Natick Educator Gets Legislature's 'Black Excellence' Award

FRAMINGHAM, MA — A Natick Schools paraprofessional and member of the Framingham Cultural Council has won a Black Excellence award, which is given out by the state House Black and Latino Legislative Caucus each year.

Framingham resident Leslie White Harvey was given the award by state Rep. Jack Lewis, D-Ashland. Harvey was nominated for her work in the parent-teacher organizations at Fuller Middle and McCarthy Elementary schools, her service as a Downtown Framingham vice chair and on the Cultural Council.

"Building on her first responsibility, and first love, of being a parent, Leslie has literally and figuratively run with passion to improve the lives of our community’s residents," Lewis said in a statement. "When her kids were younger, she played an instrumental role, getting involved in their schools’ PTOs, chairing playground builds, advocating for a new Fuller Middle School, and bringing the BOKS exercise program to their elementary school."

Lewis went on to list other work Harvey has done: volunteering at the Curtis Family Thanksgiving dinner, working on the committee searching for a new library director — and running the Boston Marathon (for the fifth time) with Team Framingham.

The award was given to Harvey during the second annual Black Excellence on the Hill event on Feb. 11.