. Frank attended Kent State University and studied business administration. While attending KSU, he coached football and track at Ravenna High School. Frank has coached for a total of thirty-six years. Anyone who has ever encountered him knows of his devotion to every segment of his community. Frank’s mantra of diverse community service includes Ravenna Chamber of Commerce, Ravenna Rotary, Ravenna Jaycees, Ravenna Township Trustees, Skeels Improvement Corporation, Community Action Council, Portage County NAACP, Portage County Access Program, Option 4 at Maplewood Vocational School and the Portage County Black Caucus. Frank was appointed to the State of Ohio Medical Board, was selected Grand Marshall of the Ravenna Balloon-A-Fair Parade and in 2007, was selected Citizen of the Year. Frank is married to Barb (Clark) and has two lovely daughters, Melissa and Melinda, both graduates of RHS, and two grandchildren, Jimmy Lee and Whitney. He is an active member and serves as a trustee of the First Congregational Church of Ravenna. Dr. Martin Luther King’s fondest hope was that all people would be judged by the content of their character. Frank Hairston, through his devotion to family and community, is the very embodiment of that aspiration. He is proud to be a Raven.