The Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center presented Wednesday, March 9, 2022, more than 60 awards to students and educators from 16 districts during its annual Awards Night celebration held at Secrest Auditorium. More than 300 students, educators, family members and friends attended the event to celebrate the award recipients’ achievements. At the event, the Franklin B. Walter All-Scholastic Awards, Exemplary Educator Awards, Susan Writing Awards and Outstanding Senior and Teacher Awards were presented.
The Franklin B. Walter All-Scholastic Awards are named after former Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Franklin B. Walter. Each of the 16 school districts in Muskingum Valley’s service region nominated one student based on his or her outstanding academic achievement, community service, and leadership abilities. A panel of judges then selected one county winner, who received a $500 scholarship. County Award Winners are Kavan Jackson, Coshocton High School; Levi Keck, Logan High School, Josephine Knierim, Morgan High School, Kierston Harper, Philo High School; Anna Lowers, Caldwell High School, Grace Barker, New Lexington High School; and Sarah Garretson, Newcomerstown High School.
Park National Bank provided scholarship awards for county winners in Coshocton, Hocking, Muskingum and Tuscarawas counties. The Community Bank sponsored the Perry County scholarship. The Farmers and Merchants Bank and Boyd Precision Painting jointly sponsored the Noble County Scholarship. The Henery Family Scholarship was presented to the Morgan County winner.
Additionally, two students, Ella Dean and Scott T. Moore, both from John Glenn High School, received the Susan Writing Awards and $1,000 scholarships from the Susan Mahoney Writing Scholarship. The Susan Award was created to memorialize the tremendous writing talent of Susan Elizabeth Mahoney. Susan was the daughter of Jim and Judy Mahoney. She passed away during her sophomore year at John Glenn High School. Seniors from high schools in Coshocton, Muskingum and Morgan counties annually provide writing samples and apply for the scholarship award.
Seventeen educators were recognized as “Exemplary Educators” from 16 districts in the MVESC region and the educational service center. The Muskingum Valley ESC received a Jennings Grant in August 2001 in recognition of Jim Mahoney’s selection as the 2001 Ohio Outstanding Superintendent. This grant originally funded this award recognition, but the award is now funded by the MVESC. The intent of this award is to recognize exemplary teachers and other educators in the seven-county ESC area.
Students from 16 districts were selected as Outstanding Seniors by their high school principals based on the student’s exceptional academic record, leadership in their school and community, and having earned other honors and awards. The seniors were then asked to choose one teacher from their academic career who has been a motivating influence on their goals and dreams. Each senior wrote a short essay describing the teacher’s impact on them, which was read during the event.
A complete list of award recipients by county is available here.