State Auditor Keith Faber presents award and talks to students at Brunswick High School

BRUNSWICK — Ohio Auditor Keith Faber presented Brunswick City Schools with the Auditor of State award and talked to students in a personal finance class at Brunswick High School on Thursday. The award goes to government entities that meet certain qualifications of a clean audit. Faber said fewer than 10 percent of organizations qualify for the award, and Brunswick Schools has received it multiple times. "The reality is that tells you that you're special, you're extraordinary (and) you're among the best of the best," he said. "To get it year after year tells me that you're not just extraordinary, you're literally at the leading edge of entities like you who prepare these records." Faber said he likes to present the awards when he can because it is important to recognize people in government who do a good job. "I always say that when we find somebody who's lying, stealing and cheating with public money, it always makes headlines and those stories write themselves," he said. "We need to help tell the story of the majority of people in the public sector who spend government money and manage government money who do a good job." Brunswick City Schools Treasurer Mark Pepera said it takes the entire district working together to reach that level of achievement. "I am hoping this shows our community, No. 1, that we believe in transparency," he said. "No. 2, our commitment to excellence as far as financial reporting is concerned, not only for the benefit of the community, but for the district as a whole." After the awards presentation, Faber talked to students in Angela McFadden's personal finance class about his life experiences as well as the opportunities that can come from hard work and budgeting money properly. "I always tell people, always look for your opportunities to get involved," he said. "Always look for your opportunities to work hard." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.