MANSFIELD — Tom Stortz said he is always impressed with the accomplishments of high school students around Richland County.
“Lots of these kids not only excel in academics, but also activities like band or sports and volunteering in the community,” the Mansfield Noon Optimist Club member said.
“Learning how to budget your time and work hard is going to serve you really well.”
The Noon Optimist Club hosted its quality students awards banquet on March 27 at Dan Lew Exchange. Two students each from eight high schools in Richland County received plaques to recognize their accomplishments.
The club also presented awards and checks to essay contest and scholarship winners.
The essay contest is organized by Optimist International and requires students to write between 700 and 800 words on the assigned topic. This year’s topic was “Optimism: How it Connects Us.”
The local winners were:
- Megan Reynolds from Madison Comprehensive High School. She earned a bronze medal and $50.
- McKenna Baker from Shelby High School. She earned a silver medal and $100.
- Callie Cyrus from Madison Comprehensive High School. She earned a gold medal and $200.
Mansfield club president Dave Siebold thanked everyone who entered the essay contest and scholarship competition.
“It’s a rewarding thing to do to look at the work of high school seniors and college students to get them some scholarship dollars,” he said.
“Judging those applications is one of the hardest things I think I’ve ever done. All of the students are so great and have so many accomplishments, so it was a difficult choice.”
The local scholarship winners will enter a district competition for additional scholarship money.
Through the centennial drive, the Mansfield Noon Optimist Club raised $86,000 to support youth around the community. A special $5,000 centennial scholarship went to Candence Fairchild from Shelby High School.
Fairchild plans to attend Iowa State University and major in agricultural business. She is currently the Shelby Future Farmers of America president and on the Ohio Attorney General’s teen ambassador board. She also owns Fairchild’s Garden Market.
Lexington High School’s Darcie Reinhart and Madison Comprehensive High School’s Grayson Sasis each won a $1,000 scholarship.
Tom Stortz, Noon Optimist Club member, said the club asks school administrators to designate two of their top students to be recognized as “quality students” each year.
“Any time that we can recognize students for their hard work is good for our community,” he said. “They work really hard and deserve recognition.”
The quality students were as follows:
Clear Fork High School
- Andrea Swainhart
- Evan Picchion
Crestview High School
- Braden Philpott
- Mallorie McAvene
Lexington High School
- Kaylie Eichorn
- Kyle Galownia
Lucas High School
- Lilly Moherman
- Kendell Guegold
Madison Comprehensive High School
- Karlie Wilson
- Aiden Mooneyham
Ontario High School
- Olivia Kreger
- Noah Tuttle
Shelby High School
- Grace Garrett
- Bryson Baker
Temple Christian High School
- Joel Yoxtheimer
- Evelyn Day
Noon Optimist Club activities include the Mid-Ohio Home Show, a scholarship toward the Miss Ohio program, International Optimist Day sponsorships and Adopt-A-Child Christmas gifts.
The club also fundraised for the outdoor Optimist Club Park at Buckeye Imagination Museum.
Some of the above photos were provided by the Mansfield Noon Optimist Club.