DEMOPOLIS &045; In 1999 the Chamber of Commerce instituted a new award for its Annual Meeting and Dinner to compliment the other awards handed out at the event. The lifetime award was meant to applaud not just a year of service to the community, but a lifetime of contributing to the Demopolis area and its residents.

This year the chamber chose Dr. Wesley Hill, the superintendent of the Demopolis City School System, as the recipient of the award, presented yesterday. The chamber applauded Hill’s 27-year commitment toward advancing the level of learning, and concurrently level of success, of the community.

Hill was born in Hendersonville, N.C., in 1940 and received his bachelor’s degree in education in 1962. In 1964 he received his masters from Western Carolina University and entered the administrative side of education.

After being a high school principle for several years, marring and having three children, Hill moved to Tuscaloosa in 1970 to enroll in the doctoral program at the University of Alabama and earned his doctorate in Education Administration in 1972.

Hill moved around after graduating, holding principal and superintendent positions, before being selected as the superintendent for the Demopolis City School System. Here he has stayed for 27 years serving to better educate the youth of the area. Hill announced his retirement at the beginning of the current school year that will take effect at the conclusion of the school year.

Braswell applauded the accomplishments of the school system that has blossomed under the watchful eye of Hill. He mentioned the great amount of expansion the schools have seen in the 27 years Hill has been in Demopolis, both structurally as well as the size of the student body.

Braswell said much of Hill’s success can be based on the tenet he subscribes to in his career: &8220;Make a difference everyday.&8221;