The July 2003 Citizen of the Month is an exceptional individual who has touched the lives of many people in our community. We are very pleased to present this Citizen of the Month award to Marian Reed.

Marian has been a teacher at St. Martins and St. Thomas More High School since 1987. She has taught AP English, literature, speech, writing, drama and journalism to hundreds of our youth. Parents give accolades to her as their children not only excel and are admitted to our best colleges and universities, but go on to win national essays or land jobs in Europe writing multilingual books. Marian has been the academic advisor of oral interpretation, producing several state champions and her involvement as the advisor to the student council has been outstanding. Parents note that she is always there for the kids, day and night. She is the only South Dakotan to be selected to grade the National Advanced Placement Exams in English.

Marian has been an active member of the National Association for Retarded Citizens, serving as a volunteer manager for the local ARC Thrift Shop and as president of the SD Council for Exceptional Children. She has held numerous positions including president, vice president, state board member and newsletter editor for the Black Hills Association for Retarded Citizens. Many of us know Marian as a member of the Black Hills Community Theatre and the Black Hills Playhouse. She is the past treasurer for the Black Hills Girl Scout Council, Camp Friendship and numerous other committees for Girl Scouts. Marian has been an active member of American Association University Women and consistently hosts young university women as her guests to help them network into the community.

Dr. John Herlihy and Jo Roebuck-Pearson who nominated Marian, write that hundreds of parents, students and friends of the arts, mentally handicapped individuals and their families all thunder in collective voices to nominate her. “Her strong, while often publicly silent talents have been unselfishly used for our most precious assets, our children. So many only offer lip service to education but Marian puts her mouth, energy and brilliance in literature, plays and English into our education systems.”

Marian has been a part of the Rapid City community for many years, first arriving at the Black Hills Playhouse as an actress and costumer in 1960 and has recently retired from St. Thomas More High School. Marian is married to Ron Reed, they have two children – Michael and Kathleen - and one granddaughter, Caterina.