2020 Columbus Dispatch and Encova Insurance Scholar Athlete Awards

SCHOLAR

ATHLETE 2020

The Columbus Dispatch and Encova Insurance Scholar Athlete Awards INSIDE: Meet the 201 ďŹ nalists from 106 area high schools, as well as the 24 featured winners and the 2019-20 team of the year

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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WE SALUTE THE

DISPATCH

SCHOLAR ATHLETES Proud sponsor of the 2020 Dispatch Scholar Athlete Awards This has been a remarkable year, and our graduating scholar athletes have shown remarkable poise. Thank you for representing the attitudes we need most today: Commitment, perseverance, resilience and gratitude.

Wherever the future takes you, we’ll be cheering you on. And when you need help reaching your next goal, we’ve got your back.

Every athlete, every sport, every day.

OhioHealth 24/7 Sports Medicine Hotline 1 (844) 360-GAME (4263) OhioHealth.com/SportsMedicine

© OhioHealth Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. FY20-456674. 06/20.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

3

ABOUT THE AWARDS

The selection process

All nominees were eligible for all scholarships. Winners were chosen by a panel of judges from The Dispatch, who considered academic and athletic performance, school leadership, community service and other criteria.

Sponsored awards * The John J. Bishop Awards, presented by Encova Insurance, are presented to a top male and top female scholar-athlete who have demonstrated exemplary leadership skills within their schools. * The Capt. Warren B. Sneed Memorial Scholarship is presented on behalf of the 1991 Dispatch scholar-athlete from Circleville High School who died in November 2000 in a military accident over the Sea of Japan. The award has been presented annually since 2001. * The OhioHealth Perseverance Award is presented to a top scholar-athlete who has persevered over illnesses and/or injuries and/or dealt with major challenges. The student is honored for his or her determination and courage in how he or she has overcome adversity. * The Battelle STEM Award is presented to a top scholar-athlete who exemplifies outstanding achievement in science, technology, engineering and math. Researchers and scientists rely on their STEM expertise to drive innovation and solve the world’s most difficult challenges.

Photography All scholarship winners’ portraits were taken

by Dispatch staff photographers, including Eric Albrecht, Adam Cairns, Kyle Robertson and Fred Squillante, as well as freelance photographer Maddie Schroeder. Portraits were taken at a location deemed meaningful to the scholar-athlete. The Dispatch would like to thank and acknowledge all of the schools and their administrators who accommodated our requests, as well as Wilson Garden Center, the Denison Bio Reserve, Bryn Du Mansion and Sticky Fingers Ice Cream.

More online

For expanded Q&As with scholarship winners and full survey responses, see dispatchshows.com/ohio-scholar-athlete-awards.

Contact us

If you have a question or comment about the special section, or The Dispatch’s scholar-athlete program, contact: Ray Stein … 614-461-5236 rstein@dispatch.com

Athletic venues throughout high schools in central Ohio, including the baseball field at Dublin Coffman pictured above, were largely empty this spring. The Ohio High School Athletic Association canceled spring sports after Gov. Mike DeWine announced on April 20 that schools would remain closed for the balance of the academic year due to the coronavirus pandemic. KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH

Finding inspiration

Pandemic took away sports and forced them into isolation, but scholar-athletes responded with grace and resolve

By Rob Oller THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

“Tough times are easier to get through when someone you trust is by your side.”

The coronavirus may think it And Granville baseball playwill get the last laugh, but cener Jake Stone spoke of paying tral Ohio high school senior forward by paying back, urging athletes already have beaten “the underclassmen to savor COVID-19 to the punchline by every moment because you’ll turning a cruel joke into an never know when you’ll play inspirational stand-up routine your last game.” of perseverance and personal The consensus among growth.

Scholar-Athlete Awards honThat’s not to suggest it has orees was that as challenging been easy. Losing your spring as it was to lose out on so sports season — track and much, the setbacks provided field, baseball, softball, needed perspective. lacrosse, boys tennis and boys When the Ohio High School volleyball all were canceled — Athletic Association first postto a pandemic hurts, even if it Trophies and other OHSAA state poned the winter state tournawas for safety reasons. ments on March 12, then canThe same goes for seniors in finals-related items remain in celed them on March 26, folboxes March 12 after the girls basketball, wrestling and hocklowed by the cancellation of state basketball tournament at ey who saw their winter state spring sports on April 20, the tournaments canceled when the St. John Arena was canceled due emotional fallout followed a to the coronavirus pandemic. virus first blew up, in March. similar pattern: denial giving JOSEPH MAIORANA/USA TODAY SPORTS way to devastation and finally It wasn’t just athletes who felt the sting, either. The cororesignation.

A few examples of the sennavirus did a number on all But teenagers are nothing if iors’ takeaways fairly represent not resilient — it would seem seniors, and that number was zero — as in, no senior prom, no the whole: more so than many adults, Football player Raymond senior class trip, no traditional including parents who in some graduation and no gathering in McDonald of Franklin Heights cases took the lost seasons missed hanging out with classrooms or hallways. harder than their kids — and But if it’s true that adversity friends in the school building. their bounce-back has not gone “Being at school kept me builds character, the 201 senunnoticed. around people and sociable, iors represented in the 2020 Coaches, even grizzled vetDispatch and Encova Insurance compared to being quaranerans who have been in their tined,” he wrote. “It was a Scholar-Athletes Awards proroles for three decades or more, routinely rave about how gram stand atop a mountain of wake-up call that taught me not to take time like that for well senior athletes have integrity-honoring intentions. granted. Being around friends, excelled in not just holding up As a way to acknowledge joking and laughing, is always but also growing up. the unprecedented circumMany of the seniors say they stances surrounding this year’s a lasting memory.”

Harvest Prep basketball used the time away from sports program, each scholar-athlete to draw closer to family, work nominated by school adminis- player Christopher Anthony wrote, “Achieve a little as one; on becoming more patient and trators was surveyed about achieve a lot together.” turn obstacles into opportuniwhat they had learned about Heath swimmer Sydney ties. A common theme is that themselves and others during Mason pointed out that, while life does not go as these trying times.

planned, positive change can be discovered.

“I have learned how to handle difficult and frustrating situations with grace,” said Lucy Reed of Fisher Catholic. “I learned that the world can adapt to new situations quickly. In times of weakness and trouble, creative and beautiful things manifest.”

Indeed, it doesn’t take much to find silver linings. Some seniors discovered a creative side they never knew existed, thanks to being cooped up at home. Evenings playing board games replaced those involving softball games. Dessert tastings subbed for Gatorade.

Other seniors went the practical route by getting jobs to pay for college. That revealed another familiar refrain: Don’t sit around and mope.

Embracing the situation with a positive attitude makes all the difference.

Naturally, not every athlete saw a half-full glass every day.

But most have kept anger and disappointment from festering into resentment and bitterness.

Maybe the success rate is not 100%, but as one senior explained, “Everyone is affected but each person shows it differently.”

If that sounds like wisdom, well, sometimes it takes the worst of times to bring out the best in people. These seniors “can’t redo high school,” as one put it, but most are working on re-doing themselves for the better. roller@dispatch.com @rollerCD

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Introduced in May 1982, the Dispatch and Encova Insurance Scholar-Athlete Awards annually honor the best and brightest high school students in central Ohio.

In late February, The Dispatch mailed nomination forms to 117 area high schools, asking administrators from each school to select two seniors — one female and one male — as their institution’s top scholar-athletes to vie for $78,000 in college scholarships.

These scholarships are funded by Encova, OhioHealth, Battelle, the family of Capt. Warren B. Sneed and one anonymous donor. In lieu of the annual Scholar-Athlete Awards banquet, canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, awards were announced on July 11 on a television program broadcast by WBNS-TV (Channel 10).

This year, 201 scholar-athletes from 106 participating schools were selected. Each honoree received a “celebration box” containing video congratulations, banners, posters, medals and gift-bag material from the program sponsors.

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Africentric

Destiny Thomas (3.8) Track (4 years), bowling (4), cross country (3)

Amanda-Clearcreek

Austin Morris (3.1) Basketball (4 years), cross country (3), tennis (3), baseball (2), track (1)

Kilynn Guiler (3.82) Basketball (4 years), track (4), soccer (2)

Big Walnut

Alina Pecci (4.47) Cross country (4 years), track (3)

Casey Bertke (4.59) Basketball (4 years), softball (4), volleyball (1), cross country (1)

Syrai Armistead (3.72) Basketball (4 years)

Bloom-Carroll

Viktor Giordano (4.61) Baseball (4 years), football (1)

Cardington

Trevor Spence (3.57) Track (4 years), cross country (4)

Beechcroft

Cassidy Smith (4.15) Track (4 years), basketball (3), volleyball (2)

Naa Dromo Korley (3.99) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4), track (2)

Briggs

Andrew Monahan (3.7) Cross country (4 years), track (3)

Centennial

Evan Teeters (4.05) Baseball (4 years)

Alhaji Sidibe (3.4) Football (4 years), baseball (4), wrestling (3), basketball (1)

Mackenzie Halliday (3.84) Volleyball (4 years)

Jaden Osborne (2.58) Baseball (4 years), football (3)

Centerburg

Grace Mulpas (3.86) Basketball (3 years), volleyball (2)

Hayden Sutton (3.95) Football (3 years), basketball (3)

Berne Union

Jayden Tharp (4.32) Cross country (4 years), track (4)

Noah Burroughs (4.0) Football (4 years), baseball (1)

Buckeye Valley

Julianna Andres (4.06) Gymnastics (4 years)

Lucas Hazlett (4.16) Cross country (4 years), bowling (4), tennis (3)

Central Crossing

Julia Patterson (5.08) Tennis (3 years)

Noah Reardon (3.78) Cross country (2 years), track (2)

Bexley

Leah Stamm (4.64) Swimming (4 years), soccer (2)

Miles Goldman (4.67) Soccer (4 years)

Canal Winchester

Shalea Byrd (3.7) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4), track (4)

Hunter King (4.03) Football (4 years), baseball (4)

Circleville

Peyton Perini (4.4) Cross country (4 years), basketball (4), track (3)

Cade Burton (3.65) Football (3 years), baseball (2)

Columbus Academy

Samuel Massick (4.15) Football (4 years), track (3), soccer (1)

Dublin Coffman

Abigail Walker (4.4) Tennis (4 years), track (4)

Alex Dediu (4.47) Cross country (4 years), track (4), basketball (1)

Eastmoor Academy

Paige Barnes (4.03) Volleyball (4 years), softball (4), basketball (2)

Ira Graham IV (3.8) Cross country (4 years), track (4)

Danville

Ellen Monahan (4.0) Lacrosse (4 years), field hockey (3), basketball (2)

Allysen Bower (4.0) Basketball (4 years), volleyball (2), softball (1)

Dublin Jerome

Jane Goodstein (4.31) Field hockey (4 years)

Antony Yang (4.67) Soccer (4 years)

Lauren Erickson (4.5) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4), softball (4)

Justin Brown (4.55) Basketball (4 years), baseball (4), football (2), cross country (1)

Congratulations Scholar Athletes!

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Charles Cook (4.0) Football (3 years), baseball (1), track (1)

Arionna Avant (3.7) Track (4 years), wrestling (1), volleyball (1)

Dublin Scioto

Elgin

Rebekah Muselin (4.63) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4), softball (4)

Delaware

Marty Neuhardt (4.43) Football (4 years), baseball (4)

Kyle Klumpp (4.16) Soccer (4 years), tennis (4), football (2), swimming (1)

Morgan Gehrlich (4.04) Soccer (4 years)

East

Nija Godfrey (3.7) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (3), track (3), softball (1)

Fairbanks

Kalor Greve (4.4) Cross country (4 years), track (4), cheerleading (2)

DeSales

Cole Shepherd (4.4) Football (4 years), track (1)

East Knox

Deo Samuel Pierre (3.0) Football (4 years), track (3), soccer (1)

Morgan McCauley (4.2) Basketball (4 years), volleyball (1)

Fairfield Christian

Hope Custer (3.99) Basketball (4 years), track (1)

Christopher Fleisher (4.08) Basketball (4 years), lacrosse (4), football (2)

Blaine Keener (3.99) Baseball (4 years), basketball (3)

Dawson David (4.27) Football (4 years), baseball (4)

Fairfield Union

Rylee Barr (4.0) Volleyball (4 years), swimming (2)

5 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Sarah Neltner (4.13) Soccer (4 years), track (4)

CSG

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Fisher Catholic

Lucy Reed (4.04) Track (4 years), soccer (4), basketball (4)

Bryson Vogel (4.09) Basketball (4 years), soccer (4), baseball (1)

Franklin Heights

Madison Murry (3.99) Track (4 years)

Granville

Sophie Shaw (4.06) Field hockey (4 years), lacrosse (4)

Grove City

Jacob Stone (4.26) Basketball (3 years), baseball (3)

Hartley

Sophia Cegledy (3.97) Soccer (4 years), softball (4)

Raymond McDonald (3.67) Football (4 years), basketball (4)

Alexi Bapst (4.37) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (2)

Russell Zhu (4.98) Cross country (2 years)

Christopher Anthony (3.5) Basketball (4 years)

Hannah Vaughn (4.0) Volleyball (4 years), bowling (4), track (2)

Gahanna

Terry Fearn (4.0) Football (4 years), basketball (4), baseball (1)

Frances Mallonn (4.15) Softball (4 years), tennis (3)

Grove City Christian

Harvest Prep

Mason Sawyer (3.31) Football (4 years), baseball (4)

Fredericktown

Morgan Iverson (4.25) Track (4 years), cross country (1)

David Claffey (4.46) Soccer (4 years), cross country (1)

Chance Keller (4.1) Track (4 years), football (3)

Maxwell Devine (4.22) Cross country (4 years)

Groveport

Macie Sporleder (4.0) Softball (4 years), volleyball (2)

Heath

Sydney Mason (4.14) Swimming (2 years)

Grandview

Emma Hall (4.31) Basketball (4 years), soccer (4), track (4)

Hamilton Township

Austin Snyder (3.59) Soccer (4 years), football (4), bowling (2), baseball (1)

Sarah Sue Morbitzer (4.42) Volleyball (4 years)

Highland

Madison Cecil (4.0) Basketball (4 years), cross country (2), soccer (1), track (1)

Bruce Jordan (4.0) Cross country (3 years), track (1)

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Derek Larimer (3.84) Football (4 years), basketball (4), baseball (3)

Hilliard Bradley

Take a listen to The Dispatch Political news and insight from the public affairs staff of The Columbus Dispatch.

Charles Ferguson (4.49) Soccer (4 years), swimming (4)

Matt Allocco (3.76) Basketball (4 years)

Hilliard Darby

Noah Platfoot (4.43) Volleyball (4 years)

Jonathan Alder

Jillian Jakse (4.0) Softball (4 years), basketball (4)

Garret Proxmire (3.81) Football (4 years)

Licking Valley

Logan Nethers (4.25) Soccer (4 years), track (4)

Peter Stedman (4.37) Football (2 years), track (2), cross country (1)

Gretta Syrett (4.52) Soccer (4 years), track (1)

Nick Sands (4.63) Football (4 years), baseball (4), bowling (1)

Independence

Reina Verde-Mitchell (3.62) Volleyball (2 years), softball (2)

Lakewood

Alexa Kane (4.18) Soccer (4 years), swimming (1)

Tania Irvin (3.2) Volleyball (3 years), softball (3), cheerleading (1)

Logan Hudson (3.6) Basketball (4 years), baseball (3), soccer (1)

Treston Clayborn (3.29) Football (3 years), basketball (1), track (1)

Washington Cole (4.23) Volleyball (4 years), softball (1)

Lancaster

Anthony Toskin (4.36) Cross country (4 years), soccer (4), track (1)

Linden

International

Savannah Dryden (4.39) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4), track (4)

Owen Snyder (4.7) Football (4 years), basketball (4), track (2)

Logan Elm

Erica Dale (4.35) Track (4 years), cross country (3), golf (1)

Colton Mace (3.95) Tennis (4 years), golf (2), soccer (2)

Jamonte Wright (2.11) Basketball (4), track (1)

Olesya Mertz (4.3) Cross country (4 years), swimming (4), track (4)

Joshua Cook (4.63) Soccer (4 years), basketball (2)

Liberty Union

Licking Heights

Josie Howell (4.12) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4), track (4)

Garrett Miller (4.56) Cross country (4 years), track (4), swimming (2)

London

Kylee Long (4.2) Cheerleading (4 years), softball (3)

Johnstown

Richard Geib (4.55) Football (4 years), tennis (1)

Madison Plains

Addison Tesi (4.53) Soccer (4 years), basketball (4), softball (2), track (2), cheerleading (2)

Gavin Jones (4.61) Basketball (4 years)

7 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Daniella Santos (3.34) Cross country (4 years), track (4)

Hilliard Davidson

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Marion-Franklin

Haley Briggs (3.84) Softball (3 years), tennis (2), volleyball (2)

Daimon Scales (3.4) Basketball (4 years), football (3), baseball (3), soccer (2), bowling (1)

Mount Gilead

Baylee Hack (3.97) Cross country (4 years), track (4), basketball (2)

Liam Dennis (4.41) Cross country (4 years), track (4), basketball (3)

North Union

Elisabeth Ardrey (4.0) Cross country (4 years), track (4), basketball (1)

Joel Krebehenne (3.84) Cross country (4 years), basketball (4), baseball (4)

Marion Harding

Madison Maynard (3.96) Soccer (4 years), swimming (3), track (1), basketball (1)

Daniel Stimson (3.94) Soccer (4 years), tennis (4)

Mount Vernon

Maggie Williams (4.38) Golf (4 years), swimming (4)

Ryan Tiell (4.24) Football (4 years), wrestling (4), baseball (4)

Northland

Rebecca Maston (4.3) Cross country (4 years)

Marysville

Lee Sims III (3.3) Basketball (2 years), tennis (2)

ROCK NWA.

Emma Lowe (4.31) Swimming (2 years)

Tristan Karnes (4.36) Track (3 years), cross country (2), basketball (1)

New Albany

Brooke Mason (4.25) Field hockey (4 years), lacrosse (3)

Ajanay Rogers (3.84) Volleyball (4 years), bowling (3)

Jacob Klausner (4.41) Football (4 years), lacrosse (4)

Gabriella Stare (4.06) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4)

Millersport

Tylik Gore (3.63) Football (2 years), basketball (2), track (2)

Newark

Northmor

Juliana DiTullio (4.0) Cross country (4 years), basketball (4), track (4)

Mifflin

Johnathon Wieber (3.5) Football (3 years), track (3)

Newark Catholic

Alexandra Edward Jewett Powelson (4.0) (3.98) Football (4 years), Tennis (4 years), track (4), wrestling (3) basketball (1),track (1)

Northridge

Conor Becker (3.97) Football (4 years), wrestling (4), track (3), baseball (2)

Emma Garee (4.4) Cross country (2 years), golf (2)

Rex Bammerlin (4.27) Soccer (4 years), track (3), cross country (2)

Andrew Warner (3.68) Track (3 years), cross country (2), soccer (2)

Olentangy

Bailey Hall (4.24) Soccer (4 years)

Vik Hudson (3.77) Soccer (4 years)

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Olentangy Berlin

Ethan Harsh (4.23) Cross country (4 years), track (4), swimming (2)

Pleasant

Kaycie Stark (3.97) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (1), track (1), tennis (1)

Benjamin Cox (3.65) Football (4 years), wrestling (4)

Ready

Braxton Reed (3.85) Football (4 years), basketball (4), baseball (3)

South

Da’RayShay Newby (3.3) Basketball (4 years), cross country (2)

Noelle Meeker (4.08) Track (4 years), gymnastics (3), cheerleading (1)

Lindsey Bair (3.95) Soccer (4 years), track (4), basketball (3), cross country (1)

Trevell Adams (3.69) Basketball (4 years), cross country (3)

Ethan Hoying (4.19) Volleyball (4 years), football (1)

Grace Poorbaugh (4.12) Soccer (4 years)

Jaeschel Acheampong (4.18) Track (4 years), basketball (1)

Reynoldsburg

Jack Foley (3.82) Football (4 years), track (4)

St. Charles

Olentangy Orange

Kendall Craiglow (3.97) Soccer (4 years), track (1)

Mallory Spangler (4.37) Softball (4 years), tennis (2)

Kelsey Knudsen (4.41) Soccer (4 years)

Jack Lukich (4.7) Baseball (4 years), golf (2)

River Valley

Nicholas Wallace (4.39) Soccer (4 years), basketball (4)

Teays Valley

Pickerington Central

Olivia Kyrk (4.0) Basketball (4 years), volleyball (4), track (1)

Timmy McGuire (3.63) Football (3 years), baseball (2)

Pickerington North

Payton Tackett (4.0) Soccer (4 years), swimming (4), track (4)

Shekinah Christian

Sierra Knepp (3.86) Volleyball (4 years)

Thomas Worthington

Parker Hamilton (5.17) Soccer (4 years), swimming (4), track (1)

Abbey Midnight (4.24) Lacrosse (4 years), soccer (3)

George Erickson (3.97) Baseball (4 years), football (3)

Danielle Nowe (4.29) Softball (4 years), volleyball (4)

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Joshua Showalter (4.0) Basketball (4 years), baseball (2), tennis (1)

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Jacob Chadwick (4.13) Baseball (4 years), golf (3)

Samuel Jacob (4.28) Soccer (4 years)

9 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

McKinley Hoffmann (4.29) Soccer (4 years), basketball (4)

Olentangy Liberty

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Upper Arlington

Wendy Shi (4.36) Tennis (4 years)

Utica

Andrew DeVoe (4.18) Cross country (4 years), hockey (4), track (3)

Scarlett Elliott (4.08) Softball (4 years), basketball (2)

Wellington

Elizabeth Burkhardt (3.8) Soccer (4 years), basketball (4)

Brandon Piper (4.0) Baseball (4 years)

Faith Jolley (4.0) Track (3 years), volleyball (2)

West

Freddie Lin (3.6) Soccer (4 years)

Caitlin Morris (3.47) Track (2 years), wrestling (2), tennis (1)

Westerville South

Samantha Varney (3.9) Soccer (4 years), track (1)

Walnut Ridge

Kalista Prak (3.62) Volleyball (3 years)

Lashawn Samuel (3.74) Track (3 years), cross country (2)

Aboubakare Dabo (3.17) Football (4 years), track (2)

McKenna Archey (3.57) Softball (4 years), volleyball (4)

Louis Schirmer (4.67) Tennis (4 years), soccer (4), basketball (3)

Rebekah Revadelo (4.36) Gymnastics (4 years), track (4), cross country (2), cheerleading (2)

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Alexander Perrini (3.91) Soccer (4 years)

Emylee Preston (4.34) Basketball (4 years), softball (4), tennis (2)

Worthington Christian

Eliana Styer (4.06) Soccer (4 years), basketball (3)

Chris Crane (3.8) Basketball (4 years), football (4)

David Rettstatt (3.92) Soccer (4 years), track (4)

Austin Bealer (4.46) Soccer (4 years), volleyball (2)

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Jackie Wolford (3.98) Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4), lacrosse (4)

Tanner Williams (3.62) Cross country (4 years), track (4)

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Robert Montagnese (4.25) Football (4 years), baseball (4), basketball (1)

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11 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

12

Top female Scholar-Athlete

Lindsey Bair

READY GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.95

$8,500 Encova Insurance

FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH

Sports played: Soccer (4 years), track (4), basketball (3), cross country (1) Academic highlights: AP Scholar with Honors; National Honor Society member; scored 31 on ACT Athletic highlights: First-team allleague and second-team all-district in soccer; three-time first-team all-district and all-league and state-meet qualifier in track College choice: University of South Carolina (anticipated major: civil engineering) Photo location: I chose the Historical Village at the Franklin County Fairgrounds because I have participat-

ed in 4-H at the fair for 10 years and made many happy memories there.

Home front: My family includes my mother, Dorothy Bair, and father, Bob Bair, as well as older sisters Jordan and Courtney and younger sister Allison.

Favorite subject: Science, because I have always had supportive science teachers and I am the most engaged in their classes.

Least-favorite subject: English has always given me the most trouble because it is not as black and white as science and math. I struggle with the different “interpretations” of passages we read.

Prized possession: Probably my iPhone

11 Pro. I worked hard for a whole summer to be able to buy it myself.

Favorite book: “Swimmy,” by Leo Lionni, because I liked the colors when I was little.

Favorite movie: “Napoleon Dynamite.”

I still laugh every time I watch it.

Favorite television show: “Outer Banks,” on Netflix Favorite musician: Mac Miller’s voice is very calming and his songs have real meaning and emotion behind them.

Essential app: I cannot live without FaceTime.

Favorite home-cooked meal: My grandma makes the best homemade mini-pizzas. For special occasions or parties, my grandma would make

homemade dough and everyone would get to create their own pizza.

My cooking specialty: I can make Kraft Mac and Cheese like no other.

Favorite restaurant: Dempsey’s. I love being Downtown, and the food is the best.

Guilty pleasure: Raising Cane’s.

Proudest sports moment: Becoming a Central Catholic League champion in long jump. I had won many other meets, but winning any event in the CCL always meant more to me than any district or regional event.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I really want to try kickboxing or lacrosse.

Story behind my uniform number: I always tried to choose No. 6 because

it was my sister Jordan’s number in soccer and her dedication and grit inspired me when I was younger. I chose No. 20 for track my sophomore year because my favorite senior, Katie Perry, wore that number.

Favorite athlete: Gabby Douglas.

When I was younger I could not believe she won three gold medals in one Olympics. I also used to watch her TV show and did a report about her in middle school.

Inspiration: My older sister Courtney has always been a great student academically and athletically, but I am most inspired that she will always find time in her busy day, even while she is seven hours away, to check in and help me with what I am doing.

Dream job: My dream job would be a traveling critic so I could get paid to travel the world.

Place I’d like to travel: My dream destination is the Galápagos Islands.

Something most people don’t know about me: That I was valedictorian and homecoming queen. Many people told me after my virtual graduation speech, “I didn’t know you were THAT smart.”

Least-favorite household chore: All of them.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I cannot parallel park.

Words to leave by: If the whole world was blind, how many people would you impress? — Boonaa Mohammed

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

Promoting leadership through the Scholar Athlete Awards

Encova Insurance encourages leadership in their associates and is proud to support community members who work to become better leaders every day. The Scholar Athlete Awards recognize students who excel as leaders in their respective sport, the classroom and their communities. This clear alignment is why Encova has continued to support The Columbus Dispatch and Encova Insurance Scholar Athlete Awards since 2007. Encova has contributed more than $660,000 in scholarships to assist in the education of hundreds of college students.

“We believe that leadership is more than a position – it’s a behavior,” Encova President and CEO TJ Obrokta, Jr. said.

“The Scholar Athlete Awards finalists have been selected not just because of their outstanding athleticism, but because they’ve taken the lessons they’ve learned from sports and applied them to accomplish academic excellence and genuine care for their community.”

Each year, athletic direc-

tors, principals and guidance staff at more than 100 Central Ohio high schools nominate students who embody the ideals of scholar athletes. These students have gone on to study at universities close to home, such as The Ohio State University, and throughout the country at schools such as Harvard University and Vanderbilt University.

This year, Encova will award $60,000 in scholarships to 10 graduating seniors. Two of the scholarships honor John J. Bishop, former president and CEO of Motorists Insurance Group, now Encova Insurance. The John J. Bishop scholarships award $8,500 each to one male and one female athlete.

“While we aren’t able to honor the Scholar Athlete Awards finalists in person this year, we are grateful for all they do to make our neighborhood a better place,” Obrokta said. “The promise of these young leaders makes our team at Encova excited for the future.”

Encova’s mission is to exceed the expectations of

“The Scholar Athlete Awards finalists have been selected not just because of their outstanding athleticism, but because they’ve taken the lessons they’ve learned from sports and applied them to accomplish academic excellence and genuine care for their .”

— TJ Obrokta, Jr., Encova President and CEO

community.

their primary stakeholders: their policyholders, appointed agents and associates by being the most trusted and responsive provider of industry-leading insurance solutions.

“We live out our mission by building trusting and caring relationships with our agents, policyholders and communities,” Obrokta said.

“Our associates generously give back to the community through countless volunteer hours and personal financial contributions to chari-

Encova scholorship winners (clockwise from top left): Samuel Massick, Lindsey Bair, Alhaji Sidibe and Destiny Thomas ties Encova supports. From Ronald McDonald House to the Scholar Athlete Awards to more than 100 individual charities across our geographic footprint, our goal is to leave a permanent mark where we live and work.”

About Encova Insurance Encova Insurance provides commercial, auto, home and life insurance. A superregional carrier ranked in

the top 20 mutual insurance companies in the United States, Encova includes more than 1,200 associates writing in 28 states and the District of Columbia, premiums in excess of $1 billion, a surplus in excess of $1.65 billion and assets in excess of $4.3 billion. The group markets insurance solutions through more than 2,000 independent agencies in the Midwest, Northeast and South.

Top male Scholar-Athlete

COLUMBUS ACADEMY GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.15

$8,500 Encova Insurance

Sports played: Football (4 years), track (3), soccer (1) Academic highlights: National Merit Finalist; scored 1550 on SAT; state champion in chess Athletic highlights: Three-time firstteam all-state and all-district in football; first-team all-state in soccer and track College choice: Princeton (anticipated major: classics, economics, microbiology) Photo location: On top of the goalposts at Columbus Academy, where I was a kicker on the football team Home front: My parents are Doug and Susan Massick, and I have a 16year-old sister, Lainie.

Favorite subject: History. I have

ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH always enjoyed learning about historical events and themes, as history truly does repeat itself.

Least-favorite subject: I found advanced calculus very difficult, but I had a great teacher and I am glad I took this challenging class.

Prized possessions: A football signed by all three of Ohio State’s living Heisman winners and the hammer my great-grandfather used in the steel mills around Gary, Indiana.

Favorite book: “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption,” by Laura Hillenbrand. It shows the power of determination and perseverance to succeed at all costs.

Favorite movie: “Field of Dreams.” I have always appreciated its theme of believing in yourself despite naysayers.

Favorite television show: “Justified.”

I very much appreciate the expres-

sion, “We dug coal together” in light of the camaraderie gained through athletics.

Essential app: Instagram, because I enjoy seeing the cool things my friends are doing.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Spaghetti and meatballs, which my mom makes for me before every game I play.

My cooking specialty: Fried egg sandwiches.

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

13 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Samuel Massick

Favorite restaurant meal: The Outlaw Ribeye at Longhorn Steakhouse.

Guilty pleasure: Pocky chocolate sticks.

Proudest sports moments: Making a 50-yard field goal against Wheelersburg in the football playoffs, beating Bexley in the soccer regional semifinals and placing third in the state 4x100 relay in track.

Sport I’d like to try someday: Ice hockey.

Story behind my uniform numbers: The No. 35 in football was the number my dad wore at Princeton. I wore No. 10 in soccer, as I idolized Lionel Messi as a youth.

Favorite athlete: I have always appreciated Messi’s determination, unselfishness and work ethic.

Inspiration: My mom. While she is incredibly intelligent, she is also very down-to-earth and supportive.

Dream job: Playing forward for FC Barcelona Place I’d like to travel: Hawai’i.

Something most people don’t know about me: I am a national master in chess.

Least-favorite household chore: Taking out the trash every Tuesday.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: Parallel parking.

Words to leave by: “You’re smart enough, but are you strong enough?” — Mr. John Street, my math teacher at Columbus Academy.

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

14

At Encova Insurance, we encourage leadership and are proud to support members of our community who work to become better leaders every day. We’re proud of all the 2020 Scholar Athlete Award Finalists for their leadership on the field, in the classroom and in their communities.

BUSINESS • AUTO • HOME • LIFE

encova.com

John J. Bishop female Scholar-Athlete

AFRICENTRIC GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.8

$8,500 Encova Insurance

Sports played: Track (4 years), bowling (4), cross country (3) Academic highlights: Columbus City Schools Spirit of Success award winner; National Honor Society member Athletic highlights: First-team allleague in track and cross country Leadership highlights: Student council president; two-time team captain in three sports; volunteer for Columbus City Schools Lead to Serve program College choice: Miami University (anticipated major: kinesiology) Photo location: At the Columbus Park of Roses. The cross country course there is my favorite place to run.

Home front: I live with my mother, Alaishia, and I have four siblings: Tationa is 16, Na’sere is 9, Mi’Amor is

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH 7, and Myla is 4.

Favorite subject: History, mostly Greek mythology and World War II stuff.

Least-favorite subject: My least favorite is math, and there really is not a reason why. I’m actually good at it, but I just don’t like it.

Prized possession: A book about Harriet Tubman. I got the book when I went to see my uncle before he died.

It has his handwriting all over the pages.

Favorite book: I could never choose one, because I read way too much. I

will say, though, that my favorite author is V.C. Andrews. The stories she wrote are so twisted.

Favorite movie: Any type of comedy. I like to laugh, and those movies usually have a good storyline.

Favorite television show: “Grey’s Anatomy.” I like shows with strong female leads.

Favorite musician: Coi Leray is a hiphop artist who makes great songs of a wide variety.

Essential app: My Kindle app is everything to me. I wouldn’t know what to

do with myself if I didn’t have it.

Favorite home-cooked meal: This is going to sound weird, but I love my grandma’s breakfast. Whether it’s oatmeal or pancakes, she makes the best.

My cooking specialty: My specialty is seafood. From salmon to lobster, it tastes amazing when I cook it.

Favorite restaurant: Cracker Barrel, where the pancakes are amazing.

Guilty pleasure: White chocolate chip cookies. They are seriously a piece of heaven.

Proudest sports moment: Making

John J. Bishop male Scholar-Athlete

Alhaji Sidibe

BEECHCROFT GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.4

$8,500 Encova Insurance

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH Sports played: Football (4 years), baseball (4), wrestling (3), basketball (1) Academic and leadership highlights: Honor roll member; multi-year captain in three sports; Boys Initiative president Athletic highlights: Two-time league champion in wrestling; first-team allleague in football and baseball College choice: Ohio Wesleyan (anticipated major: health and human kinetics) Photo location: In front of Selby Field at Ohio Wesleyan, where I will attend school this fall Home front: My mother is Monique Webster, and I have a sister, Mariama Sidibe, who is 16.

Favorite subject: Physical education, of course. Being able to learn about and play sports during school is probably the smartest thing ever!

Least-favorite subject: Probably math, specifically geometry and trigonometry.

I’ve never been good at using shapes in math. I do enjoy algebra, though.

Prized possession: My recently acquired diploma! It’s something I’ve been working for since I was 6, so it holds a lot of weight compared to anything else! My next prize will be my college degree.

Favorite book: My favorite book series is the “Baseball Card Adventures,” by Dan Gutman. I always enjoyed sports books in elementary and middle school. These books were about a

middle-schooler who could time travel with baseball cards and learn more about the times these baseball players were living in. The best one was “Jackie and Me,” which talked a lot about how Jackie Robinson was treated.

Favorite movie: A documentary titled “Team Foxcatcher.” It’s about Dave Schultz, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, and the events that led to his murder.

Favorite television show: My favorite right now is probably “Survivor.” I’ve been bingeing it over quarantine.

Favorite musician: Definitely Chance the Rapper. I’ve been listening to him for a long time.

Essential app: At the moment I can’t do without Snapchat because I com-

municate with my future college teammates through it.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Anytime my mom makes macaroni and cheese it’s my favorite meal ever.

My cooking specialty: I’m not a huge cook at all, but I can make cheesy eggs.

Favorite restaurant: Roosters, where I went just before I did this. I always get dumpster fries and boneless wings.

Guilty pleasure: I’m not sure if I have one, but maybe midnight snacking on occasion.

Proudest sports moment: In the finals of our league championship in wrestling I was losing by three points with six seconds left. But I lateral dropped my opponent and ended up winning my second league title.

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com Sport I’d like to try someday: Lacrosse. Growing up I had plenty of friends who played, and I’ve learned to play a little bit. It’s a good mixture of athletic ability.

Story behind my uniform number: I wear No. 52 in football because of former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. He was always the most passionate player on the field when I was growing up, and I looked up to that.

Favorite athlete: LeBron James. It started with him being drafted in 2003, a year after I was born, wearing No. 23 (my birthday is April 23). As time went on, he’s dominated the NBA and has been a great ambassador of the league and a great role model to young Black people across the country.

Inspiration: I have a number of inspirations, including my mother and many of my coaches. They’ve all pushed me to be the best young man I can possibly be.

Dream job: General manager in the NFL. Place I’d like to travel: The last time I answered this question my dream was fulfilled! Now that I’ve attended a college bowl game, the Cotton Bowl in December, I would love to make it to a Super Bowl.

Least-favorite household chore: Definitely cleaning the bathroom when it’s my turn.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: Maybe improving my mile time. It always seems to be around the same time no matter.

Words to leave by: Black Lives Matter

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

15 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Destiny Thomas

first-team all-City in my first year running cross country.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I would love to try softball — if I can ever get over my fear of balls flying toward me.

Story behind my uniform number: My track uniform number is 807. All of the team jerseys start with 8, and I chose the number 7 because it’s my favorite number.

Favorite athlete: I have never played basketball, but my favorite athlete is Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm. She is the best guard, in my eyes, and I love watching her play.

Inspiration: There are a lot of strong, independent women in my family, and that is who I want to be like.

Dream job: Working for a professional women’s team.

Place I’d like to travel: I really want to go to Vancouver.

Something most people don’t know about me: I am named after my aunt, and we have the same middle name.

Least-favorite household chore: I hate doing the dishes. If it wasn’t so bad for the earth, I would use paper plates for everything.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: Knitting is something I tried at the beginning of the quarantine. and I suck at it.

Words to leave by: “Music is moonlight in the gloomy night of life.” — Jean Paul Friedrich Richter

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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First runner-up female Scholar-Athlete

McKinley Hoffmann OLENTANGY BERLIN GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.29

$0

Full-ride scholarship

Sports played: Soccer (4 years), basketball (4) Academic highlights: National Merit Commended Scholar; National Honor Society member; scored 36 on ACT Athletic highlights: First-team all-district and all-league in soccer College choice: Alabama (anticipated major: chemical engineering) Photo location: Sticky Fingers Ice Cream Parlor is a shop near where I live where I spend too much money (I spend too much money on ice cream in general).

Home front: My wonderful parents are Jim and Deanna Hoffmann, and I have three siblings: My sister, Emily, is 23, brother Collin is 22, and brother Lukas is 16.

FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH Favorite subject: Math has always been my best and favorite subject.

Numbers have always made the most sense in my head.

Least-favorite subject: Though I love to read, English has always been the most difficult for me. Being able to write eloquently is a skill that has always eluded me (I also love to overuse commas).

Prized possession: Every time I visit somewhere new, I buy a deck of cards as a memento. This collection reminds me not only of my adventures, but also of my family’s favorite pastime.

Favorite book: I have read too many amazing books and series to choose just one. I can say that my favorite

genres are fantasy and dystopian.

Favorite movie: My family’s favorite movie series to watch and discuss is the Marvel movies, so my all-time favorite would have to be the original “Avengers.”

Favorite television show: “That ’70s Show” on Netflix is my go-to when I need simple, hilarious humor.

Favorite musicians: My favorite type of music is country because I love that the songs tell stories. They can be sad, warm, funny or even serious.

Essential app: Probably Tumblr. I am not a blogger or anything, but I love to bake and cook. Tumblr is the app I get all my inspiration from.

Favorite home-cooked meal: I

absolutely love ribs. My parents tagteam this meal: mom makes sure the ribs are dressed and cooked, then my dad finishes them on the grill.

My cooking specialty: I specialize in side dishes. My true talent, though, is for baking. No one can pass up my blondies, and holidays always mean homemade cranberry-cherry pie.

Favorite restaurant meal: If a restaurant has gyros on their menu, that will be my first choice.

Guilty pleasure: I have a huge sweet tooth so my guilty pleasure is dessert.

Only problem is that my dessert is not an occasional thing, but more like a nightly routine.

Proudest sports moment: My last soc-

Alternate first runner-up female Scholar-Athlete

Sarah Neltner COLUMBUS ACADEMY GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.13

$6,500 Encova Insurance

Sports played: Soccer (4 years), track (4) Academic highlights: Academic AllOhio; scored 32 on ACT Athletic highlights: First-team all-state and all-district and league player of the year in soccer; member of state meet-qualifying relay in track College choice: Washington University (anticipated major: pre-dental) Photo location: Hondros Field at Columbus Academy, where I got to represent my soccer and track careers Home front: I am the younger daughter of Dr. Kurt Neltner and Dr. Carolyn Scott Neltner. My sister, Clare, is 19 and attends Wittenberg University. But my favorite family members are our two English bulldogs, Pico and Stella.

Favorite subject: I have always loved to speak Spanish because it has

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH allowed me to form close relationships with people that I would have otherwise never been able to communicate with. The language acts as a bridge to experience new cultures and has significantly expanded my creativity.

Least-favorite subject: Calculus became my nemesis during my junior year, which surprised me because to that point I had enjoyed math. That class required a great amount of dedication and persistence and I have (surprisingly) learned to appreciate it a bit more.

Prized possession: My camera. I use it to express myself and create images that reveal raw emotion as well as hidden beauty in the everyday elements of our surroundings. It allows me to

view the world from a different perspective.

Favorite book: “Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?” by Michael J. Sandel. It opened my eyes to the intricate, complicated world of philosophy and sparked my curiosity in psychology.

Favorite movie: “Kicking and Screaming” is the funniest movie I’ve ever seen. I can quote it in its entirety and it will never get old.

Favorite television show: “Grey’s Anatomy” is hands down my favorite show. I learned to love the characters and am always on the edge of my seat while watching it.

Favorite musician: I love to listen to Morgan Wallen. His voice is unique

and all of his songs instantly put me in a good mood.

Essential app: Spotify. Listening to music is essential to my everyday life and I can always count on a good playlist to brighten my day.

Favorite home-cooked meal: My grandmother’s famous veal stew is my absolute favorite.

My cooking specialty: I love to cook, but in the kitchen I tend to lean more toward baking. My dad and I are known for our delicious chocolate-chip cookies.

Favorite restaurant: Brunch is my weakness, and Lindey’s in German Village has the best beignets and eggs benedict.

cer game ever, against New Albany during the tournament this past fall, likely was the best game I have ever played. Even though we lost that game on a penalty kick, I was not disappointed when I left that field.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I would love to try volleyball. I love playing it with friends, on the beach, at the park, in a pool, and even with a beach ball.

Dream job: Owning a bakery and café where I can experiment with recipes and share my treats. I am happiest when I get to serve other people and make their day a little sweeter.

Place I’d like to travel: Germany and Austria. I have spent the past five years learning German and would like to put my knowledge to use.

Something most people don’t know about me: I did not get my ears pierced until I was 18 years old (literally a few weeks ago).

Least-favorite household chore: I hate vacuuming. Loud noises have always stressed me out, and the vacuum is no exception.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I am terrible at parking and hate having to do in crowded lots.

If possible, I will park as far away from other cars as I can and will pull through if available.

Words to leave by: I’m going with the words I have lived by these past few months: “I never look back, darling, it distracts from the now.” — Edna Mode, from “The Incredibles”

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com Guilty pleasure: Pretzel M&M’s are my absolute favorite candy. They always satisfy my sweet tooth.

Proudest sports moment: I was incredibly proud of my team’s run for the state championship in soccer this past fall season. We made Columbus Academy history by qualifying for the state semifinals and hopefully paved the way for even more success in the future.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I’d love to try golf.

Favorite athlete: I admire Tim Tebow because of how he walks so strongly in his faith and supports his community.

Inspiration: My mom is a prime example of how hard work and determination can allow anyone to reach their goals.

Dream job: I want to be an orthodontist because I grew up very insecure about my smile and braces restored my confidence. I want to bring back the smiles of other people, too!

Place I’d like to travel: The list keeps growing, but as of right now I’d love to explore Greece.

Something most people don’t know about me: I can eat an entire bag of grapes in one sitting.

Least-favorite household chore: I hate cleaning the toilet.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I have not quite mastered the art of chopsticks.

Words to leave by: “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.” — Dr. Wayne Dyer

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

First runner-up male Scholar-Athlete

TEAYS VALLEY GRADE-POINT AVG.: 5.17

$6,500 Encova Insurance

KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH

Sports played: Soccer (4 years), track (4), basketball (3), cross country (1) Academic highlights: National Merit Finalist; National Honor Society member; scored 35 on ACT Athletic highlights: Three-time firstteam all-league in soccer; four-time allleague in swimming College choice: Harvard (anticipated major: economics, pre-med path) Photo location: On the soccer field at Teays Valley Home front: I live with my parents, Michelle and Jeremy Hamilton, and my three siblings, Peyton (21), Presley (13) and Lewey (11).

Favorite subject: Science, specifically anatomy. I think the human body is fascinating and I like seeing the impact it can have on my sports. I also hope to be a surgeon one day.

Least-favorite subject: English. While I like to read, I dislike searching for the deeper meanings in classic novels.

Prized possession: I do not have one but the most important thing to me is my family because they are always there to support me.

Favorite book: The series “A Song of Fire and Ice,” which includes “Game of Thrones,” by George R.R. Martin, has a lot of characters and storylines that are expertly woven together.

Favorite movie: It’s hard for me to pick

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one, but I enjoy watching anything that has Will Ferrell in it.

Favorite television show: “The Simpsons.” I think Homer is hilarious and I enjoy seeing the evolution of the show.

Favorite musician: Tiësto, because his songs have really good beats and he works with a lot of different artists.

Essential apps: Spotify. Whether I am exercising, driving or working, I like to have music playing. I like choosing what I want to hear wherever I am.

Favorite home-cooked meal: I really like it when my dad grills hamburgers.

He always cooks them just right and makes plenty of extra toppings so I can put whatever I want on my burger.

My cooking specialty: I like to make lo mein and General Tso’s chicken but am really not much of a chef.

Favorite restaurant: Penn Station. I love their chicken teriyaki sub with onions and mushrooms.

Guilty pleasure: I love to eat Graeter’s Buckeye Blitz ice cream. I usually end up eating more than I should.

Proudest sports moment: I broke our school record in the 100 butterfly at the district swim meet during my freshman year. It was my brother’s record but he was happy for me.

Sport I’d like to try someday: Water polo complements swimming well. I have played it for fun but would like to compete on a team.

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

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17 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Parker Hamilton

Story behind my uniform number: In high school, my dad’s number was always 34 and my mom’s was 31. I took the 1 from my mom and the 4 from my dad which became 14, the number I have had since I was 8.

Favorite athlete: My older brother, Peyton, is a collegiate swimmer who inspired me to take up the sport and always pushed me to do my best.

Inspiration: My mom home-schools my two younger siblings and is the primary caretaker for my two grandparents with cancer.

Dream job: Orthopedic surgeon, because I would have the opportunity to help people while fulfilling my desire to have a job in the medical field.

Place I’d like to travel: I have always wanted to go to Australia. I think it would be cool to see the wildlife and all of the natural and man-made landmarks.

Something most people don’t know about me: A lot of people think I am very serious but I actually have a good sense of humor.

Least-favorite household chore: Unloading the dishwasher. It is not time-consuming but usually interrupts whatever I am doing.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I have a really bad habit of not putting my laundry away. I let it pile up on my bedroom desk and forget about it.

Words to leave by: “Work hard in silence, let success be your noise.” — Frank Ocean

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

18

Second runner-up female Scholar-Athlete

Erica Dale

LOGAN ELM GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.35

$4,500 Encova Insurance

Sports played: Track (4 years), cross country (3), golf (1) Academic highlights: AP Scholar with Honor; Honda-OSU STEM Award winner; National Honor Society member; scored 34 on ACT Athletic highlights: Regional qualifier in track; second-team all-league in cross country; honorable-mention allleague in golf College choice: Ohio State (anticipated major: biology/pre-medicine) Photo location: I chose Hargus Lake because it is where I spent summers training for the upcoming cross country season. I also run there with my dog, Bo, in the offseason.

Home front: I live on my family’s farm with my mom, Angela; my dad, Chris; my 20-year-old brother, James; and

ADAM CAIRNS/DISPATCH my 19-year-old sister, Lynne. We take care of the horses and cattle, but there is a farmer, John, who farms the fields.

Favorite subject: My favorite class has always been art. Experimenting with new mediums and techniques is always exciting.

Least-favorite subject: My least favorite subject is English because there can be so many interpretations of a piece of writing. I prefer subjects with definite answers, like math.

Prized possession: The memories I’ve made growing up on a farm. I’ve had many unique experiences that I

wouldn’t have been able to have anywhere else.

Favorite book: “The Maze Runner,” by James Dashner, was one of my favorite books because it is actionpacked. I felt as if I was watching a movie when I read it.

Favorite movie: The original, animated version of “The Lion King” will always be one of my favorite movies. It’s just a classic.

Favorite television shows: I love crime shows like “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Criminal Minds.”

Essential app: I couldn’t do without Google. It has answers to all of my

random questions.

Favorite home-cooked meal: My favorite meal is flank steak with twice baked potatoes, made by my mom.

My cooking specialty: I can make a pretty tasty cheesecake.

Favorite restaurant: Bob Evans is my go-to restaurant. I could eat their blueberry pancakes any time of day.

Guilty pleasure: Ice cream is one of my biggest guilty pleasures. Chocolate is my favorite flavor.

Proudest sports moment: Qualifying for the regional meet in track with my 4x800m relay team two years in a row. I wish we had had the chance to

Second runner-up male Scholar-Athlete

Richard Geib LONDON GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.55

$4,500 Encova Insurance

Sports played: Football (4 years), tennis (1) Academic highlights: AP Scholar Award; Franklin B. Walter AllScholastic Award; National Honor Society member; scored 34 on ACT Athletic highlights: First-team all-state and all-district and two-time allleague in football College choice: Ohio State (anticipated major: chemical engineering) Photo location: At Von Kanel Field in downtown London, where I played football from the second grade through middle school. It was the home of London High School football through the late 1990s.

Home front: I am the son of Marshall Geib and the late Dr. Martha Geib. My siblings are Ellie Geib, 26, and the late Clayton Geib.

ADAM CAIRNS/DISPATCH Favorite subject: I have always found mathematics to be quite beautiful.

Least-favorite subject: English is the subject that I have always had to work the hardest in to do well.

Prized possession: My bicycle. I have made some of my best memories while riding it along the Ohio to Erie Trail with my friend David.

Favorite book: “All the King’s Men,”

by Robert Penn Warren is incredibly realistic in its depiction of the effect of power on the human psyche.

Favorite movie: “It’s a Wonderful Life” is the greatest Christmas movie of all time, besides maybe “Die Hard.”

Favorite television show: “The Simpsons,” at least seasons 1-9. The

rest is just meh.

Favorite musician: My mom was always a huge Billy Joel fan and I was exposed to a great deal of his discography growing up.

Essential app: I’ve got a Minesweeper app that I play very frequently, so much so that I’ve averaged five games per day over the past four years.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Tuna casserole. It was my mom’s specialty and was particularly useful in feeding young, aspiring linemen.

My cooking specialty: I don’t want to brag, but I can make a real mean Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Favorite restaurant: Waffle House. My go-to meal during the football season

was a double cheeseburger, a bacon, chicken and cheese sandwich, hash browns topped with chili, and a waffle with chocolate chips.

Guilty pleasure: Occasionally, in the dead of night and in a temporary lapse of judgment, I will listen to and somewhat enjoy disco.

Proudest sports moment: When London beat Clinton-Massie in the 2018 regional semifinals 28-7. It was the greatest victory for London football in almost 25 years and the direct result of hours of dedication and hard work by the entire team.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I would like to try rugby. I’ve always been led to understand that it is similar to football.

do it a third time!

Sport I’d like to try someday: Windsurfing. I’ve always loved water sports, so I think I’d enjoy it.

Favorite athlete: I grew up admiring Nastia Liukin’s astounding gymnastics abilities.

Dream job: I hope to become an orthopedic surgeon one day.

Place I’d like to travel: Aruba, to see its beautiful clear waters.

Something most people don’t know about me: A photo of me was published in a “National Geographic” magazine. My grandpa was a photographer for them, and one summer we were vacationing in the Turks and Caicos while he was working on a story. He gave cameras to me and my siblings so we could take photos from our perspectives. At the end of the day, little me crashed in bed and my dad snapped a cute photo of me sleeping. The editors chose to include it because that was part of our vacation story.

Least-favorite household chore: My least-favorite chore happens to be my most common: mowing. I spend about eight hours a week mowing our farm.

It can get very boring.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I’ve always wanted to be able to whistle with my fingers, but I can never figure it out.

Words to leave by: “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” — Jennifer Lee

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com Story behind my uniform number: I chose the No. 72 because my older brother’s number was 72, so all my family’s London gear already had 72 on it.

Favorite athlete: Eli Manning. I am a huge New York Giants fan and he was instrumental in helping the team win two Super Bowls. Plus, he’s a real standup guy off the field.

Inspiration: My dad has always been there to help me grow and has been instrumental in my development, imparting his faith, wisdom and love to me over the past 18 years.

Dream job: Working for Battelle Institute. I would be able to live and work near my hometown.

Place I’d like to travel: I would like to be bound for south Australia.

Something most people don’t know about me: I played tight end as a junior and was tied for the leading receiver in six games. We didn’t pass the ball very much, especially in the six games when we didn’t pass the ball once.

Least-favorite household chore: Dusting. It only marginally improves the look of a room, and it needs to be done constantly in order for it to be effective.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: Draw — or anything artistic, for that matter. For some reason it seems that all the arts genes went to my sister.

Words to leave by: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” — Yogi Berra

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

Third runner-up female Scholar-Athlete

BEXLEY GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.64

$2,000 Encova Insurance

Sports played: Swimming (4 years), soccer (2) Academic highlights: AP Scholar with Honor; Cum Laude Society member; scored 34 on ACT Athletic highlights: Two-time statemeet qualifier and league champion in swimming College choice: California-Berkeley (anticipated major: cognitive science/molecular and cellular biology) Photo location: On the Main Street bridge in Downtown Columbus Home front: My mom is Jamie, and my dad is Mark, and I have a 20-year-old brother, Everett. He is studying at McGill University in Canada.

Favorite subject: Math. For some reason I’ve always been one of those people

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH that numbers just “click” for. I think all the practice of memorizing my times for races and the qualifying times I wanted to achieve helped with that.

Least-favorite subject: Foreign languages. I took a few years of both Spanish and French in middle and high school, and it’s given me the most trouble of any of my subjects. It was a challenge trying to retain all the different vocabulary and grammatical rules.

Favorite books: I love a little bit of everything in terms of genres. David Sedaris can make me laugh out loud, but I love a weird psychological thriller, too — “The Vegetarian,” by Han Kang; “Never Let Me Go,” by Kazuo Ishiguro; and “Incendiary,” by Chris Cleave. I am

a big fan of the classics, too, but I have to give it to Malcolm Gladwell’s collection of non-fiction books..

Favorite television show: I am currently binge-watching “Breaking Bad” and it is definitely one of my favorites. At first, I gave Walter White my pity, but now his character has shifted completely. Through the seasons I’ve had to decide whether to forgive Walter for what he’s done or hate this main character that I’ve learned to love.

Essential app: Twitter — my news, entertainment, and social updates all in one.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Definitely the shrimp tacos with avocadojalapeno sauce and pineapple salsa

that my dad and I make together.

Favorite restaurant: Katalina’s breakfast tacos, pancake balls, and their sweet ‘n spicy bacon.

Proudest sports moment: Standing on the podium in Canton along with the rest of my relay, earning Grandview High School girls their first points at the state swim meet as a freshman.

(She later transferred to Bexley.)

Sport I’d like to try someday: I have always wanted to try the bars in gymnastics. There’s a strong balance of elegance and strength in it, and I applaud those who have mastered it.

Favorite athlete: Katie Ledecky. She is the greatest of all time by far. Though she might not be the fastest sprinter,

Third runner-up male Scholar-Athlete

Jack Foley READY GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.82

$2,000 Encova Insurance

Sports played: Football (4 years), track (4) Academic highlights: Father Huber and Msgr. J. Colby Grimes scholar award winners; National Honor Society member; scored 32 on ACT Athletic highlights: All-state and three-time all-district and all-league in football College choice: Baldwin Wallace (anticipated major: engineering ) Photo location: In front of Ready High School Home front: My parents are Mike and Mary Foley and I have two younger sisters: Nora is 15 and Lucy is 11.

Favorite subject: Science, because I enjoy learning about how the world works.

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH Least-favorite subject: Calculus gives me the most trouble, just the way the coursework builds over time.

Everything that I learned was going to be needed later down the road, giving me a lot more to study.

Prized possession: My cross necklace.

I received it during my senior retreat and it is extremely important to me.

Favorite book: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” by J.K. Rowling, tells an amazing story and I love the ending.

Favorite movie: “Avengers: Endgame” has some of the coolest movie scenes I have ever seen. The

final fight at the end is just awesome, there’s no other way to describe it.

Favorite television show: “The Flash” really brings the comics to life, and the Flash is one of my favorite superheroes.

Favorite musician: J. Cole. I love his rhythm and the way he can tell stories through his music.

Essential app: Twitter. I use it every day to see what is currently happening in the world.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Bow-tie pasta, prepared by my mom. The recipe came from my Nana, and I

would love to tell you all about it but the secrecy is what makes it special.

My cooking specialty: Eggo waffles.

Favorite restaurant meal: A steak burrito from Chipotle.

Guilty pleasure: On occasion I let myself eat lots of Pop-Tarts, even though I know they are bad for you.

My favorite is hot fudge sundae.

Proudest sports moment: During my senior football season I came back after tearing my hamstring and finished out the season with more than 1,000 rushing yards.

Sport I’d like to try someday: Water polo. I love swimming and think it

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com would be fun to try.

Story behind my uniform number: While growing up, I fell in love with football by watching the Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson. I dreamed of being just like Peterson, which ultimately led to me picking 28 as my number.

Favorite athlete: Tim Tebow has always worked incredibly hard to be successful in life and pushes those around him to do the same. He also has always stood up for what he believes in. Tebow has been a great role model for me.

Inspiration: My parents have sacrificed so much in order to make life better for me that I strive every day to ensure that all their hard work was not in vain.

Dream job: Being a famous musician.

Place I’d like to travel: Greece. The mythology has always interested me, so it would be awesome to see the history.

Something most people don’t know about me: I love to make and listen to music. I enjoy creating and playing around with beats and rhythms on my MacBook.

Least-favorite household chore: Cleaning up after my dog.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I simply cannot whistle. It is impossible for me.

Words to leave by: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” — various

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

19 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Leah Stamm

the difference between her and her opponents in any given distance event is unbelievable. She has proved that women can perform just as well as men and has recently been a huge advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Inspiration: Whether he knows it or not, I have always looked up to my older brother as a role model. Growing up, I can’t say I ever met anyone as headstrong and stubborn as he is, but he has developed into a confident and driven person I now admire.

Dream job: I want a job where I can share ideas with people in a way they’ll be interested in caring about. I have always found it easiest to express myself through art, specifically writing and drawing. Naturally, being a journalist or novelist seems like the way to do that.

Place I’d like to travel: Athens, Greece.

I would love to know more about its architecture and mythological history.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: An efficiently fast backstroke start. Any coach I’ve had can testify that though I have spent 10,000 hours — what usually equates to an expert level — trying to perfect my start, I always jump straight up and smack down when I hear the beep.

Words to leave by: I would like to remind my fellow athletes to cherish every moment, practice, game or match, because you don’t know when or what could happen that will keep you away from the sport you love.

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

20

Warren B. Sneed Memorial Scholar-Athlete

Sophie Shaw GRANVILLE GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.06

$3,000

The Sneed family

Sports played: Field hockey (4 years), lacrosse (4) Academic highlights: Cum Laude Society member; National Honor Society member; scored 32 on ACT Athletic highlights: Three-time all-state and all-district selection in lacrosse; second-team all-league in field hockey College choice: Furman (anticipated major: health sciences or pre-med studies) Photo location: Bryn Du Mansion, the home of Granville lacrosse, holds a special place in my heart. All of our youth practices and games are held on its beautiful front lawn.

Home front: My family includes my dad, Skip; my mom, April; my brothers, Ethan and Colt; and my Australian shepherd, Boomer. Ethan will be a

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH junior at Ohio State and Colt will be a freshman in high school next year.

Favorite subject: Math. I understand it well and like that there’s a right and wrong answer.

Least-favorite subject: Probably English. I like finding concrete answers to questions, and English most certainly does not fit that description.

Prized possession: My lacrosse stick.

It’s with me all the time. People who ride in my car know that whenever I pick them up I’ll say “Don’t put anything on my stick!”

Favorite book: “The Hunger Games,”

by Suzanne Collins. It’s a suspenseful story, and the main character is a

strong young female who manages to survive against all odds.

Favorite movie: “Back to the Future” is a timeless and funny movie with great character development and plot twists.

Favorite television show: “The 100.” I think I’ve rewatched it on Netflix three times now! It’s is about a group of young people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. It’s fun to imagine how I would manage if I were with them.

Favorite musician: Elton John. I can listen to his music in any mood.

Essential app: I love how Twitter keeps me up to date with current events.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Beef enchiladas. My mom has a made-from-

scratch recipe that she makes frequently. They are a delicious comfort food.

My cooking specialty: Corn pudding. It was my favorite side dish that my mom cooked when I was little, so I learned how to make it on my own.

Favorite restaurant: I can’t remember when Chick-fil-A didn’t hit the spot!

Guilty pleasure: Soda. I usually don’t drink it, but on occasion I’ll let myself have some when I’m craving it.

Proudest sports moment: Scoring the overtime goal during my freshman lacrosse season to beat Watterson.

Being able to pull through for my team as a freshman was pretty cool.

Sport I’d like to try someday: Surfing.

I’ve always enjoyed snowboarding and think that surfing would be just as fun, maybe even better since you’re on the beach!

Story behind my uniform number: Before high school I always wore No. 12. But when that number wasn’t available my freshman year, I took No. 32 and never looked back.

Favorite athlete: Shaun White is a fearless athlete who took his Olympic performances to a whole new level. His feats on the halfpipe were jaw-dropping.

Dream job: My dream job would be going to areas where lacrosse isn’t very popular and creating programs for schools that don’t offer the sport.

Anything to grow the game!

Place I’d like to travel: I would love to go to Switzerland someday. Hiking through the beautiful mountainside in the summer or snowboarding down the Alps would be incredible.

Something most people don’t know about me: Even though I’m left-handed, I brush my teeth with my right hand. I started doing this in the fifth grade to develop my off hand for lacrosse.

Least-favorite household chore: Hauling the trash bins down our long driveway on trash night.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: Whistling. No matter how many people show me how to do it I still can’t get it!

Words to leave by: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” — origin unknown

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

OhioHealth Perseverance Award

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.84

$2,500 Ohio Health

Sports played: Football (4 years), basketball (4), baseball (3) Academic highlights: Five-time academic all-league selection Athletic highlights: captain of two varsity teams College choice: Wilmington College (anticipated major: athletic training) Photo location: In the baseball dugout at Hamilton Township Home front: I live with my mother, Melinda, who stays at home to take care of my disabled sister; my father, James, a machinist at Columbus Machine Works; and my three sisters, Erica, 29; Rebecca, 26; and Jessie, 15.

Favorite subject: Science. I’ve always had an interest in learning about the different sciences, including physical, biology, chemistry and natural disasters.

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH Least-favorite subject: English. I have been fortunate enough to have amazing English teachers, but it has never been my strongest subject.

Prized possession: Pictures I have of my grandparents. My dad’s side of the family isn’t big, and unfortunately, my grandparents died when I was young.

Knowing that they got to meet me makes the photos sentimental.

Favorite book: “Wonder,” by R.J. Palacio. I read this for Battle of the Books in fifth grade but didn’t understand why I loved it until I got older.

The main character, Auggie, has an extraordinary face that makes people look at him differently, just like how

my sister has a disability that makes people look at her differently.

Favorite movie: I would say “42,” the Jackie Robinson story. It shows the strength and courage it took for Mr. Robinson to break the racial color barrier in Major League Baseball.

Favorite television shows: I’ve been watching a lot of good television shows on Netflix recently such as “All American,” “Riverdale,” “The Office” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Favorite musicians: I listen to Kid Cudi or Lewis Capaldi before games because they soothe my nerves and keep me in a calm mindset.

Essential app: Twitter never disappoints. I go on there to read about what is going on in the world, watch funny videos, and keep in touch with what my friends are doing.

Favorite home-cooked meal: My mom’s marzetti served with garlic bread is the best.

My cooking specialty: I took a cooking class my senior year and learned how to make peanut butter blossoms.

They’re delicious, quick to make, and don’t require many ingredients!

Favorite restaurant: Texas Roadhouse has the best rolls I’ve ever had.

Guilty pleasure: I like to listen to Elvis

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

Sports medicine programs play vital role in high school sports As high school sports have evolved into major programs that rival those at some colleges, the presence of a sports medicine team of physicians and athletic trainers at the game and on the practice field has never been more important.

When an injury occurs, the sports medicine team is who parents, coaches and players rely on to ensure an athlete receives the proper treatment and a return-to-play protocol that gets him or her back on the field without further injury.

OhioHealth Sports Medicine has been providing this critical support to area high schools, colleges, universities and professional sports teams for more than a decade.

But treating injuries is just one part of OhioHealth Sports Medicine’s focus. The team also provides specialized programs that focus on improving safety and maximizing physical and mental performance.

These specialty programs include OhioHealth’s athletic cardiac screenings, pre-participation heart screenings for athletes 14 and older that test for underlying heart conditions that could put them at risk for sudden cardiac death.

A concussion management program, run by specially trained physicians and athlete trainers, utilizes

the most current research and best practices to manage these serious brain injuries. This includes baseline ImPACT® neurocognitive assessments used by the National Football League and Major League Baseball to determine an athlete’s brain function before and after a concussion that enable doctors to uncover cognitive deficits. OhioHealth athletic trainers and physical therapists also work with

a physician to thoroughly evaluate and assess a concussed athlete’s condition and create a personalized returnto-school and return-to-play protocol to keep them excelling on the field and in the classroom.

OhioHealth provides a sports psychology program because getting and maintaining the right mindset can make all the difference in athletic success. This program helps players,

coaches and teams overcome psychological barriers, build confidence and optimize mental performance.

The sports medicine team also provides sports nutrition counseling that helps athletes understand how an optimal eating plan can maximize performance while a custom athletic performance exercise program called APEX, designed for student athletes, enhance movements specific to a sport through a customized strength and condition program.

By bringing together this multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, sports nutritionists, sports psychologists, physical therapists, sports medicine physicians and athletic trainers, the OhioHealth Sports Medicine team focuses on all areas of a player’s health and performance so they can make the most of their high school playing careers and minimize their risk of injury.

OhioHealth Sports Medicine provides over 150 athletic trainers and physicians to more than 50 high schools, nine colleges and universities as well as the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Columbus Crew.

21 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Derek Larimer

Presley’s greatest hits on occasion.

Proudest sports moments: Winning on my football senior night with my teammates and then doing it again during basketball season.

Story behind my uniform number: I grew up idolizing Derek Jeter, so in any sport I would try to get the No. 2.

Favorite athletes: My two favorites right now are Mike Trout and Joe Burrow. Trout is one of the game’s best, but he’s also humble. I like what Burrow has overcome as a player and his confidence level.

Inspiration: My mom has been through a lot and that she is able to keep moving forward amazes me. She’s never taken a step back, even when faced with terrible circumstances. She puts her kids before herself and that is something that I’ve taken from her by putting others before myself.

Dream job: I would love to come back and work for Hamilton Township as their athletic trainer.

Least-favorite household chore: I don’t really have one because the only things I’m asked to do around the house is mow the lawn, which I love to do; take out the trash, which is easy; and clean my room, which I do a decent job at.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I still can’t land a backflip on a trampoline no matter how many videos I watch.

Words to leave by: “The moment you give up, is the moment you let someone else win.” — Kobe Bryant

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

22

TOMORROW’S LEADERS.

TODAY.

The Columbus Dispatch and our affiliate businesses salute these future leaders, the Scholar Athlete Awards class of 2020.

“Well Done.”

Battelle STEM Award

Antony Yang DUBLIN JEROME GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.67

$2,500 Battelle Institute

Sports played: Soccer (4 years) Academic highlights: National Merit Finalist; National AP Scholar; national semifinalist in M3 Math Modeling Challenge and National Economics Challenge; scored 1,600 on SAT Athletic highlights: Special-mention allleague in soccer College choice: University of Pennsylvania (anticipated major: finance) Photo location: Inside the stadium at Dublin Jerome Home front: I live with my parents Dan and Janet, who both work in IT, and with my younger sister, Michelle, who turns 16 in August.

Favorite subject: It has always been math. Maybe I haven’t gone deep enough, but I love how math is completely built around logical reasoning

KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH and creating general rules out of specific cases.

Least-favorite subject: I don’t necessarily have a least favorite, but I used to struggle most with English because it felt too abstract. I grew up a STEM kid, so I was used to following laws and absolute logic, but with English, it took me a while to get used to and embrace the creativity involved. Now, it’s one of my favorites.

Prized possession: My glasses. It’s how I see the world, and without them, I’m basically blind. It’s an extension of my health, which I am grateful for every day.

Favorite book: “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I

loved how pretty the writing was; the way the words sounded together really just mesmerized me. This was one of the books that truly made me love English.

Favorite movie: “Avengers: Endgame.”

I loved the whole Avengers franchise, and “Endgame” was such a fun finale.

Favorite television show: “Criminal Minds.” I like the formulaic nature of the show — it means I know exactly how much excitement and mystery I’m going to get with every episode.

Favorite musician: Quinn XCII. There’s no good reason, I just like the way his songs sound.

Essential apps: Messages. Not being able to shoot over a question to my

parents or figure out plans through texts would be brutal. Outside of this, it would probably be YouTube, where there is so much entertainment value.

Favorite home-cooked meal: My grandparents cook these amazing soup dumplings that I’ve loved for as long as I can remember.

My cooking specialty: Eggs. I can basically make every egg dish with my eyes closed.

Favorite restaurant: Honestly, it’s Chipotle. I always go with my friends.

Guilty pleasure: Cookie dough. I can’t control myself around it.

Proudest sports moment: My junior year, we beat New Albany in penalties in the district tournament at their sta-

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

Battelle: Innovation in Ohio.

Innovation for the World For 90 years, the name “Battelle” has been synonymous with continuous learning, excellence and teamwork.

Those traits aren’t just useful in the classroom and on the playing field; they’re put to use every day in Battelle laboratories, where researchers work to solve the world’s most difficult challenges.

At Battelle, employees are known as “Solvers.”

No matter their role – scientist, engineer, finance manager, human resources partner, attorney or facility operator – every Battelle Solver is part of a team that strives for the most innovative solutions to make our world safer and healthier.

You can find Battelle’s Solvers throughout central Ohio at sporting events, community functions and more, even if you may not know it. For Battelle President and CEO Lou Von Thaer, having Solvers in the community is a source of pride.

Battelle was founded on the belief that science and technology breakthroughs

improve people’s lives and they take that mission a step further by ensuring that a significant amount of the company’s profits are reinvested in the community through philanthropic contributions, with a focus on improving education. As a way to give back to the communities of their Solvers, Battelle’s involvement in the central Ohio Scholar Athlete Awards is a perfect fit.

“Battelle is proud to call Central Ohio home and to be part of the fabric of the community,” Von Thaer said.

“Many of Battelle’s employees were born and raised in Ohio, and we hope the young people being honored with these awards might consider a future career with Battelle and continuing the proud tradition of creating innovations for the betterment of society.”

But Battelle’s impact doesn’t come only from its community contributions.

As the world’s largest independent research and development company, Battelle designs and manufactures

“Many of Battelle’s employees were born and raised in Ohio, and we hope the young people being honored with these awards might consider a future career with Battelle.”

— Lou Von Thaer, President & CEO, Battelle products and delivers critical services for government agencies and commercial businesses. The company has a proven history of breakthroughs in health, energy, environment, agribusiness and national security, and also is known for its role in managing national laboratories for the United States government.

A proud independent company, Battelle has remained

relevant by innovating and finding creative solutions to new issues, helping make strides in neuroscience, climate research and microelectronics. Battelle is helping research the human brain’s interface with computers to help patients with spinal-

cord injuries, has completed construction of the National Ecological Observatory Network to help scientists understand climate change at the continental scale and is working to make embedded microelectronics safer from malware and other threats.

23 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

dium. I got hurt in the first half, and watching underclassmen step up and bring it home was amazing.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I’d like to do an Ironman triathlon. I’m curious to see if I have the mental fortitude to do something as wild as that.

Story behind my uniform number: I’ve worn No. 6 my whole life. Maybe it was because 6 was the position I play on the field, or because 6 is the smallest perfect number.

Favorite athlete: My favorite athlete is and has been Lionel Messi forever.

Something about being one of the best players in the world while being so short just makes me like him more.

Innspiration: My parents, grandparents and my girlfriend.

Dream job: I’d love to do a startup and try to change the world.

Place I’d like to travel: Anywhere. But right now, I think I’d like to go to Italy and see all of it, from exploring the picturesque countryside to climbing the Alps, to trying all of the food.

Least-favorite household chore: I hate doing laundry for some reason. I always take too long. Maybe it’s because of how long I have to dedicate to waiting.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I can’t shoot a free throw to save my life. I always end up looking like a dolphin. At this point, it’s something I’ve just accepted.

Words to leave by: “It’s not how fast you mow, it’s how well you mow fast.”

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

24

Honorable mention female Scholar-Athlete

Kalor Greve

FAIRBANKS GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.4

$1,000

Sports played: Cross country (4 years), track (4), cheerleading (2) Academic highlights: AP Scholar award; National Honor Society member; scored 31 on ACT Athletic highlights: State-meet qualifier in cross country College choice: Ohio University (anticipated major: pre-med cellular and molecular biology) Photo location: On the track at Fairbanks Home front: I live with my parents, Chad and Laura, and my 15-year-old sister, Emma.

Favorite subject: English. My teacher always pushed me to my limits and challenged me to be a better writer. I always felt confident in my work and looked forward to going to her class

FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH every day.

Least-favorite subject: Chemistry, because I felt so lost the entire time.

It definitely taught me how to study better and really focus on the work, but I definitely did not enjoy my time in the class.

Prized possession: My valedictorian plaque not only represents years of hard work and dedication to my studies, but it shows how strong of a person I am despite constantly having a busy schedule and feeling overwhelmed.

Favorite book: “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. It illustrates how love and friendship

can get you through any hardship.

Favorite movie: “Les Miserables” combines everything I love about the Broadway show with contemporary actors and screenwriting.

Favorite television show: “Grey’s Anatomy!” Though the medicine aspects of the show are not entirely accurate, I feel like I’m in the hospital with the characters when I’m watching it.

Favorite musical group: Half Alive.

Their music is open to different interpretations, so the meaning differs from person to person, or even from moment to moment.

Essential app: TikTok is my guilty pleasure!

Favorite home-cooked meal: Chicken parmesan, made by my mother and me.

My cooking specialty: My famous pumpkin bread! During the school year I would bake several batches and bring the bread in to share with teachers and friends.

Favorite restaurant: The Pint Room, in Dublin, has amazingly creative burgers and really great sweet potato fries, as well.

Guilty pleasure: Making mug cakes at home! They are perfectly sized, easy to make, and there are endless recipe combinations.

Proudest sports moment: Crossing the finish line at the regional meet this past year and learning I qualified for

Honorable mention male Scholar-Athlete

David Claffey GROVE CITY CHRISTIAN GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.46

$1,000

Sports played: Soccer (4 years), cross country (1) Academic highlights: National Merit Commendation; National Honor Society member; scored 32 on ACT Athletic highlights: Second-team allleague in soccer and cross country College choice: Georgia Institute of Technology (anticipated major: mechanical engineering) Photo location: Brobst Park in Canal Winchester, near where I rehabilitated after knee surgery Home front: I live with my parents, Elizabeth and David, and two younger siblings, my 13-year-old sister, Eva, and my 15-year-old brother, Danny.

Favorite subject: Math. I took differential and integral calculus at Ohio State and absolutely loved it. The applications of calculus really interest me, especially

ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH optimization and Taylor series.

Least-favorite subject: History. I never connected with the dates or names we memorized.

Prized possession: My snowboard. I got into boarding two winters ago. My weightlifting coaches advised me against it due to a chronic knee injury, but I bought the board and have fallen in love with testing my limits.

Favorite book: “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” By Douglas Adams. It’s a unique type of science fiction that engaged me comedically as well as intellectually. “It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes.”

Favorite television show: Definitely “New Girl.” I’ve been told I resemble

one of the characters, Nick Miller, and his quotes never fail to crack me up.

Favorite musician: My family and I once saw Kenny G in concert at the Ohio Theater, where he played a single note for five minutes on his soprano saxophone.

Essential app: Without Spotify, all of my three-hour drives to Lake Erie would be filled with silence, or worse, radio commercials.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Stuffed peppers, prepared by my mom every once in a while. One reason it’s a favorite is that my siblings don’t care for peppers, so I can eat as much as I want and the leftovers last a week.

My cooking specialty: When I cook, I usually flounder around making ran-

dom decisions that lead to spaghetti.

I’d say unpredictability is my specialty.

Favorite restaurant: My favorite in Grove City is Piada, where I get avocado with crispy chicken every time.

Guilty pleasure: Every once in a while I treat myself to some 75% Dark Lindt Chocolate. If I buy a bar on Monday, I’ll be out of chocolate later on Monday.

Proudest sports moment: My first soccer game back after weeks of recovery from a PCL tear. I worked incredibly hard to get back in time for the district tournament, and I was giddy to be playing again.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I would like to try boxing or MMA. UFC is a big thing in my family. I even wear my Irish flag around my shoulders on Conor

states as an individual. I had run my most competitive race ever and worked hard for that moment.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I would like to try hockey because I love the ultra-competitive atmosphere, and learning how to skate fast would be a lot of fun.

Favorite athlete: Lionel Messi, because his story is so inspirational.

He didn’t let a poor background or a medical condition stop him from becoming a professional soccer player.

He just focused on his dream and everything fell into place because of his determination.

Inspiration: My dad is passionate about his career, family and friends, and he always knows the right thing to say to people. He is very wise, and when I’m older I hope I am like him.

Dream job: Definitely a sports medicine physician for an MLS or NHL team! I would love to travel with the team and continue to be a part of the sports community.

Place I’d like to travel: I would love to travel to Barcelona, Spain, someday to watch El Clásico live.

Something most people don’t know about me: My dream is to own a goat farm someday!

Least-favorite household chore: Sweeping my room, because it’s too loud to play music.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I cannot whistle. My whole family can and has tried to teach me, but it’s a lost cause.

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com McGregor’s fight nights.

Favorite athlete: For a while, my personal soccer-trainer was Wil Trapp’s old coach. Trapp being from Columbus, I have always felt really close to him even though I’ve never met him.

Inspiration: Elon Musk has been my inspiration for years. I keep up with all of the SpaceX launches and I’ve read several biographies about/by him.

Place I’d like to travel: I want to travel everywhere — and often. At the moment I would most like to visit Ireland. I’ve been working on my Irish accent during the quarantine.

Something most people don’t know about me: Even though I played piano for a while when I was really young, I absolutely cannot read music no matter how many times I’ve tried to learn.

I just write all of the letter-notes into my sheet music!

Least-favorite household chore: Loading the dishwasher. I will put away clean dishes all day but something about yesterday’s ketchup getting on my hand just really never sits well.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: My golf swing. There are about 200 balls at the bottom of our pond. I have watched video after video and no matter how confident I am walking out with my clubs, the water still finds a way to be wherever my ball goes.

Words to leave by: “I am not convinced I know how to read, I’ve just memorized a lot of words.” — Nick Miller, from “New Girl”

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

Honorable mention female Scholar-Athlete

WATTERSON GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.13

$1,000

Sports played: Tennis (4 years), lacrosse (4), basketball (2) Academic highlights: Msgr. Spiers Award winner for service; National Honor Society member; scored 32 on ACT Athletic highlights: First-team allleague in tennis; second-team allleague in lacrosse College choice: Ohio State (anticipated major: finance and pre-med) Photo location: On the bridge at the Park of Roses Home front: My parents are Mike and Marcia Giesler. I also have a 21-yearold brother, Nick, who attends the University of South Carolina.

Favorite subject: Social science. I always find these classes to be superinteresting and something I always

KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH want to learn about.

Least-favorite subject: English by far, specifically writing essays. I am a terrible writer, and it takes me hours to force myself to even sit down, focus, and try to write something. This will probably not bode well for me in college.

Favorite book: I don’t have a favorite book, but I like reading psychology or non-fiction books. It’s another great way to educate myself outside of the classroom.

Favorite movie: “Grown Ups” is hilarious and includes many of my favorite actors.

Favorite television shows: I love any comedy series, but if I had to choose, “The Office” and “Friends.”

Favorite musicians: Thomas Rhett and Old Dominion.

Essential app: Spotify. I listen to music every day when I work out, drive around, or hang out with friends. I cannot imagine going without it.

Favorite home-cooked meal: My dad is an amazing cook. Whenever there is a special occasion, he makes the best steak dinner. It beats any five-star restaurant.

My cooking specialty: I’m more of a baker then a cook. I love making any type of desserts. including cookies, brownies and Rice Krispie treats.

Favorite restaurant: I love Condado Tacos, the build-your-own-taco restaurant. Every meal I have gotten has

been delicious. Their queso is to die for.

Guilty pleasure: I love chocolate-covered almonds. Whenever I want something sweet, I go to Kroger and buy a bag of them and when I eat them later, I most likely finish the bag.

Proudest sports moment: When my doubles partner and I beat a seeded team to go to districts my senior year in tennis.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I would like to try real golf, not just the miniversion. I feel like it’s a sport that you can play for the rest of your life.

Story behind my uniform number: My uniform number has always been 33.

Growing up, I watched my brother play sports and he wore that number. I

Honorable mention male Scholar-Athlete

Alex Dediu

DUBLIN COFFMAN GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.47

$1,000

Sports played: Cross country (4 years), track (4), basketball (1) Academic highlights: AP Scholar; International Baccalaureate diploma program candidate; scored 35 on ACT Athletic highlights: All-district and allleague in cross country and track College choice: Ohio State (anticipated major: economics and marketing) Photo location: On the trails at the M.L. “Red” Trabue Nature Preserve in Dublin, where I frequently run Home front: I’m an only child and a first-generation immigrant from Romania. My parents, Andreea and Adrian, left everything behind to come to the United States 18 years ago and now both work for JP Morgan Chase.

Favorite subjects: It’s tough to beat the feeling from solving math problems, but studying history intrigues me even

ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH more, possibly because we are experiencing firsthand an era students decades from now will learn about.

Least-favorite subject: Chemistry was my first and most challenging AP class in high school, and it taught me one lesson: Science will not have anything to do with my major in college.

Prized possession: An autographed Roger Federer hat, which he signed in 2012 at the Cincinnati Masters.

Favorite books: I have a favorite series, written by Lisa McMann: “The Unwanteds.” It reminds me of a mix between Harry Potter and the “Divergent” series.

Favorite movie: Nothing tops the cast

of Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade and Kevin James in “Grown Ups.” You’re basically combining four comedians into one act — unbeatable.

Favorite television show: “Space Force,” on Netflix. The show is from the creators of “The Office,” and I absolutely love Steve Carell.

Favorite musician: I was lucky enough to see Khalid in concert last summer.

His music seems tp fit any type of mood I find myself in.

Essential app: Literally speaking, I can’t do without my work scheduling app.

But figuratively speaking, losing Apple Music would be a devastating blow.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Waffles

on Sunday is a classic family breakfast that my dad does every other week.

My cooking specialty: Omelettes. I usually have eggs three or four times a week in the morning, and have gotten pretty creative cooking them.

Guilty pleasure: Describing my allowance of ice cream as “on occasion” would be an understatement.

Proudest sports moment: When our 4x800 relay team qualified for the state track meet in 2017. My freshman self wasn’t ready for the immense pressure but to share that experience with my teammates is something to cherish.

Sport I’d like to try someday: Disc golf

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com seems to be a good mix with ultimate frisbee, a popular sport among runners, and it’s free to play.

Favorite athlete: I recently started following Parker Stinson, a professional distance runner. He sort of reminds me of myself when he discusses the mental battles and struggles he’s endured.

Inspiration: My parents took a huge risk 18 years ago in leaving Romania after I was born with the intention of starting a new life in the U.S. Leaving everything behind, they had to build from the ground up financially while learning English as a second language.

Dream job: I hope to obtain a business degree and would love to stay in touch with running regardless of what the future entails.

Place I’d like to travel: Iten, Kenya, is known as host of a training camp for many professional Kenyan runners who prefer elite workout grounds with a more simple lifestyle than what is offered in our modern world.

Something most people don’t know about me: I can understand Romanian but not speak it.

Least-favorite household chore: I actually enjoy cleaning and keeping things organized and spiffy, especially when it’s my own room or the kitchen.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: Flipping pancakes.

Some of the batter always misses the landing zone.

Words to leave by: “Always remember, You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” - A.A. Milne

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

25 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Abbey Giesler

always thought that wearing his number would remind me to work hard and to be just as good as him.

Favorite athlete: Serena Williams.

Everything she stands for and her work ethic make her such a good role model.

Inspiration: My parents’ compassion, drive and character inspire me every day to be the best version of myself.

Dream job: It seems like every day I change what my dream job would be.

Sometimes, it’s a trauma surgeon.

Sometimes, it’s working within corporate fundraising.

Place I’d like to travel: I would love to travel to Italy. With the food, history and amazing views, there is nothing not to love about the country.

Something most people don’t know about me: I’m scared of getting haircuts. When I was little, I got a haircut and it felt like she cut off half of my hair. It was traumatic, so now I’m nervous the same thing will happen.

Least-favorite household chore: Laundry. For some reason I hate having to re-organize all my clothes and put them back where they need to go. It is also rather time-consuming.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I can’t seem to keep my car clean. I am always driving places, eating in my car and driving other people, so my car always has stuff in it.

Words to leave by: “Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment” — Oprah Winfrey

DISPATCH.COM | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS |THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

26

Honorable mention female Scholar-Athlete

Naa Dromo Korley CENTENNIAL GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.99

$1,000

Sports played: Volleyball (4 years), basketball (4), track (2) Academic highlights: National Honor Society member; Academic Excellence Award winner Athletic highlights: First-team allleague in basketball and volleyball; OHSAA student ambassador College choice: Ohio State (anticipated major: medical anthropology) Photo location: Outside the Wexner Medical Center on Ohio State’s campus Home front: My mother’s name is Mabel and my dad’s name is Eric Korley. I have two younger siblings: my brother, Judah, is 11 years old and my sister, Naa Shidaa, is 15.

Favorite subjects: Anatomy and physiology. I love the human body. It’s quite marvelous how God created all of

KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH these pieces to fit so perfectly with each other. The human body, man, it’s marvelous and beautiful. Anatomy brought me so much joy, from our notes and quizzes to cat dissections. I enjoyed every part of it.

Least-favorite subject: Probably AP Literature, because I didn’t like reading long and wordy passages. I loved my teacher and students but the class itself, I despised it. I cried so much, so many sleepless nights. But thank God I took that class, because I feel prepared for the honors courses I’ll be taking.

Prized possession: I wear lip gloss everywhere, but not the kind that leaves your lips feeling sticky.

Favorite book: I know it sounds cliché, but the Bible always leaves me in

shock: How could a book written over 3,400 years ago still have answers to the problems I face in my life?

Favorite movie: Probably “Annie,” the adaptation starring Quvenzhane Wallis.

It made me smile and cry!

Favorite television show: I’ve been dying to be asked this question. I recently started watching and finished “Money Heist,” on Netflix. My best friend put me on to that show and I tell you that show will have you feeling all types of ways!

Favorite musicians: It depends on my mood. If I’m leaning toward a worship night, I’d go with Osby Berry. His voice is amazing. My go-to is usually African music, either the rapper EL, King Promise, Sarkodie or Gil Joe.

Essential apps: I love FaceTiming my friends. I think the reason I love the app is COVID-19 and social distancing.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Ooh, this is tough because Ghanaians know how to cook! I’d have to pick white rice with kontomire, which is basically spinach stew. You can eat kontomire with plantains, rice, yams, etc.

My cooking specialty: My fried rice is the bomb. I can use any vegetables and seasoning to make an amazing plate!

Favorite restaurant: Bravo. My favorite meal there is lamb chops with mashed potatoes, green beans and gravy. Their bread appetizers with their sauce is literally mouth-watering. Definitely would recommend it!

Guilty pleasure: Binge-watching Netflix

Honorable mention male Scholar-Athlete

Marty Neuhardt DUBLIN SCIOTO GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.43

$1,000

Sports played: Football (4 years), baseball (4) Academic highlights: AP Scholar; National Honor Society member; scored 32 on ACT Athletic highlights: Special-mention alldistrict in football; honorable mention all-league in baseball College choice: Ohio State (anticipated major: mechanical engineering) Photo location: On the baseball diamond at Dublin Scioto Home front: I live with my mom, Tish Neuhardt. My dad, Dennis, has four children including myself, my brother, Ben (33), and my sisters, Ashley (35) and Christin (32), who each have their own families in Barnesville, Ohio.

Favorite subject: Applied mathematics and chemistry. I love to learn about what makes the world spin and the

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH science and technology embedded within things we see every day.

Least-favorite subject: English/literature. My mind works in a structural form and, in my opinion, English is too wishy-washy. I like to search and solve for concrete answers rather than subjective solutions.

Prized possession: My 2005 Dodge Durango holds memories and life lessons like nothing else. My family and I have created many memories on road trips to sporting events, concerts and visits to family, all within its four silver doors. It has allowed me to start my small landscaping business. No matter how beat up, broken down or old the vehicle may get, it has taught me that integrity and hard work can fix almost

anything.

Favorite book: “The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien. The structure of narrative and the hidden literary devices throughout the book, which told intricate and heart-wrenching stories of a Vietnam war soldier, were incredibly interesting.

Favorite movies: It is a tossup between “Project Almanac” and “In the Shadow of the Moon.” Both movies cover the idea of time travel, exploring the possibilities and problems of traveling through time and space.

Favorite television show: “Drake & Josh,” hands down — although “iCarly” is a close second. When I think of iconic and hilarious shows, Drake, Josh and Megan win every time.

Favorite musician: Lil Wayne was one of the first rappers I listened to and, in my opinion, one of the most creative and best lyricists of the 21st century.

Essential app: TikTok. Don’t hate. It started as a joke, ended up an addiction.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Shepherd’s pie, which my mom makes about once a week. I usually like to eat it for dinner. Or lunch. Or breakfast.

Also delicious as a midnight snack.

My cooking specialty: Breakfast. I’m a grill cook at Bob Evans. I also make excellent pizza rolls and Top Ramen.

Proudest sports moment: Personal: Hitting a walk-off, three-run triple my sophomore year against Hilliard Bradley while behind 0-and-2 in the count as the ninth batter on the varsity

in my care-bear onesie.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I’d like to try lacrosse because the girls at school who play that make it seem really fun.

I like the excitement it brings.

Story behind my uniform number: I have always admired Kevin Love and he wore 0. But we didn’t have 0, only 00. I love how it looked on my jersey. It looked threatening.

Favorite athlete: Stephanie Mavunga is my favorite basketball player! She’s a beast. No challenger!

Inspiration: My dad is a tough person who is always pushing me to be the best version of myself. He’s brave, resilient and determined. My dad and I butt heads at times, but I know he loves me and wants the best for me.

Dream job: To become an obstetriciangynecologist or a pediatric surgeon. I want to help Doctors Without Borders and bridge the gap of health-care disparities in the medical field.

Place I’d like to travel: I’d love to go to Paris, take pictures next to the Eiffel Tower, eat expensive dishes and enjoy the sun on my face.

Something most people don’t know about me: I love to bake.

Least-favorite household chore: Every time I clean the bathtub someone always gets it dirty, then it looks like I didn’t clean it at all.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: Drawing a self-portrait.

I’ve come to terms with not being artistic. The picture in my head never turns out to be what I draw.

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com baseball team. As a team: senior year win against Bradley in football. I was the holder as I watched my lifelong friend kick a career-long field goal to win the game as time expired.

Story behind my uniform numbers: In baseball I wore No. 3. My birthday is Jan. 3. In football I wore No. 12, which I wore for my mom, whose birthday is Dec. 12 (12/12).

Favorite athlete: Adrian Beltre is a fantastic baseball player but even better is that he knows how to make light of and have fun in every situation.

Inspiration: My mom paved the way for my success. She is a breast cancer survivor and the hardest-working person I know. She taught me how to put others before myself and how to love others unconditionally.

Dream job: Exotic car engineer or a ski resort owner. My passions are snowboarding and learning the ins and outs of cars.

Place I’d like to travel: Europe. Not only would I have the time of my life snowboarding in the mountains, but I would have deep exposure to cultures from around the world.

Something most people don’t know about me: I’ve been to 48 states and four countries. I’m also an Eagle Scout.

Least-favorite household chore: Changing the cat litter. I’d take a bullet for any one of my cats, but something about cleaning up their you-knowwhat doesn’t sit right.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: Figuring out where my girlfriend wants to eat.

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

Honorable mention female Scholar-Athlete

OLENTANGY LIBERTY GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.09

$1,000

Sports played: Track (4 years), gymnastics (3), cheerleading (1) Academic highlights: Summa Cum Laude award; National Honor Society member; scored 29 on ACT Athletic highlights: League champion and district runner-up in track and field College choice: Cincinnati (anticipated major: international business) Photo location: Inside the stadium at Olentangy Liberty Home front: My parents are June and Darin Meeker and I have two older brothers: Noah is 21 years old and Nate is 24.

Favorite subjects: Social studies and English. I love to write and really enjoy learning about culture and history.

MADDIE SCHROEDER/DISPATCH Least-favorite subject: Math.

Prized possession: I have kept almost every card or handwritten note I have ever received. I love looking back on this collection and reading notes from various times in my life.

Favorite book: “All the Light We Cannot See,” by Anthony Doerr.

Through this book, I learned the importance of empathy, understanding the different perspectives people have, and using the differences between one another to grow together. I read this book during my freshman year English class, which is one of my favorite classes I took throughout high school.

Favorite movie: “La La Land.” I just love the idea of the whole movie and felt so inspired after watching it.

Favorite television show: “Friends.” I would love more than anything to grab a cup of coffee with all of them at the Central Perk.

Favorite musician: It’s too hard for me to pick a favorite artist because music has always been a big part of my life and I have many favorites in a variety of genres.

Essential app: Without Google maps, I would not be able to get anywhere.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Whatever my dad puts on the grill!

My cooking specialty: I am more of a

baker, so I would say my specialty is decorating cakes and cupcakes. I also love to cook and my favorite meal to prepare is chicken tacos.

Favorite restaurant: Condado Tacos Guilty pleasure: Cheesecake Proudest sports moment: When I cleared 12 feet in the pole vault for the first time last summer at the Ohio Northern “Vault on the Tundra” meet.

Sport I’d like to try someday: Volleyball! A lot of my close friends play, and it looks like such a fun sport whenever I go watch their games.

Favorite athlete: Gabby Douglas

Honorable mention male Scholar-Athlete

Ryan Tiell MOUNT VERNON GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.24

$1,000

Sports played: Football (4 years), wrestling (4), baseball (4) Academic highlights: National Merit Commended Student; National Honor Society member; scored 30 on ACT Athletic highlights: Third-team allstate and two-time all-district in football; second-team all-league in wrestling; honorable mention allleague in baseball College choice: University of Findlay (anticipated major: animal science/preveterinary medicine) Photo location: At the farm belonging to some close family friends, the Smalls. That farm is where I found my love for large animals, sparking my interest in the veterinary field.

Home front: My parents are Bob and Gwen Tiell, and I have twin, 21-yearold siblings: my sister, Shaye, goes to

KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH Akron University, and my brother, Jacob, goes to Otterbein.

Favorite subject: I have always enjoyed science courses, specifically biology. My favorite chapter was the one that included the animal dissections.

Least-favorite subject: English, because of its subjective nature. I liked other subjects more because they had a set answer with a set process that would lead to that answer.

Prized possession: My two dogs. My family has a black Labrador retriever named Kona and a cockapoo named Lucy; it will be very hard to leave them in the fall.

Favorite book: “Ender’s Game,” by Orson Scott Card. I have always enjoyed science fiction, and “Ender’s Game” piqued that interest.

Favorite movie: I have always been a fan of comedies, and I especially enjoyed “The Benchwarmers.”

Favorite television show: “Stranger Things.” The wild plot and great actors make it very interesting.

Favorite musician: I don’t really have a favorite. I enjoy a wide variety of music, but if I had to put one genre above others, it would probably be rock.

Essential app: I would miss Apple Music quite a bit if I could no longer use it. I listen to music a lot throughout the day.

Favorite home-cooked meal: I love when my dad grills cheeseburgers and hot dogs.

My cooking specialty: I’m definitely not much of a cook. I can only really make eggs, grilled cheese and other simple

things like that.

Favorite restaurants: Raising Cane’s and Roosters are my two favorites.

Guilty pleasure: On occasion, I enjoy sleeping in past noon.

Proudest sports moment: My last high school football game. I played the best game of my career that night and helped the team achieve its first winning record in years.

Sports I’d like to try someday: I would love to try hockey or lacrosse. I think I would enjoy the physical aspects of both, and I would also have fun trying to learn the new skills that they require.

Story behind my uniform number: When I was a sophomore, we got new football jerseys, and we were allowed to pick out new numbers. That same

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com year, my older brother was graduating and going to play football at Otterbein.

I decided that I would choose No. 19 to continue my brother’s legacy at Mount Vernon.

Favorite athletes: I’m a huge fan of Ohio State football, and I have always enjoyed watching Nick and Joey Bosa.

I continue to follow their careers in the NFL. Inspiration: My dad has always inspired me to be a better person. He shows me every day how to be kind, compassionate, generous and driven.

He is the man I aspire to be.

Dream job: My dream job would be a mixed-practice (large and small animal) veterinarian somewhere in Tennessee.

Place I’d like to travel: I would love to travel to different countries around the world to gain perspective. The one that I most want to visit is Spain.

Something most people don’t know about me: Most people don’t know that I sleepwalk and sleep talk.

Least-favorite household chore: Cleaning dishes. I suppose it’s just due to the gross debris that accumulates in the dishwater.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I have never been able to master snowboarding. I have gotten comfortable with skiing, but problems arise when my feet are stuck together.

Words to leave by: I was once told by a friend that we were “Too blessed to be stressed.” That saying always stuck with me.

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

27 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Noelle Meeker

inspired me so much at a young age, and through her story I learned the value of risk-taking, hard work and sacrificing to reach your goals.

Inspiration: Both of my parents inspire me immensely. It is because of their model of hard work, passion and caring for those around them that I am the person I am today.

Dream job: Studying international business in college can lead me down several paths. I hope to be working at different locations of a company with an international presence to build off of each other, or to earn a law degree to help with international affairs and trade.

Place I’d like to travel: I would love to travel anywhere overseas, but I really hope I get to Paris one day!

Something most people don’t know about me: I used to be a competitive synchronized swimmer for six years on a club team that competed at the national level.

Least-favorite household chore: Cleaning my bathroom.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: French-braiding my hair.

Words to leave by: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So sail away from the safe harbor.

Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain

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Honorable mention female Scholar-Athlete

Logan Nethers LICKING VALLEY GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.25

$1,000

Sports played: Soccer (4 years), track (4) Academic highlights: AP Scholar; engineering and industrial technology student of the year; scored 33 on ACT Athletic highlights: Three-time firstteam all-league in soccer College choice: Ohio State (anticipated major: biomedical engineering) Photo location: Wilson’s Garden Center in Newark, where I worked the past two springs. While there, I fell in love with plant care and developed a deeper appreciation for nature and the vital role of plants in our society.

Home front: I am an only child, but I have enough cousins that growing up it didn’t feel like it. I live with my mom, Summer, and my stepdad, Shawn. Or, depending on the day, with my dad,

KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH Heath, and my stepmom, Sunny.

Favorite subject: AP chemistry was one of the most challenging and rewarding classes I took in high school. The thrill of being able to work out a problem on paper, and then prove the results in the lab, was an unparalleled experience.

Least-favorite subject: While I generally enjoy math, I am not a fan of statistics.

But I think I could grow to love statistics if I was using it to analyze data that is from meaningful research.

Prized possession: A handmade glass heart from Oregon. My mom and I went there over spring break my sophomore year, and I fell in love with the untamed feeling of the coast. The next time she went, she brought it back.

Favorite book: “The Hobbit,” by JRR Tolkien, started me on an incredible journey through Middle Earth that continued with “The Lord of The Rings” trilogy.

Favorite movies: I adore the “Harry Potter” books and movies. My mom and I spend a weekend every winter watching the movies and wishing we were wizards.

Favorite musician: Hozier sings incredible songs that personify nearly every emotion, and uses his platform to try and change the world for the better.

Essential app: Over quarantine I could not have lived without Libby, a digital library app. I prefer actual books, but the library I work at and love has been

closed. Being able to explore, if only in fantasy worlds, kept me sane.

Favorite home-cooked meal: I used to spend every Sunday eating my greatgrandma’s homemade country noodles and mashed potatoes. She and my grandma taught me to cook, so their meals will always be dear to my heart.

My cooking specialty: I prefer to bake. I recently found an amazing brownie cookie recipe and made it my own.

Guilty pleasure: From time to time, I will stay up the entire night reading fantasy books.

Proudest sports moment: My senior season, I had a save rate of above 82%. There were many amazing moments, but knowing that mathe-

Honorable mention male Scholar-Athlete

Anthony Toskin

LAKEWOOD GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.36

$1,000

Sports played: Cross country (4 years), soccer (4), track (1) Academic highlights: AP Scholar with Honors; National Honor Society member; scored 35 on ACT Athletic highlights: State qualifier and two-time all-district in cross country College choice: Walsh (anticipated major: chemical engineering) Photo location: The Denison Bio Reserve in Granville, because I am very interested in biology and chemistry and because I run there all the time.

Home front: I live with my wonderful parents, Mark and Lori Toskin, and my grandfather, Samuel DeMatteo, a WWII veteran! My brother Matt and his wife Liz live nearby, in Newark.

Favorite subject: My favorite will always be math of any kind. Numbers are the true language of the universe;

KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH anywhere you look can be tied to a mathematical equation or concept.

Least-favorite subject: English has been the bane of my high school experience.

I feel like I could explain something so much more effectively if I found a way other than spilling words onto a sheet.

Prized possession: The medal I received from the cross country regional meet my senior year. When I see it on my bookshelf, I think about the work that our team did as a whole to punch Lakewood’s ticket to the state meet for the first time in 20 years.

Favorite book: “Slaughterhouse Five,”

by Kurt Vonnegut. The morbid plot was hard to digest at first, but I grew to appreciate the wacky themes of Vonnegut’s sci-fi world to deliver an abrupt but resonating message.

Favorite movie: “The Muppets Christmas Carol.” My brother and I have a tradition of watching it every year on Christmas Eve. Favorite television show: “Breaking Bad.” I actually had to watch the series twice: the first to appreciate the incredible plot and the second to appreciate the chemistry and sciences that are depicted throughout the show.

Favorite musicians: Donald Fagen of Steely Dan. If I had to choose one genre to listen to for the rest of my life, it would undoubtedly be jazz because of the versatility it brings.

Essential apps: Strava. Not having to keep track of my runs on pencil and paper has been a lifesaver.

Favorite home-cooked meal: Mom’s spaghetti is an absolute staple the

night before any of my meets/races. I am already trying to figure out in my head how I can get some before my college races this fall.

My cooking specialty: Instant mac and cheese and cereal is about the extent of my cooking abilities, but I am proud of my mastery of the milk-to-cereal ratio after a considerable deal of practice.

Favorite restaurant meal: I am a creature of habit at restaurants. Nine times out of 10 I will order spaghetti wherever I go. Nothing can beat a good plate of spaghetti.

Guilty pleasure: I have been lactose intolerant for most of my high school career, but every year after my cross country and soccer season I would indulge in some quality ice cream and brace to face the consequences.

matically I was making a difference for our team was the greatest feeling.

Sport I’d like to try someday: I want to try competitive whitewater rafting. The first time I went rafting, I fell in love with the high-stakes environment. It would be a thrilling experience to take to the rapids in competition.

Favorite athlete: Megan Rapinoe is an amazing soccer player with unprecedented success who also fights every day for equality.

Inspiration: Alan Turing changed the tides of World War II and became the father of modern computing despite the fact that the world wouldn’t accept him for who he was.

Dream job: I would like to work at NASA to research the impacts of space travel on humans, or as an astrobiologist. The stars provide us with many mysteries that I want to help unravel.

Something most people don’t know about me: I love geology and collecting rocks. My favorite is a piece of quartz treated with various elements to give it a rainbow appearance.

Least-favorite household chore: Mopping. I always step somewhere wet by accident and then I have soggy socks. No one likes soggy socks.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I have more than 30 plants and have worked at a garden center but cannot keep a fern alive.

Words to leave by: “And then I am going to rattle the stars.” — Sarah J. Maas

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com Proudest sports moment: Leading my cross country team to the state meet this year. After blacking out before the finish line the previous year, it was a fulfilling experience to qualify as an individual and take the trip to National Trail with my best friends.

Sport I’d like to try someday: Cycling. I plan to run for as long as I can. If I can get the biking part down, I would be two-thirds of the way to a triathlon.

Favorite athlete: Not only is LeBron James the greatest basketball player of all time, but his philanthropic work is a great example of how we should use our resources to better the world.

Inspiration: My cross country coach, Dan Sekerak, has a 50-plus-year running career and has propelled me to dream big when it comes to education.

Dream job: Researching eco-friendly materials so we can see the worldwide problem of pollution reduced or eliminated in my lifetime.

Place I’d like to travel: New Zealand’s ecology is so unique. It mystifies me that you can have so many sparsely different biomes on top of one another.

Least-favorite household chore: Taking out the trash. There really is no way that I can make it more entertaining.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I struggle at any kind of art. I was not blessed with the creative eye and steady hands it takes to bring an idea to life on canvas or paper, but that means I get to admire other people’s artwork even more.

Words to leave by: “Enjoy the journey”

By Ray Stein rstein@dispatch.com

Team of the Year

By Steve Blackledge THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Reminded that a 19-14 loss at Groveport on Sept.

20 marred what could have been an unblemished season for Pickerington Central’s football team, coach Jay Sharrett muttered a few remarks not fit for print.

But quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw and linebacker Ty Hamilton, two of the team’s senior standouts, agreed that the defeat served as a launching pad for the Tigers’ second Division I state championship in three seasons.

Central was selected as the team of the year for the 2019-20 season by The Dispatch as part of its annual Scholar-Athlete Awards program.

“No question, that turned the season around,” Crenshaw said. “We had coasted to that point and maybe we got a little bigheaded. That loss at Groveport humbled us and brought us back to earth.

We took care of business from that point on.”

Hamilton, an Ohio State signee, said the stunning defeat — which also served as a huge confidencebuilder for Groveport — was season-defining.

Pickerington Central’s Demeatric Crenshaw celebrates with fans after a 21-14 victory over Cincinnati Elder in the Division I state final Dec. 6 in Canton. SHANE FLANIGAN/THISWEEK

“Don’t get me wrong: Groveport was really good, and it was a good game,” Hamilton said. “But that gave us a taste of humble pie. That was a game we always win, and it rattled us pretty badly. We got back to practice Monday and we recommitted ourselves.”

Central avenged that loss in a regional final with a 23-7 win over the Cruisers.

It was part of a stirring

postseason run that included wins over Associated Press poll champion Mentor (2821) in a semifinal and Cincinnati Elder (21-14) in the title game.

In the come-from-behind win over Elder, Central converted each of its five attempts on fourth-down plays. Averaging nearly 36 points per game, Elder was limited to just 17 offensive plays after halftime.

“After the loss at Groveport, we dug our cleats into the ground and straightened things out,” Sharrett said. “The seniors really took ownership of the team and decided that we weren’t going to be stopped. Faced with a sudden-death situation in November, the guys really flipped the switch and thrived under those conditions. We seem to do that

every year.”

All the extra games and practices from four prodigious seasons play an overlooked but significant role in the teams’ postseason success.

“As the season gets longer, we get better,” Hamilton said. “Other teams seem to be worn down, and we seem to be faster, stronger and more confident. Year after year, our teams are known for hitting another gear in the playoffs.”

With four straight final four appearances, Pickerington Central has asserted itself as a legitimate perennial state power.

Sharrett boasts a 179-35 record in 17 seasons. The Tigers have won or shared 14 Ohio Capital Conference titles and made the playoffs 16 times during that span.

The Tigers’ championship teams of 2017 and ’19 were similar in some ways, most notably in Crenshaw’s magnificent play on the big stage. In 2017, he ran for 161 yards and a record six touchdowns in the title game. This past season, the Youngstown State-bound senior completed 14 of 16 passes for 197 yards and two TDs and also ran for 62 yards.

“When you have a quarterback with his talent, decision-making ability and leadership skills, you know you have a chance to be in any game,” Sharrett said.

“I’d be lying if I said making another deep playoff run wasn’t in our minds.”

The 2017 team, also 14-1, scored 62 more points than the 2019 squad, but the 2019 team allowed 68 fewer.

The only other central Ohio team to win two bigschool titles is Hilliard Davidson (2006 and ’09).

“In 2017, we had a monster offensive line and we were able to run the ball down people’s throats,” Crenshaw said. “The 2019 team was more diverse and creative. We could throw the ball more effectively and our defense really stepped up, too.”

The latest title may have placed an even larger bull’s-eye on Central, but the players and coaches view that as a positive.

“Winning championships and making deep playoff runs is an expectation here,” Hamilton said. “We’ve proven that we can beat anybody. Give us a challenge and we’ll thrive.” sblackledge@dispatch.com @BlackiePreps

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Early season loss kick-started Tigers’ championship season

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2020 Visions

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In their own words, honored scholar-athletes reflect on what they learned about themselves during an extraordinary senior year To acknowledge the upending effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the lives of high school seniors, the 201 seniors honored by The Dispatch and Encova Insurance for being their school’s top scholar-athletes were asked to participate in a survey with four questions: * What is your favorite subject? * What is the proudest moment of your high school sports career? * What is your lasting memory that you hope to take away from a difficult senior year? * What have you learned about yourself or others during this time?

These are some highlights from their answers; their responses can be found at dispatchshows.com/ohioscholar-athlete-awards

Raymond McDonald Franklin Heights

What I learned: That I am someone who loves to help and give to others. In a time like this it can be hard. I also learned that some people are not like this at all.

Sydney Mason Heath

Lasting memory: The last home game I was able to attend at my school was a basketball game in which we packed our massive stands. It was absolutely epic and the feeling of being on the winning side that night was surreal.

Alexander Perrini Westerville Central

What I learned: If you fight hard enough you can accomplish more than you believe.

Conor Becker Northmor

Lasting memory: Making it through a struggle allowed making it through normal times easier.

Owen Snyder Lancaster

What I learned: That my town is very resilient and has come together to help each other through this time. The Lancaster City Schools staff has done their best to make this a memorable senior year for me and my peers.

Savannah Dryden Lancaster

What I learned: In times like these, you have to keep a positive mindset and attitude to better yourself and

Lancaster’s Savannah Dryden

strive to achieve my goals no matter what because I believe in myself and have the support of God, family, friends and teammates.

Hayden Sutton Centerburg

What I learned: We all can get through a lot more adversity as a whole than many people think.

Reynoldsburg’s Nicholas Wallace

the people around you.

Hannah Vaughn Fredericktown

Addison Tesi Madison Plains

What I learned: Say yes to things you usually aren’t comfortable with because who knows if you’ll ever get to do it.

What I learned: Everyone got knocked down and it was up to the individual to make the best of the situation we were handed. I was able to do so.

Lasting memory: Time is finite. Make the most of every second that you have a heartbeat.

Bryson Vogel Fisher Catholic

What I learned: That being there for my teammates, on and off the field, is even more important in times of crisis and uncertainty.

Jacob Klausner New Albany

What I learned: It’s good to take time for yourself and build your craft — whether that’s school, sports or a hobby.

Cassidy Smith Bloom-Carroll

What I learned: That I have the ability to put anything I put my mind to, no matter what the situation. I’ve also learned that I live in an amazing community that’s full of

Samantha Varney Westerville South

What I learned: The importance of community.

Missing my senior softball season broke my heart, but with the support of family, friends, coaches and teammates I made it out physically and mentally stronger than ever. I also learned to be overly thankful for every little thing. When something big gets taken away, like your senior season, you realize how much you miss simply taking ground balls at practice.

Samuel Jacob Tree of Life

Lucinda West Westerville Central

Mallory Spangler Teays Valley

Fisher Catholic’s Bryson Vogel

Justin Brown Elgin

What I learned: Nothing is guaranteed.

Catholic jerseys, even if I didn’t know it would be the last time. I know I will always have a home at Fisher Catholic.

Lasting memory: Even though the second semester was tough, it showed how much support students and athletes had from the community. People went out of their way to do nice things and recognize all the seniors for their accomplishments.

Northland’s Rebecca Maston

love and support.

Grace Mulpas Centerburg

Proudest sports moment: Proudest Ever since I began playing volleyball in seventh grade I have been a hitter. But in my senior year I had to step up and be the setter. It was very hard but when I started to get it and help lead my team, I became proud of myself and my hard work.

And thankful for everyone who helped me improve.

Andrew Monahan Bloom-Carroll

Proudest sports moment: Proudest It had to be winning our first cross country league title after a 27-year drought.

Starting with five guys my

freshman year to 25 my senior year, I’m most proud of how well my team developed and how we made this sport relevant at BloomCarroll.

Grace Poorbaugh Olentangy Orange

What I learned: I have the ability to adapt to change and make the most of the situation at hand.

While some may face greater challenges than others, it’s up to everyone to come together in order to make a lasting change.

Lucy Reed Fisher Catholic

Lasting memory: I will never forget the feeling of wearing those Fisher

Rebecca Maston Northland

Lasting memory: A losing season, and an overall losing four years, tends to tear people down. But I always strived to see the best parts. This year, my team won a soccer game, on our senior night. It was probably the happiest my team has ever been, and I want to remember that.

Hard times are a given, but reflecting on the good that still happens is the most important thing.

Nicholas Wallace Reynoldsburg

What I learned: When people are passionate about something they will work to their greatest ability to achieve excellence in that area.

Lasting memory: I will forever keep with me the time my soccer team won the OCC for the first time in 17 years, as well as all the memories my basketball family made together.

Braxton Reed Pleasant

Morgan McCauley East Knox

What I learned: How creative people are when they need to find new ways to do things or pass time.

Lashawn Samuel West

What I learned: That I am resilient regardless of the circumstances and as long as I persevere I can overcome any obstacle. I will

What I learned: That you can’t try to plan your life too much because you never know what’s going to happen.

Hope Custer Fairfield Christian

What I learned: To take a step back and enjoy the

See Visions Page 31

Visions moments at hand instead of always planning for the future.

Austin Snyder Groveport

Lasting memory: Even though baseball season came to an end sooner than everyone thought, I finished my high school career with the second-most varsity letters in school history, my great-grandpa being No. 1 with 27 letters. This is a huge honor for me and my family.

Gavin Jones Madison Plains

What I learned: When facing adverse conditions, I have learned that people, myself included, can become very resourceful and use skills they probably never even knew they had.

Aboubakare Dabo Westland

Lasting memory: That I enjoyed my senior year, and that everything happens for a reason.

Louis Schirmer Whetstone

Pro Pr oudest sports moment: This year, Whetstone beat our rival Centennial in soccer for the first time in 13 years. This is easily the proudest moment of my high school sports career.

Cole Shepherd Fairbanks

What I learned: Even though my friends and I were unable to share the memories we expected such as prom, a senior trip and a traditional graduation, we were still able to share other great memories that I would not trade for anything.

Embracing the situation with a positive attitude makes all the difference.

Emylee Preston Westerville North

Pro Pr oudest sports moment: In a basketball game my senior year against Olentangy, we had played a tough game and in the last quarter we were down one point with 20 seconds left.

We had drawn up a play in which the point guard, Imari Martin, was going to shoot the last shot. But everyone crashed on her, so she kicked the ball to me for the final shot and I made it to win the game. I was proud because I was having a rough game and I hadn’t made a shot yet.

Arionna Avant Delaware

Lasting memory: I hope to take away that you never know when your last race or match is going to be, so run every single one like it’s your last.

Washington Cole International

What I’ve learned: I have seen resilience not only in myself but also in my peers.

When faced with disappointing decisions, rather than express resentment, we accepted these actions and found ways to still make these milestones special.

We have chosen resilience and problem solving over resentment.

Delaware’s Arionna Avant

Frances Mallonn Gahanna

What I learned: I have learned that even when we cannot be together, my teammates and I can continue to push each other to be our best. I have always known that my team was like a family, but this unprecedented time has taught me that we are truly connected even when we can’t be on the field.

Abigail Walker Dublin Coffman

What I learned: I’ve tried many new foods since the quarantine started, and I learned that I like tomatoes and pickles.

Madison Murry Franklin Heights What I learned: That bad things happen to good people. However, it is up to me to truly make a difference in how I move forward in my life. It is fine to be upset for a bit, but you can’t stay in a bad space. I have to keep moving forward.

Kendall Craiglow Reynoldsburg What I learned: That I don’t enjoy online classes as much as I thought I would but I did enjoy the experience of my crazy senior year.

Daniel Stimson Marion Harding

Lasting memory: Adversity is a gift. Even though my senior tennis season was canceled, I still look at it as a chance to better myself mentally, physically and spiritually. Things don’t always go as planned, but that’s life and it’s important to learn from experiences like this and keep moving forward.

Jillian Jakse Jonathan Alder

Proudest sports moment: Pro When my softball team won the Division II state championship. The feeling that overcomes you the moment you realize you have won and the dogpile that followed is a feeling that I will cherish forever.

Edward Jewett Newark Catholic

Big Walnut’s Viktor Giordano

my little sister over meals I cooked. In the past I often didn’t have the time to spend with my family, so I’m grateful for our conversations.

Mount Vernon’s Maggie Williams

Evan Teeters Centennial

What I learned: During quarantine, I learned that I am more resilient than I thought, and that I have the perseverance to handle the impromptu challenges that life will throw my way.

Josie Howell Liberty Union

What I learned: I always wanted to be homeschooled, but I learned it wasn’t as great as I thought it would be. I also realized that people really do come together in tough times; teachers, parents, churches, the media, putting things together for the class of 2020.

Alexandra Powelson Newark Catholic

What I learned: That it’s OK to have a bad day and I need to continue to learn to be gentle with myself when those days come along. It’s OK to take a break every now and then and it’s OK to not be perfect.

Jackie Wolford Worthington Kilbourne

What I’ve learned: That you have to give each other space and you have to make sure you get time to yourself. I’ve also learned that you have to motivate yourself like never before if you want to get things done, especially keeping up with your sports.

Wendy Shi Upper Arlington

Lasting memory: I have had more time to spend with my family, and reconnect with my parents and

Danielle Nowe Tree of Life

What I’ve learned: That humans were not created to live life alone because we are designed to be relational. I’ve also learned not to take everyday moments for granted because you never know when it’ll be your last chance to enjoy them.

Viktor Giordano Big Walnut

What I’ve learned: That nothing in life is guaranteed. I was crushed when I learned that I wouldn't step on a baseball field again, but cowering in self-pity never leads to forward progress. A positive attitude about my future goals kept me motivated through these unusual times.

Vik Hudson Olentangy

Lasting memory: How my teachers, the Olentangy staff and the community managed to create a memorable conclusion of the senior year for every student during this pandemic.

Sarah Sue Morbitzer Hamilton Township

What I’ve learned: The importance of human connection. It has been extremely hard to stay isolated from school, classmates and other family members, as I have always relied on those special connections on a daily basis.

Whether it was a quick FaceTime or a simple “How are you?” text message, I learned that those gestures mean a great deal.

Kelsey Knudsen Pickerington Central

Lasting memory: My senior year has taught me

that even though I may have a plan for my future, there is no guarantee things will turn out the way I anticipate. Because of this, I have grasped a deeper understanding of the importance of having an open mind when it comes to change.

Maggie Williams Mount Vernon

Lasting memory: From the get-go, my senior year was marked by strength in community from the support I received throughout my golf season to the resiliency shown when the coronavirus shut down our school. I have found it important to cherish the experiences I did get to have instead of dwelling on what I missed out on through the last quarter of high school.

Rebekah Revadelo Whitehall

Lasting memory: I was glad to have gotten a senior night for my final gymnastics season. Since we have to practice and compete in a gym outside the school, it’s difficult for other students to attend. However, for this meet, the school was able to provide a bus, and I had never had that many students and friends come watch a meet.

Kaycie Stark Pleasant

What I’ve learned: I learned that I do not enjoy being home as much as I thought I did before.

Before, I was so busy that the thought of staying home for a day was great, but now I get very excited to leave my house.

Jake Llaneza Westerville South

Lasting memory: I hope to take away a sense of gratitude. Although I was not able to play my senior baseball season I was able to step back and be grateful

What I’ve learned: People love to complain.

But at the end of the day, after complaining doesn’t get us anywhere, humanity is a pretty innovative and perseverant bunch.

Jacob Chadwick Pickerington North

Lasting memory: Hitting with the other seniors on the baseball team one last time. We got on the field right before everything was shut down and just had fun.

Maxwell Devine Gahanna

What I’ve learn learned: ed: It’s much harder for me to manage my own time effectively when I have so much more of it, but I can still make great use of it.

Syrai Armistead Beechcroft

What I’ve learned: Even in the bad times you can make good out of it. For example, starting your own business while we were on lockdown!

Lucas Hazlett Buckeye Valley What I’ve learned: People are patient if you are patient with them.

Logan Hudson Linden

What I’ve learned: That patience and acceptance are important to adapting to the obstacles life throws at us.

Becoming patient and accepting has been good for me in more ways than one.

I’ve also been able to have my friends learn these qualities with me as we dealt with virtual graduation and the COVID pandemic.

Ethan Harsh Olentangy Berlin What I’ve learn learned: ed: It’s harder to hold yourself accountable when nobody is watching, but you learn a lot about yourself when you are the one holding yourself accountable.

31 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2020 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

for everything else I have.

No matter how tough you think you may have it, somebody else has it worse.

There are bigger problems than me missing my senior sports season.

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LEADERSHIP IS MORE THAN A POSITION IT’S A BEHAVIOR Congratulations 2020 Scholar Athlete Award Finalists!

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