Wow, what a week! There’ve been so many great recognition activities going on, it’s difficult to capture them all here. I’m a little late getting this out because I’ve been busy with some of these activities even today.
This past week, among others, we recognized our National Technical Honor Society inductees, our top 15 academic achievers who each selected their “Honored Educator,” our academic achievers at the Logan Co. Academic Achievement Recognition Breakfast, and our Project SEARCH interns. Please watch your e-mail for Shane’s press releases and photos and take time to read them—it reminds us why we’re all here! And congratulations to all of our student achievers for their outstanding performance this year.
This past weekend was chock-full with activities related to our 35th Anniversary celebration. Friday evening, we had an Alumni & Friends gathering, and several past students, staff, and supporters of OHP stopped by. It was a nice, casual evening to enjoy some refreshments and catch up with old friends. Saturday morning was our Top of Ohio 5K Run/Walk. The weather was a pleasant surprise, and we had a great time! One special team that walked and ran the race was our Project SEARCH team (see photo above right). They truly took the “team” approach and supported one another right up to the finish line!
Saturday evening was our third Showcase of Success Distinguished Alumni Induction. It was such a special evening. Our three inductees were Beth Brentlinger (Cosmetology, 1976), Carol DelGrosso (Drafting, 1978), and Aaron Wren (Plumbing/Pipefitting, 1979). Of course, we all love to hear the success stories of our alumni; but what I enjoy most is seeing our inductees reconnect with OHP in a significant way and truly appreciate the great start their teachers here gave them. Be watching our Showcase of Success wall for these three inductees to be added and take time to read their stories!
Monday I had the opportunity to attend the statewide Career-Based Intervention spring conference where our very own Deb Wortman was recognized as an Outstanding Partner for her work in starting CBI programs with partner schools. Very well deserved! These programs have made such an impact on students needing just a little extra guidance in middle school and high school in order to get on and stay on the right track. One of those students, Bryanna Baker at Upper Scioto Valley, was also recognized as the recipient of the Jeff Akers Scholarship at the state conference. She gave a beautiful and eloquent speech as she shared with us her plans to go on to become a nurse. Let me share with you some of her words:
My CBI class through Ohio Hi-Point has helped me develop this plan and taught me the process to moving through all of the steps. This scholarship and your belief in me have increased my self confidence, which adds to my personal drive to work towards my goals.
Best wishes to Bryanna—I have no doubt she’ll one day make a wonderful nurse!
You know, our students are some of the most grateful teenagers I’ve ever worked with (and you don’t often hear “grateful” and “teenager” in the same sentence!) One example I’d like to share with you is the following e-mail one of our students sent to Tracy Franck in our Technology Department:
This past week, among others, we recognized our National Technical Honor Society inductees, our top 15 academic achievers who each selected their “Honored Educator,” our academic achievers at the Logan Co. Academic Achievement Recognition Breakfast, and our Project SEARCH interns. Please watch your e-mail for Shane’s press releases and photos and take time to read them—it reminds us why we’re all here! And congratulations to all of our student achievers for their outstanding performance this year.
This past weekend was chock-full with activities related to our 35th Anniversary celebration. Friday evening, we had an Alumni & Friends gathering, and several past students, staff, and supporters of OHP stopped by. It was a nice, casual evening to enjoy some refreshments and catch up with old friends. Saturday morning was our Top of Ohio 5K Run/Walk. The weather was a pleasant surprise, and we had a great time! One special team that walked and ran the race was our Project SEARCH team (see photo above right). They truly took the “team” approach and supported one another right up to the finish line!
Saturday evening was our third Showcase of Success Distinguished Alumni Induction. It was such a special evening. Our three inductees were Beth Brentlinger (Cosmetology, 1976), Carol DelGrosso (Drafting, 1978), and Aaron Wren (Plumbing/Pipefitting, 1979). Of course, we all love to hear the success stories of our alumni; but what I enjoy most is seeing our inductees reconnect with OHP in a significant way and truly appreciate the great start their teachers here gave them. Be watching our Showcase of Success wall for these three inductees to be added and take time to read their stories!
Monday I had the opportunity to attend the statewide Career-Based Intervention spring conference where our very own Deb Wortman was recognized as an Outstanding Partner for her work in starting CBI programs with partner schools. Very well deserved! These programs have made such an impact on students needing just a little extra guidance in middle school and high school in order to get on and stay on the right track. One of those students, Bryanna Baker at Upper Scioto Valley, was also recognized as the recipient of the Jeff Akers Scholarship at the state conference. She gave a beautiful and eloquent speech as she shared with us her plans to go on to become a nurse. Let me share with you some of her words:
My CBI class through Ohio Hi-Point has helped me develop this plan and taught me the process to moving through all of the steps. This scholarship and your belief in me have increased my self confidence, which adds to my personal drive to work towards my goals.
Best wishes to Bryanna—I have no doubt she’ll one day make a wonderful nurse!
You know, our students are some of the most grateful teenagers I’ve ever worked with (and you don’t often hear “grateful” and “teenager” in the same sentence!) One example I’d like to share with you is the following e-mail one of our students sent to Tracy Franck in our Technology Department:
Mrs. Franck, I just wanted to thank you again for helping with my senior video. We watched it in lab today and everyone loved it, it was very emotional. And thanks to you I was able to get everyone a copy of the video today. You don’t know how much that meant to me. I was unable to get my fellow classmates a graduation present and this made me feel a little bit better. It also gives each one of us something to look back on, we will all now have something to remember each other by and the time spent at Hi-Point. So thank you so much.
Amie' Hoffer
Culinary Arts 09'
I’m sure Tracy thought nothing of helping this young lady with her project, but what an impact it made! Even when we’re just “doing our jobs,” never underestimate the difference we can make.
It’s come to my attention that, if we had a “Safety Award of the Week,” it should go to Melissa Sizemore this week (Melissa is a math teacher on our Bellefontaine Campus). Apparently as Melissa and some students were setting up outside for field day today at about noon, the tornado siren went off. Melissa didn’t realize this was a weekly occurrence (to test the siren), and she had a real sense of urgency about getting her students back into the building to a safe location! Melissa, your friends and co-workers are having a little fun at your expense. But I’m glad you have that intuitive instinct to protect our kids. Hope it didn’t stress you out too much!
It’s come to my attention that, if we had a “Safety Award of the Week,” it should go to Melissa Sizemore this week (Melissa is a math teacher on our Bellefontaine Campus). Apparently as Melissa and some students were setting up outside for field day today at about noon, the tornado siren went off. Melissa didn’t realize this was a weekly occurrence (to test the siren), and she had a real sense of urgency about getting her students back into the building to a safe location! Melissa, your friends and co-workers are having a little fun at your expense. But I’m glad you have that intuitive instinct to protect our kids. Hope it didn’t stress you out too much!
Finally, let me wish all of you a wonderful Mother’s Day. Treasure your mother if you still have her, treasure her memory if you don’t, treasure motherhood if you are a mother, and treasure the anticipation of motherhood if you’re a mother-to-be!
Have a great weekend!
