$80,000 in scholarships awarded
A group photo of the young women who received scholarships.
The Indian Valley Foundation is there to help graduating students no matter their choice of college, career training or the need to purchase tools to help them get into a career.
With many Indian Valley students attending Buckeye Career Center, the foundation wanted to make sure they weren’t leaving anyone out of their annual scholarship awards.
“We felt that those students really didn’t know what our foundation was all about and hadn’t applied for our scholarships,” IVF President David McPeek said. “We, as a group, discussed it and decided that we need to go face to face with these kids, tell them what they can do. A lot of them probably didn’t understand that we would pay for tools, we would pay for a CDL, stuff like that.”
The IVF spoke to the Indian Valley students at BCC. Of the 14 BCC students from IVS who received scholarships, 10 students were going on to either college or some form of post-secondary, and four were going directly into the workforce.
“That kind of caught us off guard because we assumed most of those kids were going out into a trade,” McPeek said. “It opened our eyes a little bit.”
The IVF wants to help all students.
“We felt that we weren’t contributing to those kids, and we wanted to make those students aware that we’re here to help you. Whatever we can do, we’re here,” McPeek said. “We’re grateful to live in this area, this community, the school district. It’s such a giving school district. We’re just overwhelmed by the generosity of the people in this community to support these kids.”
The foundation was grateful to receive more than $690,000 late last year from the estate of a former teacher, which the foundation has invested to provide more scholarships. This year the foundation provided $80,000 in scholarships to 53 students.
The guest speaker at the event was New Philadelphia Fire Chief Jim Parrish, a graduate of Indian Valley South. Parrish spoke on the importance of servant leadership.
“The concept is leaders must first and foremost meet the needs of others; good leaders must first become good servants. Today, you’re in that situation as students that are going to step out into the world. I really believe servant leadership can change the world,” Parrish said. “The object of servant leadership is serve first, lead second. That means it’s OK for you to flip the pyramid of leadership.
“You need to be going out there and helping people and doing things that others wouldn’t do. That’s what an extraordinary leader is — someone that does something extra.”
Many scholarships were a combination of funds from the donors, the Indian Valley Foundation and other funds.
Those receiving scholarships are as follows:
Mariah Abel, $1,000, in memory of John Hursey, Jr.; Chloe Wells, $1,000, given by the Indian Valley North Class of 1981; Paige Katicich, $2,000, in memory of Russell “Red” Rankin; Emily Lewis, $1,000, given by Robert and Cathy Fuller; Katelyn Hunter, $1000, given by TAC Services LTD and Theodore Carlisle; Daniel Miller, $2,000, in memory of Anthony Natoli; Lawrence Johnson, $2,000, from the Lois Grosenbacher Ellison Estate; Xander Heil, $2,000, given by the Gnadenhutten High School Alumni Association;
Hanna Johnson, $2,000, given by the GHS Alumni Association; Lauryn Lynch, $2,000, in memory of Leonard and Josephine Lintner; Rylee Raymond, $2,000, in honor of Jodi Hillyer for her years of volunteer service to IV Athletic Department by Blair Hillyer; Arista Burroway, $1,000, in memory of Lena and Ben Schreiner; Krista Bair, $2,000, in memory of Harry Kenney by American Legion Post 4; Reese Coulson, $2,000, in memory of Harry Kenney by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 532; Marlee Shepherd, $1,000, in memory of Claire Boring, a GHS graduate, by her family;
Kadee Hickenbottom, $1,000, in memory of Anthony Natoli and Mildred Natoli; Johnny Meechan, $1,000, in memory of Robert and Dorothy McPeek and Todd McPeek; Alisha Shaw, $1,000, in memory of Robert and Dorothy McPeek and Todd McPeek; Remmington Myers, $1,000, in memory of Robert and Dorothy McPeek and Todd McPeek; Leo Wenger, $1,000, in memory of Grandma and Grandpa McPeek; Kami Kerns, $1,000, in memory of Don and Addie McComb Stull; Rafe Bonifay, $1,000, in memory of Juanita Garabrandt Johns; Macey Porter, $1,000, given by First Federal Community Bank; Skyler Byers, $2,000, in memory of Michael Kohl; Brogan Burcher, $1,000, in memory of Michael Kohl;
Jacie Herman, $1000, given by Belinda Lentz; Makina Donehue, $1,000, in memory of Raymond and Thelma Metzger; Aidin Jones, $1,000, in memory of Raymond and Virginia Huebner; Jillian Couts, $2,000, given from Indian Valley staff payroll deductions; Althea Dotts, $1,000, in memory of the John Gooding family; Makenna Seikel, $2,000, in memory of the William Hamilton family; Jacqueline Bennett, $2,000, given by the Indian Valley Foundation; Benaiah Klaserner, $1,000, given by Simpson Salute Heating & Cooling; John Burrier, $2,000, in memory of Stefanie Risher; Kendall Polen, $3000, in memory of Martha Roudebush by family and friends;
Emma Sprowl, $3,000, in memory of Martha Roudebush by IVF Board of Directors; Emily Jones, $1,000, in memory of Robert Mathias; Kale Kochman, $2,000, given by IVF and Thomas Estate; Mia Rose, $1,000, given by IVF; Ashlyn Knepper, $1,000, given by IVF, Kamree Lindon, $1,000, given by Midvale/Indian Valley North alumni; and Braeden Strack, $1,000, given by IVF.
The following awards were given in memory of George and Jan Thomas: Margaret Johnson, $3,000; Emma Stewart, $3,000; Isaac Klaserner, $3,000; Chloe Erb, $3,000; Avery DePriest, $1,000; Abigail Stull, $1,000; Kari Mace, $1,000; Derek Robinson, $1,000; Hannah Thomas, $1,000; Allison Walton, $1,000; and Ashley Zurfley, $1,000.