He’s been called "a legend" as well as "one of the most dedicated educators in Johnston High School history."
He has established many of the school’s most storied traditions such as Homecoming that now ranks among the envy — and showcase — for all schools in Rhode Island.
He has an unmatched legacy that dates back to 1976 when he graduated from Johnston High School and is known by people is neighboring districts as “an educator for all seasons and reasons.”
All of which is why Gregory “Greg” Russo, who heads the Johnston High School Science Department, was summoned to last week’s school committee meeting where he was honored for restoring some normalcy to the students’ social lives.
“Mr. (Greg) Russo is truly the heart and soul of Johnston High school,” Superintendent Dr. Bernard DiLullo told the five school committee members and an attentive audience inside the Nicholas A. Ferri Middle School Library. “The many events and traditions that occur here are due to his love for his school and its students.”
DiLullo then declared “each Year Mr. Russo coordinates the Battle of the Classes that creates a special camaraderie throughout the entire student body. The same is true (for) our highly-valued Homecoming, Spirit Week and the Winter Ball to name just a few of the major events.”
Meanwhile, as DiLullo continued heaping words of praise upon the valuable educator, who also serves as an assistant track and field coach in the spring.
“These are all traditions that the students, their families and school staff look forward to and they are always spectacular events under Mr. Russo’s watch,” DiLullo said.
In addition, Russo serves — and loves doing so he’ll readily attest — the faculty advisor for the always-active JHS Student Council that he has guided since 2003 and in past years as advisor for the classes of 1990, 1994, 1999 and 2003.
Russo has also provided valuable leadership — as well as initiated new programs — as the Faculty Advisor for SADD (Students against Dangerous Decisions) since 1990.
Perhaps one of Russo’s all-time best contributions came many moons ago when he founded Johnston High’s Academic Decathlon Team and directed it from the beginning until 2016.
Given that, as DiLullo emphasized: “The recognition that Vice Chair (Joseph) Rotella and the School Committee bestowed on Mr. Russo is well deserved and a token of our appreciation for everything he does.”
Rotella, who said “I have some delightful duty to perform here tonight,” called Russo to the center of the room where he presented him with a Town of Johnson, Johnston School Committee Proclamation.
“Let it be known to all,” Rotella began with a smile on his face and sincerity ringing in his voice, Greg Russo “is hereby commended by the Johnston School Committee for his unwavering dedication, in his capacity as Student Council Advisor, working diligently with fellow faculty members and student council members, to bring the much-loved and tradition events Homecoming and Winter Ball to Johnston Senior High School amid the challenges of the global pandemic.”
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