Outstanding Alumni
OHSAA Revives Outstanding Alumni Honors
Last year the Orrville High School Alumni Board made the unanimous decision to bring back the popular Outstanding Alumni honors. “We’re excited to bring back this exceptional tradition,” said OHSAA Board President Matt Plybon, Class of 1986. “It’s important to recognize OHS grads who share their experience, wisdom, energy, and resources not only to their careers but also toward their volunteer passions.
The decades old tradition, which began 36 years ago, was reinstated in 2022 thanks to OHS 1962 class member Vicki Wolgamot Dreher. A former board member of the Orrville High School Alumni Association, Dreher stepped up to reignite prestigious honor after a seven-year break, due in part to Covid 19.
As plans are now underway for an October celebratory weekend for the 2023 honorees, a planning committee has taken steps to refresh and renew the OHS Hall of Champions collection of Outstanding Alumni portraits. With the professional assistance of Marty’s Studio photographer Emily Sheller Vodika, OHS Class of 1996, the previous honorees portraits have been refreshed and resized for a perfect fit in this new location. Special thanks also to Athletic Director Audrey Zuercher for identifying the display site for the portraits.
Three 2023 honorees will be announced on September 1 along with information regarding the October dinner celebration.
A decades old tradition will be brought back to life, thanks to OHS 1962 class member Vicki Wolgamot Dreher. A former board member of the Orrville High School Alumni Association, Dreher has stepped up to bring the prestigious honor back to life after a seven-year break, due in part to Covid 19.
It all began in 1987 when Nancy Brest, OHS Class of 1947 and a School Board member, initiated an OHS Alumni of the Year award. A small group of local alums were invited to serve as a selection committee. Although there is no official record of who was in attendance, Jenni Johnson Reusser, Class of 1965, recalls being present. “After discussing several nominees, we agreed that Louie Prechtel, Class of 1936, would be an excellent choice to kick off this prestigious award. He clearly exemplified dedication to our hometown in multiple ways”. Louie was honored centerfield at halftime of a home football game. That special spotlight and crowd applause was positive affirmation from the community and the tradition was officially launched. You’ll learn more about Louie and the twenty other honorees in upcoming issues of OrrViews. OHSAA Board member Beth Scott Landers, Class of 1973, is researching the history of each honoree.
The committee continued to meet each fall to share names and to select an alum living in Orrville who had influenced our schools and the community in a positive way. In 1995, the decision was made to shift to an every-other-year format. This continued until 2010 when the Alumni Association Board decided the award should rightfully become part of the every-five-year Alumni Reunions that began in 2000. Nominations were now open to the public, the number of honorees was expanded and could include alums who lived elsewhere and were positively influencing others in their work and volunteerism where they lived, carrying forth the values they learned in Orrville.
The first congratulatory luncheon was added as part of the 2010 Reunion. The honorees shared stories and expressed their gratitude to an enthusiastic audience. Repeated in 2015, it was once again a resounding success.
Due to the Covid pandemic, plans for a 2020 reunion were cancelled. A scaled down version of previous reunions was held in 2021. However, in 2022, the Alumni Board made the unanimous decision to henceforth hold every-other-year Outstanding Alumni Honors, beginning with October 13 & 14, 2023. “We’re excited to bring back this exceptional tradition,” said OHSAA Board President Matt Plybon, Class of 1986. “It’s an honor to recognize OHS grads who are committed to giving their time, energy and resources to their school and community, no matter where they live today.”
HONORED IN THE 80’s
Honored in the 90’s
Changing of the Board
OHSAA ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
At its last meeting, the Orrville High School Alumni Association Board thanked outgoing member Katherine Anderson Blasingame for her service and welcomed Laura McPeek Ciamacco to the Board.
Blasingame grew up in Orrville and was a member of the OHS Class of ‘00. She joined the OHSAA Board in 2018 and assumed responsibility as the chairperson for the 2020 All-Alumni Reunion. Although the reunion was delayed due to Covid-19, Katherine continued to work on plans for the reunion and chaired the event in 2021. She was also very instrumental in organizing the Buehler’s Shopping Spree and Blingo fundraiser events.
“I was honored when asked to be on the OHSAA Board. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I am so glad that I accepted the invitation. These memories will stay with me forever. I will cherish the friendships I made with the amazing group of Alumni and am going to miss attending the meetings and the time we've spent together”, said Blasingame.
In March of 2022, Ciamacco reached out to the organization and expressed an interest in getting involved. We kept her on our “radar” and as soon as a Board opening appeared, Barb Maki Bupp, Class of ’74, contacted her.
Laura also grew up in Orrville and graduated from OHS in 2003. She attended Ohio Northern University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education in 2008. She is currently employed as an Administrative Assistant in the Superintendent’s office at Orrville High School. Laura and her husband Joe are the parents of 4-year-old son, Alex.
“I joined the Alumni Board because I realize how important our town's sense of community and pride is. Celebrating that with fellow graduates is something I look forward to for many years to come,” said Ciamacco.
The Board would like to thank Katherine for her years of service and dedication to the organization. She will be missed. We are excited that Laura has agreed to fill the open position and look forward to her many contributions.
Teacher Grants in Action
2021
The recipients of the 2021 Teach Grants were Mark Besancon, Jim Duxbury and Rebecca Tetlow.
Mr. Besancon requested funds to bring back Video Production classes to OHS, Jim Duxbury’s Conservation of Parks “Sweet Dreams for Kids” Bed-Building Project and Rebecca Tetlow will use her grant money for sensory objects in the classroom.
Jim Duxbury’s class already put the funds to good use, building beds for community members in need President’s Day Weekend. News Channel 5 covered this great project!
2020
Recipients of the Teacher Grants in 2020 put their funds to good use. Grant funds were able to cover 7th Grade ELL novels, 8th Grade Theater Field Trip, 6th Grade Flexible Seating Options, In-ear translators, Earth Science Solar System Walk, Biology Trip and a large donation to the OMS Food Pantry.
*Funds that were not able to be used in the 2019-2020 school year were rolled over to 2021
Below the OHSAA Board Members take a trip to Jennifer Gravatt’s sixth grade English Language Arts classroom at Orrville Middle School to learn about flexible seating.
"I have to admit I was skeptical at first," said Lauri Besancon, "but it was really nice to see how excited Jennifer was to have these flexible seating options in her classroom." Besancon, along with other members of the Orrville High School Alumni Association Board, had a first hand opportunity to experience how flexible seating gives students options for what kind of learning space works best for them.
Jennifer Gravatt, sixth grade English Language Arts teacher at Orrville Middle School, invited them to her classroom to try out the stools, ball chairs and the standing table. She explained how flexible seating allows children to move and be more engaged, helping them focus and process information. "Sensory input like this is especially helpful for students with ADHD, ADD and ASD. This makes learning fun!"
"I'm very glad we could be a part of this," said Sara Martin, referring to the $750 grant the OHSAA Board approved for the project. "Hats off to Orrville for getting a head start on helping children find a way to focus." Martin, who is a school teacher in Dalton, could easily understand that there are students who can really benefit from the seat and table options.
Katherine Blasingame agreed. "I'm thrilled the kids have been receptive and that they are truly benefiting from the grant."
Matt Plybon, Principal at Whittier Elementary in Massillon, was impressed with the standing table. "It's a good option for kids who have trouble sitting still," he said. "It was interesting how two students can use the table at the same time yet they stay focused and really don't bother each other at all." Barb Bupp, a retired teacher, especially liked to hear how the students take turns using the different kinds of seats. Gravatt has a system how they rotate, keeping the classroom alert and energized. "Knowing our grant helped make this happen aligns perfectly with the part of our mission statement that says, '...support and strengthen the school's mission for the benefit of its current students.'" Grants are awarded through the Orrville City Schools Endowment Fund.
"This grant provides students with a new way to collaborate, communicate and engage in critical thinking," said Gravatt. "We greatly appreciate this opportunity provided by the OHSAA board."