The Parkersburg South Student Council held Its annual Lifetime Achievement Award presentation and Faculty-Student basketball game Thursday afternoon.
In 2015 the Parkersburg South Student Council introduced the Lifetime Achievement Award as a way of showing the schools' appreciation for the hard work and dedication that persons of our community have given to our high school.
In 2015 Ken Davis, a longtime teacher, Student Council advisor and announcer was honored. In 2016, the recipient was Mary Wyers Donahue, the school's first secretary and in 2017 Bill Camp, who spends hours and hours, year in and year out dedicated to the basketball program was given the award.
In 2018 Larry “MadMax” Maxwell, a British Literature teacher and longtime school spirit leader was the recipient, followed in 2019 by former math teacher, wrestling coach and Principal Tim McCartney. COVID prevented the naming of an honoree in 2020, but in 2021 Scott Stephens, who coached three Lady Patriot basketball teams to state titles was recognized posthumously.
Today, the number of honorees grew to seven as Paul Jackson, a retired Drivers Ed instructor and wrestling coach joined the ranks as the Parkersburg South 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner!
Paul Jackson Is a 1973 graduate of Parkersburg South and would earn his teaching degree at Glenville State (College) University.
At Parkersburg South High School he would coach under the legendary Rod Oldham. He was very fortunate to have Coach Oldham for a mentor and friend. Jackson would became Head Wrestling Coach at Parkersburg South in 1990 and amassed an impressive record during two stints at South, 1990-1997 and 2007-2012.
During his tenure as the Patriot wrestling coach he would:
--amass 325 dual wins and 55 tournament victories:
--win 9 state championships, coach 26 individual state champions and 130 state placers;
--was named West Virginia Class AAA wrestling coach of the year seven times and West Virginia Coach of the Years in 2011:
--Coached the Patriots to a #20 National ranking in 1995:
-- has been inducted into the Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Congratulations, Paul Jackson!