Education roundup: Stark students shine at Ohio Civics Bee
Stark students take first and second at Ohio Civics Bee
Two Stark County students took first and second place recently at The Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Ohio Civics Bee state finals at Ohio State University’s Ohio Union in Columbus.
Aarit Koul, who is from Jackson Township and is entering seventh grade at Jackson Memorial Middle School, won first place. He presented on the topic of ecological catastrophe. He was awarded $3,000.
Destiny Nshimiye, who is from Uniontown and is entering eighth grade at North Canton Middle School, won second place. Her topic was impactful tutoring. She was awarded $2,000.
Leading up to the competition, middle school students from across the state submitted a 500-word essay on their ideas for improving their communities. From these essays, judges chose 20 finalists to compete in each of the four regional competitions that were hosted by local chambers of commerce. The top five finalists at each regional competition answered follow-up questions about their essays, and the top three from each were invited to compete at the state finals.
Eleven students sat on stage at the state finals, competing first in two rounds of multiple-choice questions that tested their knowledge of civics and government. The five students with the highest scores moved on to the final round − presenting the essays they had originally submitted to qualify for their local competitions.
Judges Bob Taft, former governor of Ohio; Laura Lanese, president of the Inter-University Council; and Eric Kearney, president and CEO of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African-American Chamber of Commerce, asked each finalist follow-up questions about their essays before determining which students were awarded first, second and third place.
The Ohio Civics Bee was modeled after the National Civics Bee, which is an initiative that seeks to encourage more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. The competition in Ohio aimed to help middle schoolers become better informed about American democracy, engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and build greater trust in others and institutions, according to a news release. The event was held in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and The Civic Trust.
Walsh University changes board leadership, adds members
NORTH CANTON − Walsh University’s Board of Directors selected alumnae Carol Miller ’93, as chair, and Barbara Yingling ’92, ’96, as vice-chair, for two-year terms effective July 2023.
Miller succeeds A.J. Hyland, former president and CEO of Hyland Software, Inc., who retired from the board of directors after nine years of service. Miller is a product, marketing, and business executive. She has more than eight years of service on the board.
Barbara Yingling served as vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital until her retirement in 2022. She also served as incident commander throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Yingling graduated from Massillon Community Hospital with a bachelor of science in nursing and received a master's degree in education management from Walsh University.
Also joining the Board of Directors in July are Kevin Kelly, John Nichols and Atwell Williams.
Walsh student scholarship fundraiser is Sept. 8
NORTH CANTON − The Walsh University Women’s Committee will host its annual Boot Scootin’ Barbeque fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 8 at Walsh’s Hoover Park Dance Hall, 1875 E. Maple St. The evening of fun, music, costume contests and line dancing is open to the public.
Tickets are $40 per person and $280 for a table of eight, with proceeds benefiting student scholarships. Make reservations by Sept. 1 at www.walsh.edu/bootscoot or by calling 330-490-7567.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Education roundup: Stark students shine at Ohio Civics Bee
