Trenton native has school named in her honor

By Al Jordon

 

Dr. Beverly S. Greene-Mathis, a Trenton native and exemplary influential woman, has a Nevada elementary school named in her honor.

For Women’s History Month, under the theme “Let’s all just be equal – each for equal,” the writer includes Mathis who has given tirelessly of herself so that others may be enriched and have a better quality and meaningful life.

The 2020 Women’s History Month coincides with the 100^th year celebration of ratification of the 19^th Amendment, which enabled women to vote. Therefore, Mathis’ positive activism is appreciated, celebrated, and applauded, which gives the writer the privilege and pleasure to share with the community at large about her professional, history making, influential leadership.

Beverly is the daughter of the late Tytus and Daisy Brown Greene of Trnenton. She has four brothers and three sisters. She attended the segregated historical Trenton Rosenwald School, first through the 10^th grade, then she continued the 11^th and 12^th grades at Peabody High School under a federal court order that mandated school integration and graduated in 1970. She continued her education at the University of Tennessee at Martin, majored and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1974, then continued with her master’s degree in educational administration, graduating two years later.

After she graduated, Beverly’s employment began at Bradford Special School District where she taught two years. Then she married her university school mate, Raymond Ray Mathis. The two migrated to Las Vegas for better educational and economic opportunities, and to raise their two girls, Tya Raenise (Coleman and Ashley Rae (Jackson), who were educated in Nevada as Millennium Scholars.

Then Beverly proceeded to continue her education at Nevada’s Nova Southeastern University, completing her doctoral degree with emphasis in educational organization, management, and elementary school operation and supervision, then remained at the university as an adjunct faculty member for 12 years, as well as continuing an additional six years teaching and advising students.

Later, Dr. Mathis was recruited and employed by Nevada’s Clark County School District as assistant principal and elevated to principal within three years, with a commitment, dedication, and mission to increase student achievements, and she remained the principal for six years, prior to being chosen as a district chief administrator.

Her current position is vice president of early learning and family engagement at the Nevada Public Education Foundation, serving as a collaborative facilitator between Clark County and the literary services.

Let me add to her amazing list of achievements by mentioning her involvement in the community, civic, and social cultural activities. She holds membership with the Clark County Association of Elementary Principals, the National Association of School Principals, and the NAACP, is an active member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, as well as being a member of Second Baptist Church, serving as church clerk and Sunday school teacher.

Her awards and honors include the 17^th Grand Marshal of Dr. Martin Luther King Ceremony and Parade in 1998, Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Leadership in Education Award in 1999, and District DC Citizen of the Month in December of 1999, recipient of the 2000 Miliken Family Education Foundation Award, NAACP Education Award in 2000, LINK, Inc. Service To Youth Award in 2001, and the Distinguished Woman Of Southern Nevada Award of 1999 and 2000, congressional recognition from Congresswoman Shelley Berkley for Outstanding Achievement and major academic growth and improvement in Nevada’s first congressional district.

She was also the recipient of the 2004 Don S. Barden’s Education Achievement Award and was recognized as the 2005 Caucus of African American Nevadans, and was the honoree for education by the Hundred Black Men organization, and received the 2007 Education/Community Award from the Ministries & Wives, Widows Organization, and was honored for her educational leadership by the City of Nevada and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. She was inducted into the Clark County School District’s Excellence in Education Hall of Fame that recognizes extraordinary and unique commitment to educational excellence. Further, she was the recipient of the Nevada Association of School Boards and was honored as School Administrator of the Year in 2010, then she received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Education and was appointed by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to the Nevada Spending and Government Efficiency Commission for K-12 Public Education, and in 2016 the City Council appointed her to the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency.  In 2017, an elementary school was named in her honor as Dr. Beverly Sue Mathis Elementary School.

Her hobbies include reading, bowling, and promoting positive Christian family values in the home, school, and the community.