2011 Rotarian of the Year Elizabeth Swift

Buena Park Rotarian of the Year is Elizabeth Swift, Ed.D Dr. Beth Swift joined our Buena Park Rotary Club after she was chosen as BP Rotary Citizen of the Year in 2006. Both she and her husband Greg joined our club and have been active members ever since.

Beth has expected to be a role model for her students and colleagues, and among the positive attributes that she has modeled are making and keeping commitments in the following ways: (1) commitment to value the opportunity to learn—her husband and she have extended their own education, they expected their children to complete college degrees and advanced degrees, which they did, and they have donated money to scholarship funds for several years; (2) to delay gratification in pursuit of future goals—she obtained a MA in School Administration and a Doctor of Education degree in pursuit of vocational and School Board goals; (3) to persevere even when she is discouraged or fails—she has shared with students the difficult year she had as an assistant principal as an example of learning that a job that is right for one person is not necessarily right for another; (4) to “work hard at work worth doing” as Teddy Roosevelt said, and to do that work excellently—Beth has been honored as Buena Park High School Teacher of the Year 2008, Fullerton Joint Union High School District Teacher of the Year 2008, Buena Park Rotary Club Distinguished Teacher 2008, California State University Fullerton “Honored Teacher” 2006, Orange County School Board Association Outstanding Board Member (Marion Bergeson Award) 2008, and Buena Park Rotary Club Citizen of the Year 2006. She also was instrumental in Buena Park High School receiving the “Golden Bell” Award from California School Boards Association for an innovative program and in receiving two grants for a total of $120,000 for the special program she coordinated.

On a personal note, Beth is a cancer survivor who has led the way in modeling an exemplary attitude and steadfastness during her treatments. This, in itself, shows outstanding leadership qualities. Elizabeth exudes the Rotary model of service-above-self.