Life briefs: GOAL Digital Academy, Richland Academy and ODNR appointments
GOAL Digital Academy names new assistant principal
GOAL Digital Academy has promoted intervention specialist LeRoy Smith to assistant principal. He will be the lead administrator on site for both the Mansfield and Galion GOAL Digital Academy Learning Labs. An integral part of his job includes overseeing all summer extended learning programs for GOAL.
Smith is a veteran educator with over 25 years experience in Richland County. He earned a bachelor of science from Bowling Green University and a masters in administration from the American College of Education.
Smith started teaching at GOAL Digital Academy in August 2014. He has been an intervention specialist within the Special Education Department as well as a health and physical education teacher. Before joining the GOAL Digital Academy staff, Smith taught special education and health at Mansfield Senior High School then moved to teach special education at Madison Comprehensive High School. He also spent a year as a drug and alcohol treatment supervisor at Abraxas Shelby.
Local student named to statewide council
COLUMBUS—Starbella Cordrey, a senior at Crestview High School, is one of 50 students selected by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) as members of the Conservation Teen Advisory Council (ConTAC) for this upcoming school year. ConTAC provides high school students from across Ohio with a unique opportunity to collaborate and contribute ideas to enhance ODNR’s youth outreach program efforts.
ConTAC members serve at minimum one year on the council. They are tasked with developing and implementing campaigns and strategies that positively impact their community and environment. Examples of past projects include stream quality monitoring, habitat restoration, educating youth on environmental issues and fundraisers. Students are strongly encouraged to bring their new skills and knowledge back into their respective communities. Twenty-one members of ConTAC are returning to the program for the 2022-2023 school year. With 71 students, the program represents 35 counties and 56 schools.
Music therapy opportunities coming to Richland Academy
Board certified music therapist and pianist Olivia Rayburn will offer classes and lessons this fall at Richland Academy of the Arts. Group Piano for Beginners, Senior 60+ Group Drumming and private piano lessons are just a few of the offerings Academy students can expect to see this fall.
Rayburn received a bachelor's of music degree from Baldwin Wallace University where she studied music therapy with piano as her primary instrument. After becoming a board certified music therapist in August 2021, she worked in the Cleveland area providing therapy and private music lessons for children, teenagers and adults.
Before moving to Cleveland to pursue a music therapy degree, Rayburn lived in the Mansfield area where she accompanied youth theater productions at the Mansfield Playhouse and Fredericktown High School, as well as choir concerts at Clear Fork High School and Middle School. She also was organist at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mansfield.
For more information on registering lessons, call Richland Academy at 419-522-8224 or visit richlandacademy.com.
Mansfield resident running to support The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
FALMOUTH, MASS — Kimberly Foley of Mansfield will run the 2022 Falmouth Road Race, the race’s 50th running, as a member of Dougie’s Team supporting The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. Foley will raise money to help the Flutie Foundation continue to fund programs that help people and families affected by autism live life to the fullest.
The Flutie Foundation provides financial support to families to relieve the financial burden of caring for a loved one with autism, and collaborative grant making to autism-serving organizations. The Flutie Foundation works towards creating opportunities for people with autism to lead lives where they are included, respected and engaged in their communities.
“I ran in the 2021 Boston Marathon and Dougie's Team for Autism runners took me under their wing," said Foley. "This Foundation and their team hold a special place in my heart and I am honored to now represent them as a runner.”
For more information on how to support Kimberly and Dougie’s Team, visit raceroster.com.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Appointments announced at GOAL Digital Academy, Richland Academy
