A veteran educator, Thornton retired last June after 21 years on the job. At a reception held Sunday evening, Thornton said the award was “validation of the work I’ve done over the years in promoting diversity.”
A daughter of a coal miner and farmer, Thornton is still involved with Cuyahoga, working as a consultant with the school’s foundation and helping to raise scholarships for deserving students, said Dr. Alex Johnson, the current president of Cuyahoga.
