Dr. Janice Walthour. (Submitted photo)LEONARDTOWN, Md. (January 16, 2018)—The St. Mary's County Commission for Women has named Dr. Janice Walthour as the recipient of the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is presented annually to an outstanding woman in St. Mary's County who has exemplified continual dedication and support of the community. Dr. Walthour will be honored at the annual Women's History Month Banquet on March 15, 2018.
The theme of the banquet, "Nevertheless She Persisted: Honoring Women Who Fight All Forms of Discrimination Against Women," is a perfect fit for Dr. Walthour. A life-long resident of St. Mary's County, Dr. Walthour is well known for her hard work and support of the community. She is a retired educator who worked in St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS) for 36 years as a teacher, resource teacher, assistant principal, principal and coordinator of academic intervention programs. Dr. Walthour currently serves as the President of the St. Mary's County Branch NAACP #7025 and chairs the education committee.
Dr. Walthour's more than 40 years of involvement with the NAACP includes facilitating bi-annual meetings with the SMCPS Superintendent of Schools and speaking at Board of Education meetings and public hearings on topics such as eliminating the disparities in achievement and behavior consequences which exist between races and socio-economic levels in the school system. Under her leadership, the NAACP persistently advocates for diversity in staffing in SMCPS. She also takes an active role in facilitating the NAACP's annual Southern Maryland College and Career Fair featuring Historically Black Colleges, universities and local colleges.
Dr. Walthour is passionate about standing up against discrimination. S he is a strong woman who refuses to be silenced. She has fought for and succeeded in bringing positive change to the lives of women in St. Mary's County through her active engagement in St. Mary's County. Her other notable contributions of service include serving on the St. Mary's County Library Board of Trustees and the Southern Maryland Regional Library Association Board of Directors. She previously served on the College of Southern Maryland Board of Trustees for nine years.
Dr. Walthour is Past President and currently a member of the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC) whose mission is to document, increase the understanding of, and foster African American contributions to the history and development of St. Mary's County, while advocating for improvements in health, education, and community building for all citizens. The Commission for Women previously recognized Dr. Walthour as Woman of the Year in 2014.
In addition to honoring Dr. Walthour, the Commission for Women will also present awards to the Woman of the Year and the Woman of Tomorrow at the Women's History Month Banquet in March. Nominations are now being accepted for these honors. To access nomination forms, go to the St. Mary's County Commission for Women website at www.co.saint-marys.md.us/voluntr/women.asp. The banquet is open to the public.
The St. Mary's County Commission for Women is a volunteer-run committee appointed by the County Commissioners. Their mission is to celebrate and support the County's women through outreach, advocacy and service, to secure an equitable community for all.