ASHLAND — Substitute teacher Sheila Chronister says she spent the last 11 years working at the Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center because of the love she’s received from the students and the professionalism of the staff she has worked with.
The Ashland County resident received the Pentagon Award, the school’s highest recognition, at the annual Senior Farewell on May 24 in the Career Center Commons.
The Pentagon Award is presented annually to an individual and/or organization for making a significant difference and a lasting, meaningful contribution or impact to the Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center. Past recipients have included teachers, school officials, community members and businesses from the five school districts that make up the Career Center’s vocational education planning district.
Chronister said she was overwhelmed when she first learned she was receiving the award. “I got a letter in the mail — that was the first time I knew about it – and I couldn’t stop crying,” she said. “It’s such a huge award and I’m humbled by it.”
Superintendent Michael Parry said selecting Chronister for the Pentagon Award was easy because she knows the students, has built relationships and has made the educational process far less disruptive. “Sheila is a substitute for us but she is in this building virtually every day of the week helping in every way she can. Whatever the students need. Whatever the team needs.” he explained.
Chronister said she has taught like a regular classroom instructor because, “I wanted to teach, not babysit.” She said she was able to do that because the staff created good lesson plans.
Chronister has associate and bachelor degrees in accounting and worked in the accounting field before she retired at age 60 and switched careers after attending a seminar at the Career Center on substitute teaching.
“I’m not the type of person who can sit around and do nothing and I felt the Lord leading me into substitute teaching,” she said. “I thought I would substitute at Hillsdale Elementary in first and second grade because I taught that age group at church for over 40 years.”
Instead, Chronister ended up at the Career Center, where she has substitute taught for over 100 days every year, filling in for teachers and instructors in every lab and classroom except for engineering and robotics. She is retiring at the end of the school year to spend more time with her husband and family and do more things with her grandchildren, who live near Cincinnati.
As part of the award, Chronister received a medal and will have a plaque with her picture hung on the wall of honor just off the school’s front entrance.
Career Center officials also announced that Casey Freeman, an open enrolled student from the Triway School District in Wayne County, is the Student of the Year for the 2017-2018 academic year. Freeman was recognized for “going above and beyond” with everything he does – including helping with school tours, leading in the Auto Body lab and helping counselors- and for being “Student of the Month” two years in a row..
“He embodies everything we hope a Career Center student to be,” said school counselor Jamie Garverick as she announced the award.
Freeman also received several of the school’s annual scholarships including the STRIVE Rotary Scholarship, the William Glenn Memorial Scholarship from the Ashland Vocational Teachers’ Association and the Michael Stoops Award. He is planning to go to college to study youth ministries and become a youth pastor and wants to work on cars “on the side.”
North Central State College representative April Gregory announced five recipients of $10,662 Tuition Freedom scholarship including Makala Etzwiler, Jonathon Goins, Hunter Martin, Forrest Pratt and Kailyn Ritenour. Other scholarship recipients announced during the Senior Farewell were April King, Sydney Anderson, Makayla Cummings, Daymion Seldon, Michael Collins and Samantha Raubenolt.
A total of 147 seniors received their Career Technical Portfolios, which are the Career Center’s diplomas. The students also will participate in graduation ceremonies at their home schools.
Career Center Board of Education President, David Hunter, told students they are facing challenging times with domestic crises and conflicts overseas. He also encouraged them to be positive when facing their trials and tribulations.
“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decision and that we’ll screw up royally sometimes,” Hunter said. “Failure is not the opposite of success. It is part of success.”
