SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | SPECIAL SECTION

SCHOLAR ATHLETES
2017

TOPS IN THEIR CLASS

Award winners gather around guest speaker Bo Jackson,
back middle, at the Dispatch Motorists Insurance Group
Scholar Athletes Award banquet June 7 at the Greater
Columbus Convention Center. They were among 214 Presented by
high school seniors from central Ohio who were honored
for excellence in athletics, academics, leadership and
community service.
DISPATCH PHOTO BY JOSHUA A. BICKEL
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 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 3

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Introduced in May 1982, the Dispatch Motorists
Insurance Group Scholar-Athlete Awards annually
honor the best and brightest high school students
in central Ohio.
In March, The Dispatch mailed nomination forms
to 117 area high schools, asking administrators from
each school to select two seniors – one girl and one
boy – as their institution’s top scholar-athletes to
vie for $94,000 in college scholarships.
These scholarships are funded by Motorists,
Wolfe Associates, OhioHealth, Atlas Butler and
the family of Capt. Warren B. Sneed. Awards and
scholarships were presented at the 2017 Scholar-
Athlete Awards banquet on June 7 at the Greater
Columbus Convention Center.
This year, 214 scholar-athletes from 111 partic-
ipating schools were selected. Each honoree received
free admission to the banquet as well as a plaque
and gift bag from the program sponsors.

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 ath-
letic performance, school leadership, community
service and other criteria.

Sponsored awards

Audrey Grammel of Columbus Academy accepts the top female scholar athlete award with, from left, Archie Griffin, David L. Kaufman and
John J. Bishop during the Dispatch Motorists Insurance Group scholar athlete awards banquet on June 7. JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH

Primed for success

• The John J. Bishop Awards, presented by
Motorists Insurance Group, are presented to a top
male and top female scholar-athlete who show
exemplary leadership skills within their schools.
• The Capt. Warren B. Sneed
Memorial Scholarship is presented
on behalf of the 1991 Dispatch Scholar-athletes such as Academy’s Grammel
scholar-athlete from Circleville
High School who died in Novem-
ber 2000 in a military accident over
invite challenges with joy and determination
the Sea of Japan. The award has By TIM MAY
been presented annually since 2001. THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
• The Atlas But-
ler Strength & Ser- Having graduated from
vice Award is pre- Columbus Academy, Audrey
sented to a scholar- Grammel is headed to David-
athlete who has strengthened and improved his or son College. And while she
her community by going above and beyond to make plans to keep competing in
it a better place to live. swimming, track and cross
country, her postgraduate
• The OhioHealth plans are up in the air.
Perseverance Award “We do a senior project at
is presented to a top Columbus Academy before
scholar-athlete who has persevered over illnesses graduation where we kind of
and/or injuries and dealt with a major challenge. The look at what we want to do,
student is honored for his or her determination and and I shadowed different
courage in how he or she has overcome adversity. doctors,” Grammel said. “I
know I definitely want to do
Photography something in the medical field.
Scholarship win- “I visited a cardiologist, and
ners’ portraits were I actually liked a periodontist
taken by Dispatch that I saw. I don’t know why,
photographers Eric but there’s something about Keynote speaker Bo Jackson chats with Dispatch sportswriter Rob Oller, left, and WBNS-TV sports
Albrecht and Fred dental surgery that I’m a fan
of.” anchor Dom Tiberi during the event. JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH
Squillante. Some
portraits were shot She laughed, knowing full
Jackson said. always loved reading so, so “I’m a rule-follower; I
at the student’s well that her parents, David
Eric Fred and Andrea, are practicing In athletic competition, much.” definitely don’t want to let my
school, others at a Grammel excelled by earning On vacation trips, for exam- teachers down, my parents
Albrecht Squillante dentists.
location deemed 16 varsity letters in swimming, ple, instead of plugging in down or anyone down.”
meaningful to the student. The Dispatch would like Regardless, Grammel’s
future appears bright and wide track, cross country and soccer earphones and shutting out When not practicing for her
to thank and acknowledge all of the entities that
accommodated our requests, including Ohio State open, just as it does for the at Columbus Academy. She others in the car, “We’ve sports, she kept busy the past
University, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Com- 213 other high school seniors also found it natural to over- always read books as a fam- several years by serving as a
munity United Methodist Church, Marion Coun- who were honored June 7 at achieve on the academic side. ily,” she said. Selections from lifeguard at the YMCA in
try Club, Marion YMCA and Scioto Country Club. The Dispatch Motorists Insur- As long as she can remem- author Mary Higgins Clark Gahanna, and coaching Spe-
ance Group scholar-athlete ber she has put in extra study were the favorites. cial Olympians, initially in
time, whether it was for Her mother might start by swimming.
Correction awards dinner.
On an evening when 1985 spelling tests as a fourth- reading aloud, she said, then “But now I coach swim-
Because of an editor’s error, the sports played Heisman Trophy winner and grader to try to get into the pass the book to Audrey or her ming, track and golf, which I
by Tessa Medrano of Village Academy listed on successful businessman Bo advance group or the pursuit younger sister, Annalise, to don’t play myself – I’m
pages 11 and 20 are incorrect. They should read: Jackson was the guest of above and beyond the class- pick up on the following chap- absolutely horrible at,” she
Tennis (4 years), track (4), cross country (3). honor, Grammel and Hartley’s room with her interests in the ter. said with a laugh. “I’m good at
Mitchell Bergman, who won medical field. “It’s always been a part of driving the golf cart around,
Contact us $10,000 scholarships, were “It’s just about pushing my life,” Grammel said. “And and usually it’s them coaching
among the rising stars in the yourself and motivating your- I think reading translates well me because I don’t know what
If you have a question or comment about the spe- self to do the best that you into studying for school. I’m I’m doing. Teach it once, learn
room.
cial section or the Dispatch’s scholar-athlete pro-
“I tip my hat to these kids can,” Grammel said. The interested in the things I’m it twice, whatever. It is fun.”
gram, contact:
and all they’ve done, and the curiosity might have been learning, so that helps with my
Ray Stein … 614-461-5236 scholarships they’ve earned nurtured by her parents early motivation, getting my home- tmay@dispatch.com
rstein@dispatch.com and schools they’re going to,” on, but she added, “I have work done on time. @TIM_MAYsports
4 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Africentric Amanda-Clearcreek Beechcroft Berne Union Bexley

Alexus Austin Kayin Perkins Michaela Sahr James Sites Makyah Lee Aarin Smoot-Baker Braden Little Grace Maley Nicholas De la Cruz
(3.7) (3.16) (3.96) (4.16) (3.2) (3.0) (3.81) (4.53) (4.44)
Volleyball (4 years) Football (2 years), Soccer (4 years), Football (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Football (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Lacrosse (4 years), Baseball (4 years),
baseball (2), basketball (4), baseball (3) track (3) wrestling (2), baseball (4), ice hockey (4) soccer (4),
tennis (2), track (1) track (2) track (2) football (2) basketball (2)

Big Walnut Bloom-Carroll Briggs Buckeye Valley Canal Winchester

Taryn Hammond Zachary MacDonald Megan Robinson Jacob Peters Laura Fox Elise Schneller Ben Spaulding Alyssa Edwards Mason Kamer
(4.1) (4.27) (4.22) (4.0) (4.2) (4.16) (3.78) (3.66) (3.6)
Basketball (4 years), Cross country (4 Soccer (4 years), Football (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Soccer (4 years) Football (4 years), Softball (4 years) Golf (4 years)
softball (4) years), track (4), basketball (4) baseball (4), bowling (2), baseball (4),
swimming (4) basketball (2) track (1) basketball (2)

Cardington Centennial Centerburg Central Crossing Circleville

Nadia Kerman Derek Goodman Emily Yoder-Tiedt Brandon Gibson Morgan Sheasby Michael Collins Katie Brewer Jake Ferenchak Avery DeLong Gregory Brewer
(4.67) (4.35) (4.07) (3.98) (4.12) (4.27) (4.29) (3.9) (4.34) (3.61)
Boys golf (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Volleyball (4 years) Baseball (4 years) Cross country Baseball (4 years), Volleyball (4 years), Track (3 years), Soccer (4 years), Wrestling (4 years),
basketball (4), cross country (3), (4 years), track (4) football (4), swimming (4) cross country (3) basketball (4), football (3)
track (4) track (1) basketball (4) track (4), cross
country (1)
 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 5

Columbus Academy CSG Cristo Rey Danville Delaware

Audrey Grammel Roman Bellisari Sadiyah Babatunde Asia Riley Lavon Marshall Vanessa Hawk Russell Alden Brooke Justin Hernan
(3.9) (3.5) (3.72) (3.9) (3.2) (4.07) (3.68) Glesenkamp (3.76)
Soccer (4 years), Football (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Basketball (3 years) Basketball (2 years) Basketball (4 years), Wrestling (4 years), (3.85) Cross country (4
cross country (4), lacrosse (4), basketball (4), softball (4) baseball (1) Swimming (4 years), track (4)
swimming (4), swimming (3) track (4) years), track (4)
track (4)

DeSales Dublin Coffman Dublin Jerome Dublin Scioto East

Emily Kraker Anthony Salmeron Megan Cameron Cal Haefke Mariana Erana Jack Herceg Alexis McQuade Joel Shambaugh Lyric Andrews
(4.15) (4.16) (4.3) (4.31) Salmeron (4.34) (4.3) (4.48) (3.16)
Lacrosse (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Track (4 years), Baseball (4 years), (4.4) Golf (4 years) Volleyball (4 years), Swimming (4 Softball (4 years),
basketball (4) track (1), football (1) cheerleading (2) football (4) Golf (4 years) track (3) years), football (1), volleyball (1), track
lacrosse (1) (1)

East Knox Eastmoor Academy Elgin Fairbanks Fairfield Christian

Lyndsey Gallwitz Drake Pence Victoria Heard Bernard Banaga Makenzee Runda Syler Dyer Krista Nicol Jack Herbst Kyleigh Edwards Luke Hoover
(3.68) (3.41) (4.1) (3.8) (4.02) (4.38) (3.94) (3.94) (3.8) (4.0)
Softball (4 years), Football (4 years), Track (3 years), Football (3 years), Volleyball (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Golf (4 years), Track (4 years), Cross country (4 Cross country (4
volleyball (4), track (4), cross country (1) track (3), soccer (1) basketball (4), baseball (4), bowling (3) cross country (1) years), track (2) years), track (4),
basketball (2), wrestling (1) softball (4) football (2), golf (1) football (1)
track (1)
6 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Fairfield Union Fisher Catholic Franklin Heights Fredericktown Gahanna

Emma Hoellrich Hayden Price Bailey Brock Conrad Madelyn Castle Derek Dang Rachel Tumbleson Wyat Harmon Emily Sloan Major Belli
(4.0) (4.0) Muckensturm (4.1) (3.71) (4.2) (4.48) (4.48) (4.0) (4.06)
Track (4 years), Basketball (3 years), (4.03) Football (4 years), Cross country (4 Track (4 years), Cross country (4 Cross country (4 Soccer (4 years), Swimming (4
cross country (4) soccer (3), baseball Volleyball (4 years), baseball (4), years), track (4) cross country (3) years), track (4) years), track (4) hockey (4), years), baseball (4)
(2), track (1) basketball (4) bowling (1) lacrosse (3)

Grandview Granville Granville Christian Grove City Grove City Christian

Molly Smith Patrick Taylor Brooke Kauchak William Sharp Keegan Muth Sheldon Weekley Gina Conti Zachary Sammeth Lane Scott Clayton Lepley
(4.23) (3.8) (4.02) (4.06) (4.0) (3.91) (3.61) (3.68) (4.17) (4.08)
Soccer (4 years), Football (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Basketball (2 years), Basketball (4 years), Basketball (4 years) Volleyball (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Football (4 years),
basketball (4), track baseball (4) swimming (4), golf (2), baseball (1), volleyball (3) basketball (4), basketball (4), soccer (3) track (1)
(4), cheerleading (1) track (1) tennis (1) track (2) football (1)

Groveport Hamilton Township Hartley Harvest Prep Heath

Kendra Soler Kenneth Pettay Julia Scholl Anthony Morbitzer Margaret Farrell Mitchell Bergman Antwyan Reynolds Abigail Wilhelm Aaron Latiolais
(4.07) (3.3) (3.71) (3.31) (4.0) (3.97) (3.77) (4.49) (3.67)
Volleyball (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Volleyball (3 years) Football (4 years), Track (4 years), Soccer (4 years) Basketball (3 years), Track (4 years), Football (4 years),
track (1) baseball (4) baseball (2) volleyball (2), football (1), track (1) cheerleading (4), basketball (4),
swimming (1) cross country (2) track (1)
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 7
8 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Highland Hilliard Bradley Hilliard Darby Hilliard Davidson Independence

Julie Scarbury Colten Oakley Haley Delpico Michael “Cullen” Victoria McLaughlin Ellis Farson Kelly Heck Jeremy Kenny Oluwaseun Isaiah Thierno Ba
(3.71) (4.0) (4.63) Bober (4.69) (3.81) (4.31) (3.84) (4.17) (3.5)
Cheerleading (3 Basketball (4 years) Soccer (4 years), (4.71) Swimming (4 Cross country (4 Golf (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Cross country (4 Soccer (4 years)
years) track (1) Cross country (3 years), track (4), years), track (3), basketball (3), baseball (3) years), track (4),
years), track (2), cross country (3), baseball (1) softball (2) bowling (3),
lacrosse (1) soccer (1) tennis (1)

International Johnstown Jonathan Alder Lakewood Lancaster

Imani Roberts Samantha Kyle Matoszkia Aziza Ayoub Matthew Seimer Shae Miller Blaine Hafen Savannah Dalton Christopher
(4.2) Edwards (4.29) (3.97) (3.98) (3.97) (4.22) (4.12) (4.36) Meszaros
Volleyball (4 years), Basketball (4 years) Basketball (4 years), Track (4 years), Football (4 years), Soccer (4 years) Track (4 years), Basketball (4 years), (4.59)
track (3), softball (1), cross country (1) basketball (3), track (4), football (1) soccer (3), track (1) Baseball (3 years),
basketball (1) cross country (2), basketball (4) cross country (2),
soccer (1) football (1)

Liberty Union Licking Heights Licking Valley Linden Logan Elm

Kenley French Blake Morman Katie Palombaro Leland Kelly Breanne Butler Griffen Moore Payzlie Kylen Burns Jessica Willard Garrett Mitchel
(4.17) (4.0) (3.84) (3.74) (3.8) (4.05) Burden-Mickens (3.81) (3.74) (4.0)
Cross country (4 Track (4 years), Softball (4 years), Football (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Football (4 years), (3.56) Bowling (4 years) Tennis (4 years), Football (4 years),
years), track (4), cross country (1), basketball (3), wrestling (4) track (2), lacrosse (2), Basketball (4 years) basketball (4), wrestling (4),
basketball (2) football (1) soccer (2), volleyball (1) basketball (2), track (1), softball (1) track (1)
volleyball (2) baseball (2)
 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 9

London Madison Christian Madison Plains Marion-Franklin Marion Harding

McLaren Rogerson Grant Brooks Jayln Stackhouse Connor Randall Addison Davison Ross Buscemi Tyneesha Jaylon Williams Jessica Vela Phillip Nicol
(4.35) (4.29) (3.79) (4.08) (3.57) (3.5) Cunningham (2.66) (4.74) (4.0)
Soccer (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Soccer (4 years) Volleyball (4 years), Football (4 years), (2.2) Basketball (2 years), Swimming (3 Cross country (4
track (4) basketball (4), soccer (2), track (1) basketball (4), baseball (3), Basketball (2 years), track (2) years), tennis (1), years), swimming
tennis (1) track (4), soccer (1) basketball (3) track (2) track (1) (4), track (4)

Marysville Mifflin Millersport Mount Gilead Mount Vernon

Kathleen Kennedy Connor Hall Sopiyatra Long Delonte Myers Cassie Schilling Alec Harrison Olivia Brewer Daniel Williamson Natasha Miller Jacob Tiell
(4.23) (4.43) (3.3) (3.15) (3.88) (4.04) (3.6) (4.14) (4.22) (4.28)
Track (3 years), Swimming (4 Softball (4 years), Wrestling (3 years), Softball (4 years), Cross country (4 Volleyball (4 years), Football (4 years), Volleyball (4 years) Football (4 years),
gymnastics (1) years), track (4) bowling (2), cross country (3), cheerleading (1) years), track (4), track (4) track (2) basketball (4),
tennis (1) baseball (2), basketball (3) baseball (4)
football (1)

New Albany Newark Newark Catholic North Union Northland

Sierra Parkinson Maxwell Frye Leah Wingeier Quinn Anderson Megan Stanton Andrew Snider Emma Hayward Garrett Schilling Skyler Babcock Brandon Waugh
(4.2) (4.13) (3.52) (4.1) (3.92) (4.0) (4.0) (3.97) (3.49) (3.3)
Softball (4 years) Track (4 years), Volleyball (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Volleyball (4 years), Football (4 years), Cross country (4 Cross country (4 Softball (4 years), Basketball (4 years),
football (1) basketball (4) basketball (2) swimming (4), wrestling (2), years), track (4), years), track (4), tennis (3), tennis (3)
track (4) swimming (1), basketball (1) basketball (2) bowling (2)
track (1)
10 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Northmor Northridge Northside Christian Olentangy Olentangy Liberty

Kristen Duryea Anthony Jack Jenna Denune Chris George Breanna Potts Morgan Max Hall Claire Buckey Ryan Milligan
(3.91) White (4.0) (3.57) (4.11) (4.0) McCandless (4.24) (4.08) (3.89)
Cross country (4 Cross country (4 Basketball (4 years) Golf (4 years), Volleyball (4 years), (4.33) Football (4 years), Field hockey (4 Cross country (4
years), track (4) years), track (4) basketball (4) basketball (4), Cross country (4 wrestling (4) years), lacrosse (4) years), track (3)
track (1) years), track (4)

Olentangy Orange Pickerington Central Pickerington North Pleasant Ready

Hannah Sargent Hunter Moore Elizabeth Fee Chance Esmont Abby Grube Peter Vanderhoff Valentina Martin Drayson Campbell Katherine Perry Ian Binns
(4.0) (3.85) (4.56) (3.54) (3.7) (4.3) (3.92) (4.0) (4.71) (4.35)
Basketball (4 years), Cross country Basketball (4 years), Football (4 years), Cross country (4 Tennis (4 years) Cross country (4 Golf (4 years), Cross country (4 Golf (4 years),
soccer (4) (4 years), track (2) track (4), wrestling (4) years), swimming years), swimming swimming (4), years), track (4) bowling (4),
cross country (4), (4), track (4) (4), track (4) tennis (4) baseball (4)
soccer (3)

Reynoldsburg Ridgedale River Valley Shekinah Christian South

Hannah Gaskins Joseph Cooper Jr. Emma Forry Hunter Boyd Christina Longo Cort Klingel Sabrina Slabaugh Christopher Conte Demeisha Ransom Dez Robinson
(3.6) (3.9) (4.6) (3.8) (3.94) (3.73) (4.0) (4.0) (3.27) (3.23)
Basketball (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Football (4 years), Track (4 years), Football (4 years), Volleyball (3 years), Basketball (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Football (4 years),
track (4), football (3), track (1) cross country (2), track (4), basketball (4), track (4) basketball (3) tennis (2) track (4), cross basketball (4),
volleyball (2) track (2), basketball (3) volleyball (4) country (3), track (4)
volleyball (2) bowling (2)
 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 11

St. Charles Teays Valley Thomas Worthington Tree of Life Upper Arlington

Evan Yakubov Raelynn Hastings Cody Tripp Hannah Moulton Joshua Allen Nicole Ihlenfield Matthew Badea Anna Schildmeyer Andy Hummer
(4.1) (4.17) (4.31) (4.37) (4.36) (4.07) (3.93) (4.27) (4.16)
Golf (4 years), Softball (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Cross country Track (4 years), Volleyball (4 years), Soccer (4 years) Lacrosse (4 years), Golf (4 years),
tennis (4) volleyball (4), track (4), (4 years), track (4) soccer (3), cheerleading (4) field hockey (4) basketball (2)
basketball (1) basketball (4), cross country (1)
cross country (3)

Utica Village Academy Walnut Ridge Watkins Memorial Watterson

Grace Brubaker Phillip Barrows Tessa Medrano Jack DeLano Efinity Crawford Michael Ayers Caitlyn Smith Cory Steer Giavanna Paradiso Nicholas Giesler
(4.02) (3.9) (4.11) (4.16) (3.1) (3.44) (4.17) (4.12) (3.7) (3.67)
Track (4 years) Wrestling (4 years) Swimming (4 Track (4 years), Volleyball (4 years), Football (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Soccer (4 years) Basketball (4 years), Lacrosse (4 years),
years), track (4), cross country (3), basketball (4), track (4), basketball (2), field hockey (4) football (4),
cross country (2), soccer (2), track (4) wrestling (3) softball (2) basketball (1)
volleyball (1) basketball (1)

Wellington West West Jefferson Westerville Central Westerville North

Nia Gill Connor Weber Jordan Claffey Mose Lattimore Morgan McKinney Martin Ellinger Abigail Steele Evan Ingram Karli Royer Danny Mayotte
(3.23) (3.5) (4.06) (3.6) (4.13) (3.9) (4.34) (3.87) (4.2) (3.9)
Lacrosse (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Softball (4 years), Football (4 years), Cheerleading (4 Football (2 years), Volleyball (4 years), Baseball (4 years), Soccer (4 years), Tennis (3 years),
tennis (4) basketball (1) volleyball (3) track (3), bowling (1) years), track (1) basketball (2), basketball (4), hockey (3), basketball (4), football (1), basket-
baseball (1) track (3) football (3) track (1) ball (1), baseball (1)

Congratulations to
The 
 Scholar-Athletes

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12 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Westerville South Westland

Olivia Talamo Austin Lovell (4.4) Mia Botkins (4.23) Curtiss Shore
(4.61) Baseball (4 years), Tennis (4 years) (4.14)
Swimming (4 soccer (4) Track (4 years)
years), soccer (4)

Whetstone Whitehall

Congratulations to all
Bailey Waitkus Michael Ray Rebecca Maxstead Natnael Dessa
the Scholar Athletes. Best Wishes (3.66)
Soccer (4 years),
(4.07)
Baseball (4 years),
(4.33)
Softball (4 years),
(3.34)
Soccer (4 years),
on your next journey! softball (4),
bowling (3),
basketball (4),
football (3),
volleyball (4) cross country (4),
tennis (4), track (1),
football (1) soccer (1) wrestling (1)

Worthington Christian Worthington Kilbourne

614.594.0230
1494 Stringtown Road | Grove City, OH 43123 Lynsey Meeks Jay Joseph Bethany Lange Jack Trombetti
(3.94) (3.89) (3.85) (3.6)
meyersjewelers.com Softball (4 years) Basketball (4 years) Gymnastics Football (4 years),
(4 years) lacrosse (4)
Monday – Friday 10AM – 7PM • Saturday 10AM – 7:00PM
Closed Sundays to be with our Families!
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 13
14 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Top female
Scholar-Athlete
Audrey
Grammel
COLUMBUS ACADEMY
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.9
$10,000
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Soccer (4 years), cross
country (4), swimming (4), track (4)
Academic highlights: National Merit
Scholarship Commended Student; AP
Scholar with honors; scored 34 on ACT
Athletic highlights: Four-time state-
meet qualifier and all-league in cross
country; three-time state-meet quali-
fier and four-time all-league in swim-
ming; three-time state-meet qualifier
and all-league in track
College choice: Davidson College
(anticipated major: biology, with a
minor in English)
Photo location: In the lifeguard chair
Motorists fosters leadership
through $60,000 in scholarships
The culture at Motorists
Insurance Group encour-
ages all associates to be
leaders in their area of
expertise. It fosters inno-
vation, collaboration and
leadership on all projects.
Becoming the presenting
sponsor of the Scholar Ath-
lete Awards in 2007 seemed
fitting for Motorists as the
awards seek to foster the de-
velopment of outstanding
leaders in the community.
“At Motorists, we believe
leadership is a behavior,
not a position,” said Dave
Kaufman, CEO of Motor-
ists. “The Scholar Athlete
Awards support our mission
as a company to encourage
leadership in all individu-
als regardless of position.
We’re proud to support the
awards and the young lead-
ers they foster.”
Unlike other merit or
athletic scholarships, the
Scholar Athlete Awards
look at the student as a
whole. The awards aren’t
necessarily given to the best
athlete or student, but to
individuals who take the
at Columbus Academy’s indoor pool
Home front: My father is David, my
mother is Andrea and I have a 14-year-
old sister, Annalise. We have two dogs
(Chocolate and Bailey) and a cat (Lady
Kate).
Favorite subject: Biology. There is
something intriguing about the com-
plexity found in nature. Biology was
the first class that I found myself
putting in the extra effort where the
rewards weren’t directly associated
with a grade.
Least-favorite subject: Advanced
chemistry gave me the most trouble
lessons learned from sports
and apply them to accom-
plish academic excellence
and genuine care for their
communities. The awards
recognize leaders who stand
out on the field, in the
classroom and in their com-
munities.
The awards recognize leaders who
stand out on the field, in the
classroom and in their communities.
Each year, athletic direc-
tors at more than 100 high
schools throughout central
Ohio nominate students
who embody the ideals of
scholar athletes and are
outstanding team members.
This year, Motorists
will award $60,000 in
scholarships to 12 gradu-
but my struggle has given me confi-
dence that I am able to persevere and
stay mentally tough when I stumble.
How I relax: I love to dance! I used to
participate in tap, lyrical and jazz, but
now I look like I’m just flailing my
arms. It relaxes me quickly.
Favorite book: “Beloved,” by Toni
Morrison, is so masterfully written and
multifaceted that I struggle to express
its complexity. The writing style is
beautiful in that it changes based on
perspective without becoming inau-
thentic.
Favorite movie: “She’s The Man” is not
ating seniors. Two of the
scholarships honor John J.
Bishop, former president
and CEO of Motorists. The
John J. Bishop scholarships
are $10,000 each and are
awarded to one male and
one female athlete.
“John’s leadership at Mo-
torists left a lasting legacy
on our organization,” said
Kaufman. “We wanted to
honor that contribution by
passing on that legacy of
leadership to our commu-
nity.”
In the last decade as the
presenting sponsor of the
Scholar Athlete Awards,
FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH
only funny, it also brings back many
memories of time with my friends,
especially riding to soccer tourna-
ments.
Favorite TV show: “Hawaii Five-0” is
the only show I watch. It’s perfect for
my schedule because it is on Fridays
and my whole family enjoys watching
it.
Favorite musician: Garth Brooks, by far.
I went to see his concert last year and
had a great time! My sister and I were
probably the youngest people in the
audience, but he was so entertaining it
didn’t make a difference.
Motorists has contributed
nearly $500,000 in scholar-
ships to assist in the educa-
tion of hundreds of college
students.
The students who receive
these scholarships go on to
pursue a variety of studies –
from business to medicine,
the scholarships encour-
age further education to
develop leaders who will
directly impact the local
community.
Scholar Athletes have
gone on to study at univer-
sities close to home, such
as The Ohio State Univer-
sity, and throughout the
country at schools such
as Harvard University and
Vanderbilt University.
Motorists’ motto is to do
what’s best for policyhold-
ers, agents and associates in
every interaction.
By supporting its local
communities, Motorists
Essential app: Snapchat is the perfect
combination of news, food videos and
my friends.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Chef
Boyardee pizza, made by my dad. My
mom used to work late on Thursdays,
so it was his job to make dinner.
My cooking specialty: Melon pasta
sauce. You cook the melon with butter
and salt until it becomes mushy. Then
you add it to spaghetti and top it with
prosciutto.
Guilty pleasure: Dark chocolate,
although I allow myself to eat it as
often as humanly possible! Yes, I have
a stash hidden in my bedroom.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Synchro-
nized swimming. I am always amazed
by their precision and their waterproof
makeup.
Inspiration: Rosalind Franklin was an
activist for women’s suffrage, earned a
Ph.D. from Cambridge, and completed
the research necessary for the discov-
ery of the double helix shape of DNA.
Place I’d like to travel: Somewhere in
Japan. I have always been fascinated
by the culture and how the country has
developed.
Dream job: Anything where I can make
connections with people and help
them improve their lives.
Least-favorite household chore: Dust-
ing, by far. I am perfectly fine with
cleaning up my own messes, but I feel
like dusting is a little unfair.
Words to leave by: “No one can make
you feel inferior without your con-
sent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
is helping transform the
neighborhoods of those it
serves.
“Our goal is to make
a lasting contribution in
all communities we serve.
What amazes me is how
dedicated our associates are
to the community as well.
In addition to donating
more than 1,000 volunteer
hours, over 90 percent of
associates made personal
financial contributions last
year to charities Motorists
supports. From the Ronald
McDonald House, to the
Scholar Athlete Awards, to
over 100 individual chari-
ties across our geographic
footprint, we leave a perma-
nent mark in the neighbor-
hoods where we live and
work,” said Kaufman.
“We realize our success
comes from the trusting
and caring relationships our
associates have built with
our agents, policyholders
and communities. Living in
the same communities as
our agents and policyhold-
ers, we are there when you
need us most.”

Top male
Scholar-Athlete
Mitchell
Bergman
HARTLEY
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.97
$10,000
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Soccer (4 years)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; Wendy’s High School
Heisman state finalist; scored 34 on
ACT
Athletic highlights: First-team all-
state, all-district and all-league in
soccer
College choice: Ohio State (antici-
pated major: mechanical engineering,
honors program)
Photo location: On the field at OSU’s
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Home front: My parents are Scott and
Renee, who have been extremely
supportive of my academic and ath-
letic endeavors. I have two sisters,
Abigail (17) and Emma (14).
Favorite subject: I am a big fan of
mathematics and physics. Over the
past two years, I have taken AP Calcu-
lus AB, Calculus II, Statistics and
Honors Physics. I have thoroughly
enjoyed each one of these classes,
largely due to my teachers.
Least-favorite subject: The subject that
does not always pique my interest is
English. Give me a great book and I’ll
dive right in, but sometimes I’m not
intrigued by certain aspects of litera-
ture or grammar.
How I relax: The best way for me to
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
clear my mind is juggling a soccer ball.
When I want to relax, nothing works
better than juggling the ball for 20 or
30 minutes in the yard.
Prized possession: My high school
soccer All-American award. It became
even more surreal when I received the
award from Alexi Lalas.
Favorite book: “Tim Tebow: Through
My Eyes.” He is a great role model for
young student-athletes, and repre-
sents what it means to stand up for
what you believe in and how to
persevere in the face of adversity.
FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH
Favorite movies: The Bourne series.
Favorite TV show: “Friends” is televi-
sion at its finest – great storyline,
great characters.
Favorite musician: Sam Hunt is one of
my favorites, and what sets him apart
is his great songwriting.
Favorite website: YouTube. Apart from
watching soccer videos, I enjoy the
videos of a YouTuber named Casey
Neistat.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Grilled
steak with potatoes and vegetables.
It’s cooked mainly by mom, and dad
15
finishes it off on the grill.
My cooking specialty: Southwestern
omelet. Bob Evans makes a pretty
awesome omelet, but I may do it a
little bit better.
Guilty pleasure: Occasionally, I pur-
chase interesting new technology or
gadgets online. They are not always
expensive and sometimes you find a
cool product.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Moun-
tain biking – like serious mountain
biking in Colorado.
Favorite athlete: Cristiano Ronaldo’s
pursuit to be the best is unmatched.
He displays an incredible amount of
passion for soccer and thrives in high-
pressure situations.
Inspiration: My parents inspire me to
be the best version of myself in every
situation – good or bad.
Place I’d like to travel: Barcelona,
Spain. A visit to Barcelona is on my
bucket list, for both the beautiful city
and the magnificent futbol.
Dream job: Professional soccer player.
I have had very specific goals since I
was young. The first was to play high
school soccer, then college soccer, and,
of course, then play professionally in
the MLS and one day maybe in
Europe.
Least-favorite household chore: I love
mowing our large yard, but I can’t
stand collecting the branches that fall
from trees after a big storm.
Words to leave by: “Talent is never
enough. With few exceptions, the best
players are the hardest workers.” –
Magic Johnson
16 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
John J. Bishop female
Scholar-Athlete
Imani
Roberts
INTERNATIONAL
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.2
$10,000
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Volleyball (4 years),
track (3), softball (1), basketball
(1)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; AP Awards of
Excellence winner; scored 28 on
ACT
Athletic highlights: First-team all-
league in volleyball
College choice: Spelman College
(anticipated major: biology)
Photo location: At the entrance of
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at
Ohio State
Home front: My parents are Jessica
Jones and James Roberts. I have a 12-
year-old sister, Zion Roberts, and a 12-
year-old cousin, Kennedi Roberts, who
is like my sister.
Favorite subject: Psychology. I love
learning about how the human brain
works both biologically and mentally.
It explains why we are the way we
are.
Least-favorite subject: Physics. Math
and science are easy when they’re
separate, but combine the two and I’m
lost.
How I relax: My favorite thing to do to
relax is getting a pedicure. It feels
good to be pampered once in a while.
Prized possession: My dog, Caesar, is
not a possession but more like a furry
little brother.
Favorite book: “To Kill a Mocking-
bird,” by Harper Lee. I was given a
signed copy when I was little and
loved it. I could relate to Scout
because I was a bit of a tomboy, too.
Favorite TV show: “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Something breaks my heart almost
every season, but it’s so addicting.
Favorite musician: Chance the Rapper
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
is a great lyricist, and I love the fact
that he can talk to and about God in
his songs.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Most
of my family is from the South, and
the salmon croquettes that my
mom makes are basically fried
salmon patties. And my dad makes
the best collard greens you’ve ever
tasted.
My cooking specialty: I make grilled-
cheese sandwiches. I use different
kinds of cheeses and add different
kinds of meat and other toppings.
Guilty pleasure: Coffee. I try to drink it
in moderation because I know it can
get addictive. But sometimes when I
don’t get enough sleep I need the
extra boost.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Figure
skating. I’ve been dancing since the
age of 2 and I like to ice skate at the
Chiller. I think it’d be interesting to
combine the two.
Inspiration: My grandmother on my
mom’s side, Taletha Davis-Jones, was
born in Birmingham, Alabama, and
basically grew up in the middle of the
civil-rights movement. She shows me
that where you come from doesn’t
have to have anything to do with
where you’re going.
Place I’d like to travel: One day I’d like
to go to France. I’ve been speaking
French since the first grade and I want
to put it to work.
Dream job: Working as a veterinarian
in a marine mammal hospital. I have
terrible allergies to cats and dogs, so I
can’t work in a traditional vet’s office.
But I’d like to take care of dolphins,
seals and things like that.
Least-favorite household chore:
Making my bed. I’m a wild sleeper
so I don’t understand the point of
making my bed every day when I’m
just going to mess it up again that
night.
Words to leave by: “Try to be a rain-
bow in someone’s cloud.” – Maya
Angelou. Each day I try and brighten
someone else’s day. I find it helps me
feel better, too.

John J. Bishop male
Scholar-Athlete
Dez
Robinson
SOUTH
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.23
$10,000
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Football (4 years),
basketball (4), track (4)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; four-time scholar-
athlete of the year
Athletic highlights: First-team all-
league and second-team all-district in
football and basketball
College choice: Findlay (anticipated
major: nursing)
Photo location: On the track at South
High School
Home front: I live at home with my
mom, Janet.
Favorite subject: Language arts,
because I love to read. I also have a
great teacher, Mrs. Charlene McChes-
ney. She’s a good teacher, anyway, but
she also brings us snacks.
Least-favorite subject: Math, because it
seems like most of what we learn in
school we won’t use in our daily lives.
How I relax: I listen to classical music
and read books. Most of the classical
music I find on YouTube. I like hearing
violins and pianos.
Favorite book: “Origin,” by Jessica
Khoury. I read it this year when we got
to pick a book for an assignment. It
was creative and exciting.
Favorite movie: The Harry Potter series
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
was the most entertaining to me. I
really liked when they introduced Sirius
Black, but Harry is my favorite charac-
ter.
Favorite TV show: “Supernatural.”
That’s the kind of show that’s right up
my alley because it has ghosts, were-
wolves and vampires.
Favorite musicians: J. Cole and Kendrick
Lamar, because they rap about real
stuff.
Favorite website: ESPN.com, so I can
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
stay up to date on sports. Mostly I want
to keep up on football during football
season and basketball at other times.
Essential app: Snapchat. Mostly I will
post photos there. But I don’t post all
the time, like some people.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Ribs, mac
& cheese and cowboy beans, prepared
by my mom.
My cooking specialty: Chicken. I can
make it fried or baked, and it’s always
good.
17
Favorite restaurant: bd’s Mongolian
Grill. You can get a lot of food for not a
lot of money.
Guilty pleasure: Strawberry cheesecake
Proudest sports moment: When I
brought the team back to win the
game against Linden. I passed for the
winning touchdown, then made a
tackle to save the win.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Rugby
looks interesting. It has the physical
elements of football without the
equipment.
Favorite athlete: Tyrann Mathieu of the
Arizona Cardinals, because despite all
odds he reached his dreams.
Inspiration: My mom is the biggest
inspiration. She really works hard. She’s
a bus driver, she works with MRDD kids
and she goes to school taking cosme-
tology classes. She pushes me to excel
with her example.
Person I’d like to meet: Karl Joseph of
the Oakland Raiders, because watching
him play inspires me.
Place I’d like to travel: All across the
world
Dream job: Travel the world and do
research. I’d love to dig up old tombs
and mines, like Indiana Jones.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I want to work with kids.
Least-favorite household chore: Wash-
ing the dishes. It’s boring and it makes
my hands soggy.
Something I cannot get right no matter
how hard I try: A perfect back flip
Words to leave by: “Don’t be a fool,
stay in school. Excel and believe that
you will succeed.”
18 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
First runner-up female
Scholar-Athlete
Anna
Schildmeyer
UPPER ARLINGTON
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.27
$6,000
Wolfe
Associates
Sports played: Lacrosse (4 years), field
hockey (4)
Academic highlights: National Merit
Commended Scholar; AP Scholar
Award winner; National Honor Society
member; scored 34 on ACT
Athletic highlights: All-league in
lacrosse; four-year starter on state
champion lacrosse team
College choice: Georgetown University
(anticipated major: global health or
human biology, with pre-med track)
Photo location: In the Galaxy Lounge
on the sixth floor at Nationwide
Children’s Hospital, where I have
volunteered for the past four years
Home front: My parents are Karri and
Jerry Schildmeyer. I have a twin sister,
Olivia, who is attending Virginia next
First runner-up male
Scholar-Athlete
Matthew
Seimer
JONATHAN ALDER
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.97
$6,000
Wolfe
Associates
Sports played: Football (4 years), track
(4), basketball (4)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; Teen Ambassador
Board member; scored 33 on ACT
Athletic highlights: Two-time district-
meet qualifier in track
College choice: Ohio State (antici-
pated major: biomedical science)
Photo location: In the chemistry lab at
Jonathan Alder
Home front: My parents are Jan and
Mark and I have two older siblings:
My sister Kelsey is 24 and my brother
Kyle is 21.
Favorite subject: Science is my
favorite. I really enjoyed my biology
and anatomy classes because I want
year, and a younger sister, Ellena, who
is a freshman in high school.
Favorite subject: Science, specifically
biology. It’s fascinating to understand
how the world works and the intricate
levels and interactions within biology
that make us unique.
Least-favorite subject: History classes
give me the most trouble because you
can’t work the problem out and come
to an answer through abstract think-
ing.
How I relax: When it’s nice outside I
to be a doctor.
Least-favorite subject: I hate math. I
see no practical use for the quadratic
formula in my future.
How I relax: If I need to wind down, I
go bass fishing at Lake Choctaw.
Prized possession: My truck, a red
2004 Ford F-150. Without it, I
couldn’t do anything or go see my
friends.
Favorite book: “Profiles in Courage,”
by John F. Kennedy. The people he
studies and their stories are interest-
like taking long bike rides that culmi-
nate in an ice cream stop, or sitting in
our screened-in porch while listening
to music.
Favorite book: “The Count of Monte
Cristo,” by Alexandre Dumas. We read
it in seventh grade and I enjoyed every
second of it.
Favorite movie: “The Parent Trap” will
always be my favorite. My twin sister
and I rented it from the library every
week and somehow it never got old.
Favorite musical group: I grew up
ing and inspiring.
Favorite movie: “The Wolf of Wall
Street” is a wild movie that does a
great job of showing you the crazy life
of Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo
DiCaprio.
Favorite TV show: “House of Cards,”
on Netflix.
Favorite musical group: My favorite
group is Migos. Every song they put
out is usually pretty good and upbeat.
Favorite website: Barstool Sports. They
report on most relevant stories, usu-
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
listening to Coldplay and “Viva La
Vida” was my morning alarm for years
of elementary and middle school.
Favorite website: I have random
thoughts throughout the day and it’s
nice to quickly search them on
Google.
Essential app: Spotify is great because
you can follow your friends and
share/collaborate on playlists so I’m
always finding new music I like.
Favorite home-cooked meal: My
parents make a simple meal of grilled
FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH
ally about sports, and put an uncon-
ventional spin on their analysis.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Both of
my parents are great cooks, but my
favorite meal at home is the chicken
and dumplings that my dad makes.
My cooking specialty: I make a mean
chicken parmesan.
Favorite restaurant: The main courses
at Texas Roadhouse are good, but the
rolls and cinnamon butter are the
primary reason for going there.
Guilty pleasure: Chocolate ice cream
chicken, homemade French fries and
fresh fruits and vegetables. A close
second is definitely breakfast for
dinner.
My cooking specialty: I’m not a great
chef, but I love making chocolate-chip
scones. My sisters and I eat an entire
batch in a matter of hours.
Favorite restaurant: Third & Holly-
wood, in Grandview, has the best
grilled cheese sandwich and fries,
which I order nearly every time. My
family always jokes that my wedding
will have a grilled cheese bar.
Favorite athlete: Serena Williams is a
phenomenal athlete and role model
for young female athletes.
Inspiration: My twin sister, Olivia, is
good at everything she tries and
consistently works hard at school,
sports and making time for friends.
She has a perfect balance in her life
that I strive for.
Dream job: A doctor. I want an active
career where I can interact with and
help people each day and medicine
fits perfectly.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I can sing – and it won’t
hurt your ears! I usually only sing
around the house or in the car but my
goal is to sing in front of a crowd at
some point.
Words to leave by: “To see the world,
things dangerous to come to, to see
behind walls, draw closer, to find each
other, and to feel. That is the purpose
of life.” – James Thurber, from “The
Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”
with chocolate syrup. I’ve never had a
bad bowl of ice cream but Breyers is
my go-to.
Proudest sports moment: Winning
high jump, long jump and the boys’
field MVP at the Madison County
invitational my senior year. My
jumps were not my best of the year
but I was able to grind out both that
day.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Lacrosse.
Favorite athlete: Greg Rutherford of
England. The dude is a beast at long
jump. He posts a lot of his jumps on
social media and it’s easiest to learn
from the best.
Place I’d like to travel: My ideal trip
would include both Prague in the
Czech Republic and Vienna in
Austria.
Dream job: My dream is to be an
orthopedic surgeon.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I’m a horrible fisherman. I
think I'm unlucky. I can copy what
everyone else is doing and still not
catch anything.
Least-favorite household chore: I hate
washing dishes. I get really OCD and it
takes me forever to finish.
Something I cannot get right no
matter how hard I try: My high jump
form. I get either the approach or the
form right but hardly ever both at the
same time.
Words to leave by: “I can tell you
one thing. I’ve done this my way. I
don’t have anybody to blame for this
win but me, and I love it.” – John
Daly
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 19
20 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Second runner-up female
Scholar-Athlete
Tessa
Medrano
VILLAGE ACADEMY
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.11
$4,000
Wolfe
Associates
Sports played: Swimming (4 years),
track (4), cross country (2), volleyball
(1)
Academic highlights: National Merit
Commended Scholar; AP Scholar with
Distinction; Wendy’s High School
Heisman state finalist; scored 34 on
ACT
Athletic highlights: All-state, all-
district and all-region in cross country;
state-meet qualifier and district
champion in track
College choice: Harvard (anticipated
major: economics)
Photo location: On a hill at Liberty
Park in Powell, where our cross coun-
Second runner-up male
Scholar-Athlete
Max
Hall
OLENTANGY
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.24
$4,000
Wolfe
Associates
Sports played: Football (4 years),
wrestling (4)
Academic highlights: AP Scholar with
Distinction; Ernie Godfrey Award
recipient; National Honor Society
member; scored 30 on ACT
Athletic highlights: First-team all-
league in football and wrestling; four-
time district qualifier in wrestling
College choice: Ohio University (antici-
pated major: neuroscience)
Photo location: In the library at Olen-
tangy High School
Home front: My parents are Wes and
Ellen Hall and I have three brothers:
Drew is 22, Nate is 20 and Ben is 14.
Favorite subject: I love the sciences,
hence my major. My all-time favorite
try team practices
Home front: I live with my parents
Roland and Lisa, and my 16-year-old
sister, Denna, who is my running
teammate and best friend!
Favorite subject: AP U.S. history. I
loved learning about our country’s
relationships.
Least-favorite subject: AP calculus
gave me the most trouble. I loved
math all the way through pre-calc, but
when I took AP calc, I hit a wall.
Prized possession: Probably the
medals I have acquired in various
class was AP psychology, mostly
because of the teacher. The content
was something I looked forward to
learning and he was always able to
convey it in an interesting way.
Least-favorite subject: I enjoyed
physics, but it was definitely my most
challenging class. I had never strug-
gled in a class like I did in physics, but
it prepared me for the rigors of my
future college courses.
How I relax: I typically listen to music
or play my guitar. I spend a lot of my
track and cross country races, tennis
matches and even a geography bee
medal from middle school.
Favorite book: “Wuthering Heights,”
by Emily Bronte. I read it this year and
have been obsessed with it ever since.
Favorite movie: “McFarland, USA” is
about a cross country team that starts
from nothing and ends up winning a
state championship.
Favorite TV show: I don’t watch much
TV, but when I do, it’s always “Danc-
ing with the Stars.”
Favorite musician: Ellie Goulding is my
free time playing and singing songs
and sometimes writing my own. Every
now and then, my friends and I will
get together and have a jam session.
Favorite book: “Killing Lincoln,” by Bill
O’Reilly. I am a huge history fan, and
most of my favorite reads are histori-
cal fiction.
Favorite TV show: I’m a big fan of
“The Office.” That type of humor is
right down my alley. I like to live my
life like Jim.
Favorite musician: I really like singer-
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
favorite. I’ve driven to Cincinnati and
Pittsburgh to see her perform! I love
her unique and airy voice, as well as
the range of music she has created.
Favorite website: I go to Milesplit.com
and Athletic.net – sites that show
meet results for track and cross
country for high school runners
nationwide. It’s not hard to get caught
up in the numbers!
Essential app: There are a lot I can’t
do without (maps, Instagram,
Snapchat, photos), but the app I use
most is the music app. No matter if
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
songwriters, but my favorite would
have to be John Denver. He’s always
been a family favorite.
Favorite website: Most of my enter-
tainment probably comes from
YouTube, just searching through
random videos.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Smoked
salmon. My dad has mastered this
meal after multiple years.
My cooking specialty: I make a straw-
berry-banana smoothie that would
blow your mind.
I’m running, getting ready, cleaning
my room, driving or doing homework,
I always have music playing.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Thanks-
giving dinner, prepared almost entirely
by my mom. I don’t think it gets better
than her turkey and stuffing with
cranberry sauce and gravy, with
roasted green beans and candied
sweet potatoes on the side.
Favorite restaurant meal: Maybe it’s
because I’m a runner and love to carb-
load or because it just tastes incredi-
ble, but bread is one of my favorite
foods.
Proudest sports moment: Making
podium at the cross country champi-
onships last fall. I went in ranked 61st,
and managed to race my way to 19th
place with a huge PR (personal record)
of 19 minutes, 5 seconds.
Something most people don’t know
about me: When I was little, I strug-
gled with muscle contractures and
gait abnormalities. I had to attend
physical therapy for years before I
could ride a bike or run in a straight
line. Dancing has helped me
strengthen my body and have better
control over my muscles.
Least-favorite household chore:
Definitely doing the dishes and
unloading the dishwasher.
Something I cannot get right no
matter how hard I try: My upper-body
running form is something I’ve grap-
pled with for years. My arms swing
side to side instead of back and forth,
which gives me with a terrible running
form and has earned me nicknames
such as “chicken.”
Favorite restaurant meal: I’m that guy
who always gets chicken fingers at
every restaurant I go to, but I’m not
ashamed.
Proudest sports moment: Coming
back from a 20-point deficit to beat
Reynoldsburg in a football game that
lasted almost six hours due to light-
ning delays.
Sport I’d like to try someday: I just
went mountain biking for the first
time and it is definitely something I
want to pursue.
Favorite athlete: Jordan Burroughs, a
gold-medalist wrestler who is passion-
ate, inspirational and does much to
contribute to the sport of wrestling.
Inspiration: My parents are extremely
hard working and have instilled those
characteristics in me.
Place I’d like to travel: I want to travel
to Ireland or Scotland for the music
(bagpipes) and the castles.
Dream job: A job where I have the
ability to positively affect the lives of
others every day. My plan is to
become a physician.
Something most people don’t know
about me: People are usually surprised
to hear me sing because I’m often
perceived as a shy person.
Least-favorite household chore:
Putting my clothes away. I’m just
going to put them back on again.
Words to leave by: “Everyone you will
ever meet knows something you
don’t.” – Bill Nye. I know that I can
learn at least one thing from everyone
I meet. I just have to ask the right
questions.

Third runner-up female
Scholar-Athlete
Rachel
Tumbleson
FREDERICKTOWN
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.48
$3,000
Wolfe
Associates
Sports played: Cross country (4 years),
track (4)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; scored 29 on ACT
Athletic highlights: State-meet quali-
fier in cross country and track; all-
district in cross country
College choice: Miami University
(anticipated major: nutrition)
Photo location: At the Kokosing Dam
outside Fredericktown, where I’ve
practiced five days a week from
August to November
Home front: I’ve lived in Frederick-
town my whole life with my parents,
Gregory and Andrea. I have three
brothers: Zach is 20, Steven is 14 and
Titus is 7.
Third runner-up male
Scholar-Athlete
Drayson
Campbell
PLEASANT
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.0
$3,000
Wolfe
Associates
Sports played: Golf (4 years), swimming
(4), tennis (4)
Academic highlights: Honda OSU Math
Medal Award; National Honor Society
member; scored 34 on ACT
Athletic highlights: MVP of school
swimming and tennis teams
College choice: Emory University
(anticipated major: biophysics, pre-med
track)
Photo location: In the bunker at the
first hole at Marion Country Club, the
second home for three generations of
Campbells.
Home front: My father, Dr. Bradley
Campbell, and mother, Mya, raised my
17-year-old sister, Ellie, and me in
Marion.
Favorite subject: Chemistry. Math
and science are my strongest subjects,
and chemistry is a blend of both of
those.
Least-favorite subject: Language arts. I
prefer to read as a hobby instead of
an assignment.
How I relax: I love to go on long runs,
where there is no stress and I run
whatever pace I’m feeling. I also
like to stress bake: nights before big
tests I like to make brownies, cookies,
etc. and take them to my friends at
school the next day. I also like to take
trips to Target, my favorite store.
Favorite subject: Spanish. The ability to
think in a different language and
communicate with a non-English
speaker feels like a superpower.
Least-favorite subject: English gives me
the most trouble. I have a difficult time
analyzing works of literature and
applying it to an overlying theme.
How I relax: I enjoy my free time
advancing myself through physical
activity. During the warmer months,
golf becomes an additional mode of
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Sometimes I spend upwards of four
hours in there just walking every
department.
Prized possession: I’ve saved 16 pairs
of running shoes from my high school
career. I’ve also saved bib numbers
from every cross country or road race
I’ve competed in. These items moti-
vate me by helping me realize how far
I’ve come, and all of the miles I’ve put
in.
Favorite book: “A Tree Grows in
Brooklyn,” by Betty Smith. I tend to
read chick-lit or other dramatic books
so this classic was something.
relaxation.
Prized possession: All material posses-
sions can be replaced, but my first dog,
Calvin, will forever be lost. From the
time I got him in second grade until his
passing in 2016, that black and brown
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel became
my closest friend.
Favorite book: “Life Of Pi,” by Yann
Martel, poses a question about why the
reader should accept religion on the
basis of making one’s life simpler.
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
Favorite movie: “Inside Out.” The
storyline of taking people’s everyday
emotions and showing what is going
on inside their brain is very original.
My favorite characters are Sadness
and Bing Bong.
Essential app: The weather app. Since
I am always running, I check it daily to
see what my run is going to be like. I
love hot weather, so when I open it
and see temperatures in the 80s, it
makes my day better.
My cooking specialty: I make pan-
cakes for my brothers all the time and
have made them so much that I do
FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH
Favorite website: Netflix. With its near
endless source of entertainment, it is
essential for quiet, free moments.
My cooking specialty: Spicy Georgian-
style peach chicken, invented and
prepared by me. Freshly sliced peaches
and a bit of kick make it the perfect
meal for any time of day, any time of
the year.
Favorite restaurant meal: Some people
go green thinking about it, but I will
never lose my taste for sushi. The
21
not need to measure ingredients
anymore.
Favorite restaurant: Bob Evans. They
have the best wildfire salad, which is
a ton of greens with a hint of bar-
beque taste. They also have good
fluffy pancakes.
Guilty pleasure: Ice cream. One of my
favorite childhood memories is getting
ice cream with my cousins at Ye Olde
Mill in Utica.
Favorite athlete: Emma Coburn, an
Olympic steeplechase runner. She
seems humble, dedicated and friendly,
which are characteristics I look for in
people.
Inspiration: My younger brother, Titus.
He always watches everything I do
and he motivates me to be the best
version of myself. He has already
started running a little bit of mileage
with me.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I was born on the Fourth of
July. Whenever I tell people they
always think I am lying.
Least-favorite household chore:
Washing the dishes. I have outgrown
it, but when I was younger I would
gag whenever I had to do them. I
would rather clean 10 toilets than do
the dishes.
Something I cannot get right no
matter how hard I try: How to say the
word iron. Some people say I-run and
some say I-earn. I’m not sure how it is
supposed to be, but I always say I-ren.
My friends always joke with me about
it.
limitless combinations of fish create a
never-ending stream of new flavors.
Guilty pleasure: I bake, and then
subsequently eat, sweets. After eating
lemon bars or Butterfinger cheesecake
brownies, I can’t help but feel euphoric
(and maybe a little guilty).
Sport I’d like to try someday: I would
like to join a crew team. The teamwork
and cooperation necessary for success
surpasses any sport that I have been
involved with.
Favorite athlete: Michael Phelps, whose
discipline and work ethic are unlike
many others even at his level of athlet-
ics. Although I will never be near his
level in swimming, I use him as inspira-
tion in all aspects of my life.
Place I’d like to travel: I enjoy experi-
encing foreign cultures. Whether
Spanish takes me to Latin America or a
new language takes me somewhere
entirely unexpected, I will enjoy
immersing myself into new cultures.
Dream job: One where, every day, I help
people, am stimulated intellectually,
and feel a deep sense of purpose. I
don’t know what that job title will be,
and I don’t know what I will be doing.
If it satisfies those conditions, it is my
dream.
Least-favorite household chore: Mak-
ing my bed. I tend to wake up at the
last minute, so I don’t have time to do
it in the morning. Because of this, I
often neglect it until my mother
“reminds” me to do it.
Words to leave by: “Life begins at the
end of your comfort zone, success lies
much further.” – Neal Donald Walsch
22 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Warren B. Sneed Memorial
Scholar-Athlete
Elizabeth
Fee
PICKERINGTON CENTRAL
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.56
$3,000
The Sneed
Family
Sports played: Basketball (4 years),
track (4), cross country (4), soccer (3)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; Distinguished honor
roll; scored 28 on ACT
Athletic highlights: Three-time
regional qualifier in cross country;
second-team all-league in track
College choice: Mount Vernon
Nazarene (anticipated major: business
administration)
Photo location: At the Brock Johnson
memorial rock at Canal Winchester’s
football stadium
Home front: My dad, Jeffrey, and my
mom, Robin, are the best. They are
supportive and do their best to come
to all of my events. My big brother
Jonathan is on the track and cross
country teams at Miami University. He
always challenges me to do my best
academically, and we are extremely
competitive about our grades.
Favorite subject: American literature,
taught by Ms. Jennifer Isley. It is a
small class and we have challenging
discussions about the novels we’ve
read. My favorite book was “Their
Eyes Were Watching God,” by Zora
Neale Hurston.
Least-favorite subject: Honors pre-
calculus gave me the most trouble
because of trig functions.
How I relax: I like to watch TV and
hang out with my family and friends.
Favorite book: “The Outsiders,” by S.E.
Hinton. I read it in seventh grade
English and absolutely loved it.
Favorite movie: “High School Musi-
cal.” Troy Bolton inspired me to play
basketball.
Favorite TV show: “Hawaii Five-O.”
The first few seasons were my
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
favorites because it had a lot of action
and drama. My favorite character is
Steve McGarrett.
Essential app: Snapchat, because I’ve
got to keep my streaks alive!
Favorite home-cooked meal: Oriental
chicken salad, which my mom makes.
We usually have it at cookouts during
the summer and it brings back good
memories.
My cooking specialty: Scrambled eggs,
because you can’t mess them up!
Favorite restaurant: Cheesecake
Factory, for tomato basil pasta.
Guilty pleasure: Frosters, from Circle K.
They are slushies, essentially. I usually
get the red ones but it’s basically 16
ounces of pure sugar, so I can’t really
have them during season.
Proudest sports moment: Winning the
Ohio Capital Conference champi-
onship in soccer in my sophomore
year.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Field
hockey. I’ve always wanted to play
hockey, but I am not a good skater.
Favorite athlete: LeBron James is not
only a great player, but he supports his
hometown in many ways.
Inspiration: Brock Johnson has been
an inspiration to me. We grew up
together and often competed against
each other, whether in basketball or
backyard kickball games. Brock passed
away two years ago after a long battle
with autoimmune disease, but he had
a lasting impact on my life. He loved
to play sports and was crazy competi-
tive but always a good sport.
Place I’d like to travel: I would love to
go to Australia!
Least-favorite household chore:
Folding clothes. I always let them pile
up and it takes forever to fold and put
them all away.
Something I cannot get right no
matter how hard I try: French braiding
my own hair for games. I can never
get it tight enough to stay in the
whole game.
Words to leave by: “A ship is safe in
the harbor, but that’s not what ships
are for.” – John A. Shedd

Atlas Butler
Strength & Service Award
Blaine
Hafen
LAKEWOOD
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.12
$2,500
Atlas Butler
Sports played: Track (4 years), football
(1)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; StemFEST science
award winner; scored 30 on ACT
Athletic highlights: School-record holder
in track
Leadership and service highlights: Eagle
Scout; biochemistry researcher at
Denison University; student council
member, grades 8-12; Red Cross server,
grades 6-12
College choice: Ohio State (anticipated
major: physics and computer electrical
engineering)
Photo location: In Dr. Michael G. Poirier’s
lab in Ohio State’s physics building
Home front: My mom is Susie Hall, my
dad is Corby Hall and I have a 15-year-
Atlas Butler instilling
hope for future generations
Giving back to the com-
munity is a company and
family philosophy that Atlas
Butler Heating & Cooling has
been adhering to for the past
four generations.
That commitment has
taken on many forms over
the years, but at the core,
it comes down to recogniz-
ing and supporting up-and-
coming students, said Mark
Swepston, owner of Atlas But-
ler and the third generation
of Swepstons to carry on the
legacy that was started back
in 1921, when his grandfather
founded the business.
That’s why the company,
along with The Columbus
Dispatch and 10TV, in con-
junction with The Motorists
Insurance Group, honored
outstanding student athletes
in the central Ohio area as
part of the Scholar Athlete
Awards event that was held
June 7 at the Greater Colum-
bus Convention Center.
The company gave out a
personalized award, the Atlas
Butler Strength & Service
Award, as well as $2,500
scholarship to the scholar
athlete who, in addition to
being an exemplary student
old sister, Brandi.
Favorite subject: Physics, because it is a
wonderful way to understand the world.
Least-favorite subject: English. I have to
push myself in order to create complex
sentence structures.
How I relax: I build things, particularly
electronics that involve lights. I put
different lights on objects to add a little
bit of flair to them. A color-changing
light or even some static lighting can
make everyday objects much cooler.
Prized possession: I own a few Robot-
ech collectible figures that I really love. It
athlete, made a difference in
the community by volunteer-
ing or raising money for a
particular cause or organiza-
tion.
“The Scholar Athlete fits in
perfectly with what we stand
for, especially since it has the
academic component to it.
Our Strength & Service award
recognizes students who went
above and beyond — and
who took the initiative upon
themselves — to make their
own community a better
place,” Swepston said.
“It’s always been a part
of our company culture,”
he continued. “We’ve been
around for a long time, and
we’ve seen the difference it
can make to invest in young
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
was my favorite cartoon show as a kid.
Favorite book: “The Martian,” by Andy
Weir. It is wonderfully humorous, yet
scientific at the same time.
Favorite movie: I really enjoy “Interstel-
lar,” because all of the science in the
movie is completely accurate.
Favorite musicians: Imagine Dragons.
Their style is so unique and positive in
a world that has become very negative.
Favorite website: I love Google in
general, because it connects you to an
entire world of information.
Essential app: YouTube. I really enjoy
people. We place a high
value on education and the
importance it has in shaping
a community — to be able
strengthen it and improve
upon it. What better way to
do that than to support high
school students going out
into the world who can also
make a difference?”
Supporting Scholar Ath-
letes is just one way that Atlas
Butler gives back to the com-
munity. Various causes and
events have included: ringing
the bell during the holidays
for the Salvation Army; do-
nating a percentage of service
calls ran during the Olympics
to the Capital Area Humane
Society; providing scholar-
ships as part of NBC4’s Make
FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH
watching PewDiePie, an internet-based
comedian who is incredibly funny. His
skits are often clever, yet practical at the
same time.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Mexican
chef salad, prepared by either my
mother or grandmother.
My cooking specialty: I can make a
rocking bowl of cereal. My favorite is
Reese’s Puffs. The chocolate and
peanut butter combo is just too good
to deny.
Favorite restaurant: Hofbrauhaus, in
Grandview. I really enjoy the steak,
a Difference; and Heat the
Town, in which the company
donates employee time and
parts to repair residents’ fur-
naces who can’t afford heat in
the winter.
Dwight Swepston, Mark’s
father, was instrumental in
developing a career educa-
tion program with the local
HVAC Association in conjunc-
tion with Columbus Public
Schools.
Atlas Butler also affords its
employees time off to partici-
pate in various causes.
While engineering and
technological advances over
23
because it comes with a wonderful
house-made sauce that makes its flavor
pop.
Guilty pleasure: Lots of soda. I really
enjoy a good vanilla root beer.
Proudest sports moment: When I and
three other athletes broke our school’s
shuttle hurdles record.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Lacrosse
is appealing, because it seems like an
aggressive sport that places a decent
amount of focus on running. This would
allow me to exercise my talents as a
runner and to be aggressive on the
field.
Favorite athlete: Andrew Luck, an
aggressive quarterback who isn’t afraid
to get rough.
Inspiration: Carl Sagan. He believed in
pushing human beings to their
absolute limit in order to achieve
progress.
Person I’d like to meet: Gene Kranz, one
of my idols. He was instrumental in
saving Apollo 13.
Place I’d like to travel: Everywhere
Dream job: I would love to be an astro-
naut, or a YouTuber.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I like relaxing, and not always
working.
Least-favorite household chore: I cannot
stand dusting.
Something I cannot get right no matter
how hard I try: I never can seem to go
an entire day without messing up at
least one word I say, producing a weird
combination of two words.
Words to leave by: “Failure is not an
option” – Gene Kranz
the years may have changed
the way the company does
business, Atlas Butler’s com-
mitment to its employees
as well as the community
in which it does business
remains steadfast.
“The company has not
forgotten its local roots,
nor what it means to give
back to the community,”
said Swepston, whose son,
Michael, also works for the
company making him the
fourth generation to partici-
pate in the tradition.
Atlas Butler, with head-
quarters on the northeast side
of Columbus and more than
150 employees, is the larg-
est residential heating and
cooling company in Greater
Columbus.
24 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

OhioHealth Perseverance chicken club sandwich.

Award Guilty pleasure: Dark chocolate. Any

Claire
dark chocolate works, but Dove is
pretty good.

Buckey
OLENTANGY LIBERTY
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.08
$2,500
OhioHealth
Sports played: Field hockey (4 years),
lacrosse (4)
Academic highlights: National Field
Hockey Scholar of Distinction;
National Honor Society member;
scored 29 on ACT
Athletic highlights: All-state, all-
district and all-region in field hockey;
captain of state semifinal field hockey
team
College choice: Ohio University (antici-
pated major: undecided)
Photo location: On the stadium field
at Olentangy Liberty
Home front: My mom is Missy, my dad
is Dan and I have two sisters: my twin
Hannah is 18 and my little sister Grace
is 17 and a junior at Liberty.
Favorite subject: History. I love learn-
ing about the past and how we’ve
gotten to where we are now.
Least-favorite subject: Definitely
English – too many papers!
How I relax: I read or hang out with
my family.
Favorite book: “Let the Great World
Spin,” by Colum McCann, because it
keeps your attention throughout the
novel and it exposes the rare sides of
humanity.
Favorite movie: “Gone Girl.” I loved
the suspense and how the viewer
never could tell what was coming
next; it always kept me on my toes.
Favorite TV show: I love “Scandal”
because it takes place in D.C. and is
based around political scandals and
how they “fix” them; it’s dramatic
with some romance.
Favorite musicians: James Bay, Catfish
and the Bottlemen, and anything
country.
Essential app: Apple Music. They
recently came out with a new deal
FRED SQUILLANTE//DISPATCH
where you pay X amount of dollars a
month and can download an unlim-
ited amount of music to your phone. I
probably add about 10 to 12 songs to
my library each day.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Steak
and mashed potatoes with gravy.
Preparing it is a team effort of my
mom and my dad.
My cooking specialty: Nothing. I’m
horrible at cooking.
Favorite restaurant: BJ’s Brewhouse is
a go-to. I always order the California
Proudest sports moment: Beating
Watterson in our district final in field
hockey to advance to the state final
four.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Water
polo
Inspiration: Coach MA (Marianne
Flannery) and my family. Coach MA,
my field hockey coach, is an incredible
woman on and off the field. She
coached us about hockey but also
taught life lessons that we as women
can take with us when we leave high
school. She genuinely cares about
each and every one of her girls, and it
shows.
Place I’d like to travel: Ireland. I love
the greenery in Ireland and the
accents and the architecture and
everything about it. One of my
favorite books is “P.S. I Love You,”
which takes place in Ireland. Ever
since I read it, I’ve wanted to visit.
Dream job: Traveling the world to take
pictures for National Geographic.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I have Crohn’s disease. I
had surgery right after my high school
field hockey season so that the recov-
ery time would be quick and so that I
would be able to get back on the field
faster. I was in the hospital for 10 days
and couldn’t eat or drink for about
eight of those days.
Least-favorite household chore:
Vacuuming

Sports medicine programs

play vital role in high school sports
As high school sports have
evolved into major programs
that rival those at some col-
leges, the presence of a sports
medicine team of physicians
and athletic trainers at the
game and on the practice field
has never been more impor-
tant.
When an injury occurs,
parents, coaches and players
rely on the sports medicine
team to ensure an athlete
receives the proper treatment
and a return-to-play protocol
that gets them back on the
field without further injury.
OhioHealth Sports Medicine
has been providing this critical
support to area high schools,
colleges, universities and pro-
fessional 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 pro-
grams that focus on improving
safety and maximizing physi-
cal and mental performance.
These specialty programs
include OhioHealth’s athletic
cardiac screenings, pre-partic-
ipation heart screenings for
athletes 14 and older that test
for underlying heart condi-
tions that could put them at
risk for sudden cardiac death.
A concussion-management
program, run by specially
trained physicians and athletic
trainers, utilizes the most cur-
rent research and best prac-
tices to manage these serious
brain injuries. This includes
baseline ImPACT® neurocog-
nitive 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 train-
ers and physical therapists
also work with a physician to
thoroughly evaluate and assess
a concussed athlete’s condi-
tion and create a personalized
return-to-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 maintain-
ing 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, de-
signed for student athletes, en-
hance movements specific to
a sport through a customized
strengthening and condition-
ing program.
By bringing together this
multidisciplinary team of car-
diologists, sports nutritionists,
sports psychologists, physical
therapists, sports medicine
physicians and athletic train-
ers, 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 Medi-
cine provides over 150 athletic
trainers and physicians to
more than 50 high schools,
eight colleges and universities
as well as the Columbus Blue
Jackets and the Columbus OhioHealth athletic trainers Jonathan Freeman and Shelley Butch
Crew SC. work with student athletes at Pickerington High School North.
 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 25

Honorable mention female Favorite restaurant meal: Sushi. I can

Scholar-Athlete eat almost any type, other than eel
and octopus.
Avery Guilty pleasure: Definitely ice cream. I

DeLong
CIRCLEVILLE
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.34
$2,500
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Soccer (4 years), bas-
ketball (4), track (4), cross country (1)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society Member; Wendy’s High School
Heisman state finalist; Buckeye Girls
State delegate
Athletic highlights: Second-team all-
state in soccer; first-team all-league in
soccer and track; second-team all-
league in cross country
College choice: Miami University
(anticipated major: biology, pre-med
track)
Photo location: In the basement
kitchen of the Community United
Methodist Church, where I have been
a volunteer since my freshman year.
Home front: My dad is Dave, my mom
is Amy and I have a twin sister, Bryce.
Favorite subject: Math, there is always
a right or wrong answer.
Least-favorite subject: English,
because it is subjective.
How I relax: I bake cookies, brownies
and pies. I love to try new recipes and
learn new techniques. I also run to
relieve stress.
Prized possession: I don’t have a
prized possession, but my Jeep is fun
and I love getting to wave at all the
other Jeeps.
Favorite books: The Harry Potter series.
I never want to put them down.
Favorite TV network: HGTV. I find it
fascinating when people are able to
flip below-average houses into some-
thing incredible.
Favorite musicians: I listen to different
types of music. My favorite artists are
Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake and the
Weeknd.
Favorite website: Pinterest. I can find
lots of new recipes and creative ideas
to try.
FRED SQUILLANTE//DISPATCH
Essential app: Instagram. I enjoy
seeing pictures from all over the
world. I also follow the various fitness
accounts for tips.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Filet
mignon, baked sweet potatoes and
asparagus. My dad normally grills the
meat and my twin sister and I take on
the sides.
My cooking specialty: I make many
different types of cookies, but my
favorite is monster cookies – peanut
butter, oatmeal, chocolate chips and
mini M&M’s.
don’t eat it during track season, but
the second it’s over I head for the ice
cream parlor. My favorite flavors are
cookie dough and pralines and cream.
Sport I’d like to try someday: In col-
lege, I want to run marathons to stay
in shape. I’m always up for a good
challenge.
Favorite athlete: Mia Hamm is such an
amazing soccer player, and she always
credits her success to hard work. I can
definitely relate to that.
Inspiration: My mom is living proof of
how hard work and dedication can
lead to success. She has instilled those
values in me, and I hope to live up to
her standards.
Place I’d like to travel: Anywhere
there is a beach and clear water.
Someday I would love to go to Aus-
tralia, and possibly learn how to surf.
Least-favorite household chore: “All of
them” because I would much rather
be baking, which usually makes a
bigger mess.
Something I cannot get right no
matter how hard I try: I never seem to
get my aunt’s sugar cookie recipe
right, which drives me crazy because it
should be one of the more simple
things I make.
Words to leave by: “Whether you
think you can or think you can’t,
you’re right.” – Henry Ford (I like this
quote because I believe with the right
attitude anything is possible).

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26 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Honorable mention male
Scholar-Athlete
Connor
Hall
MARYSVILLE
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.43
$2,500
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Swimming (4 years),
track and field (4)
Academic highlights: National Merit
Commended Scholar; National Honor
Society member; scored 33 on ACT
Athletic highlights: Four-time district
meet qualifier in swimming and track
and field; district champion in pole
vault
College choice: Ohio State (antici-
pated major: neuroscience, with a pre-
med track)
Photo location: In front of the Wexner
Medical Center on Ohio State’s cam-
pus
Home front: My mother is Kathy, my
father is Kurt, and my sister Jordan is
20 years old and studying at Kent
State.
Favorite subject: My science classes
usually rank at the top, with biology
being my absolute favorite. It’s fasci-
nating to learn about the little things
that affect our daily lives on a level we
don’t think about.
Least-favorite subject: Usually I strug-
gle in English. I don’t enjoy the classic
literature we read and I still am not
sure about grammar rules. I find
Spanish is easier sometimes than
English.
Prized possession: My phone is how I
communicate with my family and
friends when I can’t be there in per-
son.
Favorite books: Anything written by
Malcolm Gladwell. I was one of the
only Honors English 9 students that
liked “Outliers” and I also read
“Blink,” “David and Goliath” and
“The Tipping Point,” all of which deal
with the psychology behind theories in
everyday life. I get lost in them.
Favorite movie: “Monty Python and
the Holy Grail” is hilarious, a must-
FRED SQUILLANTE//DISPATCH
see. I could watch it a million times
and laugh every time.
Favorite TV show: I find myself either
watching “Modern Family” or the
Food Network.
Favorite musician: Stevie Wonder. He’s
incredible and his music is so well-
known that you don’t really find
anyone who doesn’t like Stevie.
My cooking specialty: I like to try new
things, so I never cook a lot of the
same dishes. Except maybe grilled
cheese, but even that I’m constantly
changing up.
Favorite restaurants: There are so
many incredible restaurants in Colum-
bus. My favorites are Katalina’s, Basi
Italia and the North Market if I want
something out of my comfort zone.
Guilty pleasure: I’m an ice cream
fanatic and probably let myself have it
more than I should. Jeni’s is my
favorite and my favorite flavor combi-
nation is salted peanut butter with
chocolate flecks, ndali estate vanilla
bean and intelligentsia black cat
espresso.
Favorite athlete: Swimmer Katie
Ledecky is a tank and I always find
myself amazed at how fast she is for
her age.
Inspiration: Every person I meet has
something I admire about them, and
that certain aspect inspires me to
better myself in some way, big or small.
Place I’d like to travel: Honestly,
everywhere. That’s a little cliché but
it’s true! How cool would it be to have
set foot on most of the Earth?
Dream job: I think traveling with a
group or a team as their personal
sports medicine physician would be
amazing.
Something most people don’t know
about me: On the rare occasions I
drink pop, I prefer it to be flat instead
of carbonated.
Something I cannot get right no
matter how hard I try: The timing on
my toaster. It either comes out burnt
or I have to put it back in again.
Words to leave by: “Every moment is
a fresh beginning” – T.S. Eliot

Honorable mention female
Scholar-Athlete
Brooke
Kauchak
GRANVILLE
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.02
$2,500
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Soccer (4 years), swim-
ming (4), track (1)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; Wendy’s High School
Heisman nominee; scored 28 on ACT,
1250 on SAT
Athletic highlights: Second-team all-
league in soccer; captain of state
semifinalist soccer team; district-meet
qualifier in swimming
College choice: Ohio State (anticipated
major: environment, economy, devel-
opment and sustainability)
Photo location: In the natural-grasses
meadow in the Land Lab preserve in
front of Granville Intermediate School
Home front: My parents are Stan and
Debbie and I have two sisters: Ryan is
almost 21 and attends Ohio University;
and a twin sister, Emily. I am the
middle child because I am 7 minutes
older. We have an extremely close
bond.
Favorite subject: Science, because I
can’t imagine the world without
individuals who constantly question
the truth. I am happiest when I’m
working in my school’s Land Lab and
although I hate bugs, getting dirty is
no big deal.
Least-favorite subject: History, because
I am terrible with memorization. I aim
to focus on the present and what is
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
coming.
Prized possession: When my family
came to Granville, I was 3 years old
and everything was unfamiliar. I
remember finding a small rock shaped
like an egg and I held onto this for
comfort.
Favorite book: “The Hunger Games,”
by Suzanne Collins, was the first novel
I read all the way through without
stopping simply because it I could not
put it down.
Favorite TV show: “The X-Files.” I love
everything about the series and I do
FRED SQUILLANTE//DISPATCH
believe that aliens exist. THE TRUTH IS
OUT THERE.
Favorite musician: Jon Bellion, whose
music inspires me to stay true to my
artistic values and continue to pursue
my passions.
Essential app: My e-mail. I am con-
stantly checking my messages and
sending things out.
My cooking specialty: I specialize in
quick, delicious smoothies. However, I
don’t usually cook because I hate to
clean up. No matter how careful I am
there will always be a mess left
27
behind.
Favorite restaurant meal: Sushi is my
go-to meal when I am out. I enjoy the
challenge of chopsticks and the oppor-
tunity to order different types of rolls
and cuisine.
Guilty pleasure: Peanut butter. As an
athlete I can consume an enormous
amount of peanut butter straight from
the jar. My sister hates this because I
always eat all the peanut butter before
she gets a chance to have any.
Sport I’d like to try someday: I want to
competitively try water polo and see if
I would be able to tread water and
catch a ball. I am not very coordinated
with my hands, which is why I prefer a
soccer ball.
Inspiration: I am constantly inspired by
my twin sister, who dedicates herself
to anything she puts her mind to. I am
critical and self-deprecating, but she is
able to balance this mindset and help
me through the challenges on the field
and in life.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I played the saxophone in
the band my freshman year. I was a
typical “band nerd” and I had no
shame because I loved every second of
it.
Least-favorite household chore:
“Brooke can put away the laundry.”
The answer is no. My least favorite
household chore is folding towels,
organizing and separating my clothes
and matching socks.
Words to leave by: I try to focus my
actions on a simple phrase: Raise
yourself by lifting others.
28 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Honorable mention male
Scholar-Athlete
Michael
Ray
WHETSTONE
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.07
$2,500
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Baseball (4 years),
basketball (4), football (3), soccer (1)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; scored 33 on ACT
College choice: University of Cincin-
nati (anticipated majors: physics and
astrophysics)
Photo location: In the Arne Slettebak
Planetarium at Ohio State
Home front: I live at home with my
parents, Jim and Diane, and my
brother Andrew, who is 15. I also have
a 21-year-old brother, Matthew, who
will be a senior at Ohio State this fall.
Favorite subject: I have always been
drawn to math and science mostly
because there is a definitive answer to
almost any question you can ask.
Least-favorite subject: English, mainly
because the questions asked by
teachers always seem to be ambigu-
ous, which means the answers are
ambiguous and that can get frustrat-
ing.
How I relax: I like to read a good
book. I didn’t get into reading until
recently but now once I get into a
book I can’t seem to put it down.
Prized possession: My Gibson guitar. It
doesn’t get as much use now as it
used to, but in middle school I would
play that guitar daily. It creates an
amazing sound and looks awesome.
Favorite book: I read almost exclu-
sively nonfiction books on topics from
politics to astrophysics. My favorite
book is “Astrophysics For People in a
Hurry,” by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Favorite TV show: “The Office” is
admittedly a mindless show, though
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
sometimes a little mindless television
watching is what I need.
Favorite movie: “Step Brothers” still
makes me laugh every time I watch it.
Favorite musician: I like all kinds of
music, but one musician that I am
always in the mood for is Jimi Hendrix.
Favorite website: You can learn about
almost any topic through YouTube and
I subscribe to many different channels.
I especially enjoy watching political
videos.
Essential app: I don’t use Twitter much
and barely tweet but it’s always a go-
to when I’m stuck in a long line or in
the backseat on a long car ride.
My cooking specialty: I am not the
best cook, but I can chef up a mean
omelet when needed. I like to add
ham, cheese, bacon and peppers and
top it with a little hot sauce.
Favorite restaurant: My favorite is
Chipotle, which, I suspect, is some-
thing I have in common with many
people of my age group.
Sport I’d like to try someday: I’ve
played golf a couple times, but I am
awful at it and I suspect the game
gets more fun as you get better.
Person I’d like to meet: If I could chat
with Neil deGrasse Tyson about
physics, religion and astronomy for an
hour I bet my knowledge on those
subjects would double.
Inspiration: Bernie Sanders knows
what he believes in and fights for it no
matter what other people say.
Dream job: My dream would be to
conduct research for NASA. To get
paid to studying the universe would
be awesome.
Least-favorite household chore:
Cleaning my room. It seems to me
that if I am the one that has to live in
the filth, then I should be able to make
the conscious decision to live in the
filth.
Words to leave by: “Insanity: Doing
something over and over again and
expecting different results” – Albert
Einstein

Honorable mention female
Scholar-Athlete
Valentina
Martin
PLEASANT
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 3.92
$2,500
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Cross country (4 years),
swimming (4), track (4)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; scored 31 on ACT
Athletic highlights: First-team all-
league in swimming and track; dis-
trict-meet qualifier in swimming;
state-meet qualifier in track
College choice: University of Miami
(anticipated major: biomedical engi-
neering, with a pre-med track)
Photo location: In the pool at the
Marion YMCA
Home front: I live with my mother,
Marcela, and my younger brother,
Matthew, who is 14 years old.
Favorite subject: Either biology or
anatomy and physiology. The human
body interests me and learning all
about what makes the body work
really fascinated me.
Least-favorite subject: Physics gave
me the most trouble. It is a little
difficult remembering all of the formu-
las sometimes.
How I relax: I like to listen to music.
Prized possession: The relationship I
have with my mom, family and
friends. I am very lucky to have such
great people in my life to support me.
Favorite book: I prefer mystery
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
thrillers. My favorite is “The Girl on
the Train,” by Paula Hawkins.
Favorite TV show: “Scandal.” I love
the intensity and drama of the show.
Favorite musician: Jon Bellion or
Khalid. Their music has great beats
and rhythms.
Favorite website: I check Twitter about
seven to 10 times a day. I normally do
not post much, but I like to read
tweets that others post.
Essential app: Snapchat. I use it to
FRED SQUILLANTE//DISPATCH
send pictures of what I am doing
throughout my day or just to have a
conversation with my friends and
boyfriend.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Omelets.
I make them for my mom and brother
every Sunday.
My cooking specialty: Homemade
chicken and dumplings. My neighbor
and close friend, Susan McDaniel,
makes it.
Favorite restaurant: I enjoy many
29
different types of food, so I truly don’t
have a favorite restaurant. It’s hard to
compete with my mom at home,
anyway, since she makes some amaz-
ing food. My mother actually owns a
restaurant in Marion, called Baires,
where she puts her own spin on Argen-
tinian, American and Italian food.
Guilty pleasures: Chocolate or coffee
ice cream are definitely foods I allow
myself to eat from time to time.
Proudest sports moment: My 4x800
relay team making the 2016 state
track meet.
Sport I’d like to try someday: I never
played tennis before, but that’s a sport
I want to try. Compared to running, it
will definitely not cause wear and tear
on my body. I hope to play tennis and
keep swimming as I get older.
Favorite athlete: Katie Ledecky,
because she is so determined and it is
amazing how she is still in college and
holds world records in a difficult sport.
Inspiration: My mom inspires me to
help people around me and be as
outgoing as possible, and being the
best person I can be.
Place I’d like to travel: I would love to
visit Greece, a country with beautiful
buildings and a beautiful view of the
water almost everywhere you are. My
mom and I hope to vacation there —
it’s on the top of both of our bucket
lists!
Dream job: I want to be a neurologist
and help people with Parkinson’s and
Alzheimer’s.
Least-favorite household chore: Taking
out the trash
30 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Honorable mention male
Scholar-Athlete
Anthony
Salmeron
DESALES
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.16
$2,500
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Soccer (4 years), track
(1), football (1)
Academic highlights: AP Scholar with
Honor; Wendy’s High School Heisman
nominee; scored 32 on ACT
Athletic highlights: First- and second-
team all-league in soccer; captain of
state champion soccer team
College choice: Michigan (anticipated
major: biomedical engineering)
Photo location: On the field at DeSales
Home front: My parents are Digna and
Jose, both of whom are immigrants
from El Salvador. I have an older
brother Jonny, who is 23, and an older
sister, Diana, who is 19.
Favorite subject: I’ve grown to love
science because it can be used in
endless ways to answer the questions
of the world.
Least-favorite subject: English, for sure.
Ever since I learned English I’ve never
been good at the grammar and
mechanics.
How I relax: I love to go fishing, swim-
ming or play soccer.
Prized possession: My family and
friends, because without them I
wouldn’t be anywhere near where
I am today.
Favorite book: “The Curious Incident of
the Dog in the Night-Time,” by Mark
Haddon. It reveals the story from a
perspective most people don’t experi-
ence.
Favorite movies: Either “The Martian,”
because it shows the (slightly impossi-
ble) capabilities of science, or “Avatar,”
because it’s a great plot on a foreign
planet.
Favorite TV shows: My favorite televi-
sion network is CBS, because it airs my
favorite shows: “Scorpion,” “Criminal
Minds,” “Elementary” and “Survivor.”
Favorite musician: Either Jon Bellion or
J. Cole. They speak truth in their lyrics
and the beats are nice.
ERIC ALBRECHT/DISPATCH
Favorite website: Twitter. Not only is it
almost instantaneous, it’s also littered
with hilarious tweets.
Essential app: Instagram because I
don’t remember my password so if I
lose it, I won’t ever get it back.
Favorite home-cooked meal: Lasagna,
made by my mom.
My cooking specialty: I cook spaghetti
made in a variety of ways, either with
handmade meatballs, white sauce, or
anything I can invent.
Favorite restaurant: Moretti’s. They
serve large portions of the most deli-
cious Italian food I’ve ever had.
Guilty pleasure: Whit’s Frozen Custard.
It’s just so creamy.
Proudest sports moment: Winning the
state soccer tournament for the first
time in overtime at what was then
called Columbus Crew Stadium.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Boxing,
which seems so brutal yet so reliant on
strategy. It’s an interesting combina-
tion.
Favorite athlete: Marcelo, who plays
left back for Real Madrid, my favorite
team. He comes up clutch when they
need him, from the same position I
play.
Inspiration: LeBron James, because he
is the definition of a superstar yet still
manages to stay humble and moti-
vated.
Person I’d like to meet: Pele, the legend
of all legends when it comes to soccer.
Place I’d like to travel: I would like to
go to Australia to scuba dive and
explore the Great Barrier Reef.
Dream job: Being my own boss as
owner of a huge biomedical company
working to develop tissue prosthetics.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I can shake my eyes.
Least-favorite household chore: Wash-
ing the dishes, because makes my
hands get wrinkly and stink.
Something I cannot get right no matter
how hard I try: Latin
Words to leave by: Live for today. Work
for tomorrow. Learn from yesterday.
And ensure your impact is a positive
one.
 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 31

Honorable mention female know if this is technically different

Scholar-Athlete
Hannah
Moulton
THOMAS WORTHINGTON
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.37
$2,500
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Cross country (4 years),
track (4)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; scored 33 on ACT,
2000 on SAT
Athletic highlights: First-team all-
district and all-league and state-meet
qualifier in cross country and track
College choice: University of Wisconsin
(anticipated major: biochemistry)
Photo location: On Thomas Worthing-
ton’s cross country course behind the
high school
Home front: I live with my mom and
dad, Stephanie and James, as well as
my 14-year-old sister, Abby.
Favorite subject: I love all of the sci-
ences, but chemistry is my favorite. I
enjoy being in a lab and solving prob-
lems more than writing papers or
reading books.
Least-favorite subject: History, because
the coursework usually revolves around
lectures and textbooks.
How I relax: This may sound confusing,
but I run to relax. Running is a way to
let go and clear my head.
Favorite book: “East of Eden,” by John
Steinbeck. He is an incredible author
and his thoughts in “Eden,” combined
with the intricate lives of his characters,
make it my favorite.
Favorite movie: “Forrest Gump.” I
admire his adventurous lifestyle.
Favorite TV show: The BBC version of
“Sherlock.”
Favorite website: Netflix. I enjoy
watching random TV shows and
movies in my downtime.
Essential app: I try not to rely on apps
very much, but without Google Maps I
have no doubt that I would be fre-
quently lost.
Favorite home-cooked meal: My mom’s
homemade pizza roll, which is basically
hot roll mix filled with pizza sauce,
cheese and black olives.
ERIC ALBRECHT//DISPATCH
My cooking specialty: I don’t cook
often, but I usually make killer choco-
late-chip banana muffins.
Favorite restaurant: Northstar, defi-
nitely. I am a vegetarian, so I’ve tried a
lot of veggie burgers, and Northstar
has the best by far.
Proudest sports moment: Qualifying to
the state cross country meet with my
teammates who are my closest friends.
This achievement had been our goal for
the entire season, and our hard work
finally paid off.
Sport I’d like to try someday: I don’t
since I run track, but I would like to try
steeplechase. Jumping over pits of
water while racing sounds hard but
exhilarating.
Favorite athlete: Molly Ludlow, because
she went to my high school and has
become one of the top 800-meter
runners in the nation.
Inspiration: My AP Chemistry teacher,
Mrs. Mary Whaba, inspired me to
pursue chemistry in college and she
taught me how to work harder in
school than I ever have before.
Person I’d like to meet: Sylvia Earle,
because I admire her dedication to
oceanic research and her incredible
accomplishments.
Place I’d like to travel: Everywhere – all
over the world. The Galapagos Islands,
Australia, Italy and South Africa are
some of the top places on my list right
now.
Dream job: Working as a paragliding
instructor/hiking guide/photographer
while conducting some type of scien-
tific research that benefits the planet
while living in either Colorado or the
Swiss Alps.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I enjoy painting. Most
people know I’m good at school and
running, but they don’t know I have an
artistic side.
Something I cannot get right no matter
how hard I try: Spelling is not my
strong suit.
Words to leave by: “It’s hard to beat a
person who never gives up.” – Babe
Ruth

Honorable mention male Guilty pleasures: My mother’s brown-

Scholar-Athlete ies and Chick-fil-A milkshakes.

Evan
Yakubov
ST. CHARLES
GRADE-POINT AVG.: 4.1
$2,500
Motorists
Insurance
Sports played: Golf (4 years), tennis
(4)
Academic highlights: National Honor
Society member; scored 34 on ACT
and 2100 on SAT
Athletic highlights: Individual state
champion in golf as a senior; first-
team all-state in golf; first-team all-
district in golf and tennis
College choice: Indiana University
(anticipated major: finance)
Photo location: On the practice green
at Scioto Country Club, where my
family and I are members
Home front: My parents are Steven
and Tracey Yakubov. I have two broth-
ers: Connor is 20 and Reece is 14.
Favorite subject: Calculus AB because
I like challenging myself and I like
math.
Least-favorite subject: English,
because I am not particularly good at
writing.
How I relax: I like to spend time with
my family and play golf.
Prized possession: The medal I
received for winning the Division I
state golf championship.
Favorite book: The most recent book I
enjoyed is “Better Than I Found It,” by
Mike McGraw. Coach McGraw tells
very many stories about his experi-
ences in golf and in life, which I feel
like I can benefit from.
Favorite movie: “Moneyball.” The
story behind the movie was fascinat-
ing to me and I loved how the charac-
ters were accurately portrayed in the
movie.
Favorite TV show: “The Blacklist,”
because of the plot twists, action and
ability to connect episodes.
Favorite musician: Sam Hunt. I enjoy
country music and he is able to work
together all different types of tempos
and beats.
Favorite websites: ESPN.com, which
FRED SQUILLANTE//DISPATCH
covers a wide range of sports, and
AOL for news information.
Essential app: I love Twitter. The app
has everything from news to sports to
comedy.
Favorite home-cooked meal: I love my
mother’s cheeseburger. She hand-
makes the patties and perfectly cooks
the meat every time.
My cooking specialty: Chocolate-chip
pancakes.
Favorite restaurant: I love Carsonie’s
stromboli with grilled chicken and
sausage.
Proudest sports moment: Winning the
state golf championship. I had that as
a goal for the past year so to finally
achieve it was a fantastic moment.
Sport I’d like to try someday: Fencing,
because it looks like the sport involves
plenty of skill and precision and I
don’t know any of the rules.
Favorite athlete: Rickie Fowler, not
only because of his exceptional golf
skill but also because of his kindness
and humor off the course.
Inspiration: I have had several inspira-
tions. My parents have been a con-
stant inspiration in my life, pushing
me to achieve my best. My golf coach
Brian Unk and my tennis coach Justin
Kronauge have taught me how to
compete and handle difficult situa-
tions.
Person I’d like to meet: Steve Jobs,
because of his ability to innovate and
motivate.
Place I’d like to travel: Augusta
National Golf Club
Dream job: Playing on the PGA Tour,
because golf is what I love to do.
Something most people don’t know
about me: I played the tuba in middle
school.
Least-favorite household chore: I
dislike taking out the trash.
Something I cannot get right no
matter how hard I try: I always strug-
gle with keeping my room clean.
Words to leave by: “Make it happen.”
– St. Charles athletic director Dave
Lawler
32 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Male Athlete of the Year: Kaleb Wesson
Ohio State basketball runs in the family
Wesson happy to be
like dad, brother and
play for Buckeyes
By STEVE BLACKLEDGE
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Nothing about the road Kaleb
Wesson took to Ohio State and
the men’s basketball team was
perfectly paved.
He didn’t exactly dream about
following in the footsteps of his
father, Keith, who played for
Ohio State in the 1980s. In fact,
it wasn’t a foregone conclusion
that basketball would be his sport
of choice.
“I thought I was going to be a
football player,” said Wesson,
the Westerville South senior,
who added Dispatch Male Ath-
lete of the Year to his long list of
2017 honors. “It sort of bothered
me that people couldn’t see my
face under my helmet. I wanted
people to notice me.”
Wesson’s transformation into
basketball star began when he
helped Westerville South to
back-to-back state championship
games as a sophomore and jun-
ior. The Wildcats won the Divi-
sion I title in 2016.
This past season, after shed-
ding 45 pounds, the 6-foot-10,
280-pound center averaged 21.7
points, 11.3 rebounds and shot 67
percent from the field. He subse-
quently won Ohio’s Mr. Basket-
ball award. His career totals of
1,234 points and 790 rebounds
rank third and first, respectively,
in program history.
Keith Wesson assumed his
youngest son was destined to be
a big-time offensive line recruit.
He also thought Kaleb’s older
brother, Andre, might choose
baseball or football before devel-
oping into a basketball standout
and ultimately accepting a schol-
arship to OSU in 2016.
“I never wanted to be one of
those dads who tried to force or
pressure them into choosing a
certain sport or school because I
FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH
did,” he said.
“I just wanted them to be
happy and to be rewarded for all
the hard work they put in.
“But I’ve got to tell you, now
that both of my boys are going to
be teammates at Ohio State, it’s
truly a blessing for our family.”
Kaleb, who committed to OSU
before his sophomore season,
didn’t grow up a Buckeyes fan.
“Whenever Ohio State was on
TV, I’d always root for the other
team,” he said. “I didn’t root for
Ohio State at all. I had nothing
against Ohio State. I just had to
be different than everybody else
in my family. My family is really
close and I just wanted to argue
with them, talk smack with
them.”
Joked Keith, “We always
called Kaleb front-runner. He
always rooted for Kentucky or
whoever was No. 1 at the time.”
Even so, when Ohio State
offered him a scholarship, he was
quick to commit.
“About every day, Kaleb
asked me if he could commit …
(because) he really wanted to be
a Buckeye,” Keith Wesson said.
“Honestly, I wanted him to take
some other visits. I wanted him
to be completely sure.”
Kaleb and his brother, who are
workout partners, look forward
to their on-court reunion.
“We spent a year apart and it
was sort of awkward because
we’ve always been there for each
other,” Kaleb said. “Playing
together and trying to bring the
Buckeyes back to prominence is
exciting. There’s nothing wrong
with being a legacy. It’s kind of
cool, really.”
sblackledge@dispatch.com
@BlackiePreps

Female Athlete of the Year: India Johnson
Passion to succeed drives Johnson
Davidson’s runner’s
discipline helped her
become state champion
By STEVE BLACKLEDGE
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Many elite athletes are born
with natural abilities. Some work
hard to develop them.
Record-setting Hilliard David-
son distance runner India Johnson
– selected Female Athlete of the
Year in conjunction with The
Dispatch’s scholar-athlete pro-
gram – took a longer-than-usual
course to greatness.
“I played softball in seventh
grade at Weaver Middle School
and my parents told me I needed
to pick up a fall sport for my
fitness,” Johnson said. “I chose
cross country since it was the only
non-cut sport. I was the slowest
person on the team. Seriously, I
could count on one hand how
many people I beat during my
eighth-grade season.”
Having cut her 2-mile time
from 22 minutes to a little more
than 12 minutes in just a year,
Johnson developed a passion to
succeed. It paid off in the form of
five state championships in track
and cross country in 2016 and
2017, a spot on the U.S. junior
national team and a cross country
scholarship to Michigan State.
“I came to the conclusion that if
I was going to spend every day
after school until 6 o’clock doing
something, I might as well get
some joy and satisfaction out of
it,” Johnson said. “I learned
through time that running is not
just a physical sport, but a mental
one, as well. I had to work to
achieve a perfect balance in order
to reach my potential.”
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Davidson distance coach Nate
King said Johnson – who stands
just 5 feet 1 and whose legs are
more powerful than many of her
rivals – was just one of several
equally talented freshmen when
he inherited her.
“India was not an immediate
scorer for us in cross country, but
she started showing some inklings
FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH
of her ability in track,” he said.
“She got much hungrier and
started challenging herself by
training alongside an all-state
miler we had.
“I really think her rise came as
a result of choices she made.
She’s very disciplined about her
lifestyle and prioritizing things
she wanted to pursue. Eventually,
33
she became really good at goal-
setting.”
As a sophomore, she helped the
cross country team to a second-
place finish in the state meet by
finishing 31st overall in 18 min-
utes, 56.7 seconds. In 2015, she
improved to second (17:43) and
last fall she set a course record of
17:28.6, which ranked her among
the nation’s elite.
She capped her season by
placing fourth in the Foot Locker
national championships in San
Diego, earning a spot on the U.S.
junior national team that com-
peted in Edinburgh, Scotland.
In track, she achieved back-to-
back indoor and outdoor 3,200
titles, setting a career-best time of
10:23.84 last Saturday at Jesse
Owens Memorial Stadium, a time
that ranks third in Ohio history.
“The first time I won the state
was overwhelming because it
represented the pinnacle of
everything I ever worked for,”
she said. “Winning the cross
country championship and set-
ting the record holds a special
place in my heart because it’s my
favorite sport.
“It’s a team sport with its own
personality. The different weather
conditions and courses tend to
weed out the tough runners from
the weaker ones.”
sblackledge@dispatch.com
@BlackiePreps
34 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
Team of the Year: Lakewood softball
Coach, players form long-term bond
Set to retire, Nadolson
leads ‘special’ group to
championship heights
By STEVE BLACKLEDGE
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Some time ago, coach Criss
Nadolson made plans to ride off
into the sunset with a talented
group of Lakewood senior softball
players.
Nadolson has known Courtney
Vierstra, Brenna Brownfield,
Courtney Knepper, Megan Hitch-
cock, Madelyn Bowman and
Alexa Perry since they were 8
years old playing for the Lake-
wood Architectural Contracting 8-
and-under team that went unde-
feated.
“I picked this group a long time
ago to go out with,” Nadolson said.
“I can’t say for sure that I knew
we’d win state championships, but
I built a special bond with them
and I thought they had the makings
to be special. They grew together,
got better and almost every one of
them stayed with it. The big key
was they were so committed to
being the best.”
The unit, honored as Team of
the Year as part of The Dispatch’s
annual scholar-athlete awards
program, certainly proved to be
special.
The Lancers capped a three-year
run during which they went 93-3
Lakewood’s Alexa Perry is greeted by teammates June 3 before their Division II state final against Akron
Hoban. The Lancers went 32-1 this season, winning their second consecutive state title.
COTY GIANNELLI/FOR THE DISPATCH
with a second consecutive Divi-
sion II state championship. After
losing the state title game to Lick-
ing County League rival Granville
in 2015, Lakewood ran the table
with a 29-0 record last year and
this spring went 32-1.
In 2016, the Lancers outscored
their opponents 276-30. Their only
loss this year came when Vierstra,
the team’s three-time first-team
all-Ohio pitcher, was playing in the
Ohio North-South all-star basket-
ball game. They outscored their
opponents 253-32.
Even days after the most recent
state title, Nadolson has yet to
officially announce his retirement,
but he said it was no secret among
his players. That’s simply the type
of relationship they have.
“Everybody knows everything
in a small community like this,”
joked Nadolson, 64, who grew up
in Licking County, attended Lake-
wood and has coached softball
there the past 23 years, 16 as head
coach. He has won 85 percent of
his games.
He even took up coaching
eighth-grade girls basketball in
order to tighten his bond with the
current seniors.
“Coach is one of the most gen-
uine people I ever met,” said
Brownfield, an all-Ohio first base-
man.
For a program with five state
titles since 2008, Nadolson under-
standably was reluctant to compare
teams.
“Last year’s and this year’s
teams were pretty similar,” Nadol-
son said. “We hit for a little more
power and Vierstra was an even
better pitcher this year.
“I will say this: The last two
teams played the toughest sched-
ules in Ohio. We played a bunch
of Division I teams and final four-
caliber teams in various divisions
to prepare these kids for a champi-
onship environment.”
Brownfield said defense and
cohesiveness set this Lakewood
unit apart from others.
“We are basically a huge fam-
ily,” she said. “I dreamed of all of
us being this successful. We work
hard every single day on defense.
We were prepared for anything
that comes at us in a game.”
Earlier this month, the team
made one final trip together on
what is known in Hebron as “The
Greatest Ride in America” – a
parade of fire trucks celebrating
Lakewood state championships.
More than 600 gathered for the
rite.
“The fire truck ride just gives
me chills,” Brownfield said. “To
see the whole community there for
us is just indescribable. It was sad
because it was my last time, but it
was one I won’t ever forget.”
sblackledge@dispatch.com
@BlackiePreps
 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 35

Scenes from the banquet

JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH
(Above) Columbus Academy track coach Bob
Kirk was the winner of the Lou Berliner Award.
(Left) Scholarship winners and guests wait to
enter the ballroom for the night’s festivities.
(Far left) Tessa Medrano of Village Academy
receives her second runner-up award as female
JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH scholar athlete.
(Right) Male athlete
of the year Kaleb
Wesson of Wester-
ville South arrives
on the red carpet
June 7 at the Dis-
patch Motorists
Insurance Group
scholar-athlete
awards banquet.
(Far right) Scholar-
ship winners await
for their entrance to
the stage.

JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH ADAM CAIRNS/DISPATCH

Why I love the Wendy’s

High School Heisman Program
Friends and family often Wendy’s has been sustain- their application to a school
tell me that I have a pretty ing this program for a long administrator or teacher in
great job. I get to promote time, but like the students order to verify that every-
Wendy’s latest menu offer- we recognize, our team is thing (aside from the essays)
ings, I contribute to brand- committed to continuous is correct. More or less, it’s a
building awareness activities, improvement. second set of eyes. That re-
and I feel fortunate to be Each year in our off-season view has to be done by Oct. 4.
given a platform to give back (January through June) we Students, a word of advice,
by participating in events that make enhancements to the be a pal and give your teacher
raise money and awareness Wendy’s Heisman program, enough time to give your ap-
who were “doing the right And I value how the award
for children in foster care. but in 2016, we made two plication a good review.
thing” — getting an educa- is structured. We recognize
So, yes, I agree have a huge strides. If you are or know a high
tion, serving as a role model thousands of students, and
pretty great job. First, it’s now officially a school senior who seems to
and leader, and earning high it begins at the school level
But there’s one project that college scholarship program. operate on a different level of
academic marks. on up to state finalists, state
I work on at Wendy’s that I’m We worked out a way to be accomplishment, I encour-
particularly passionate about, able to keep our three award age you/him/her to apply.
and that’s Wendy’s High pillars in place yet not risk eli- Not only is this a chance at
School Heisman Program. Wendy’s has been sustaining this program gibility for the many students a scholarship for college, but
And it’s not because I get for a long time, but like the students we who are pursuing college we also dish out Wendy’s
to rub shoulders with some of recognize, our team is committed to athletics. gift cards, medals and special
the best current and former We award college scholar- recognition that looks great
continuous improvement.
college football players, ships beginning at the State on college and internship ap-
including two-time Heisman Winner level ($1,000) on up plications.
winner Archie Griffin. But to the National Winner level Oh, and the top 10 (plus
So what drives my passion winners and national finalists.
hey, it doesn’t hurt. ($10,000). their families) get an all-
for this program more than Young men and women are
A few months ago, I wrote Second, we’ve made the expense paid trip to New York
other things I get to work on? evaluated on three pillars of
a blog post on The Square application much faster to City during Heisman weekend
As terribly corny as it the high school experience:
Deal celebrating National Stu- complete by splitting it into for a whirlwind of fun.
sounds, I’m proud of Wendy’s academics, athletics and com-
dent Athlete Day in order to two parts. Students input What are you waiting for?
— the company and our munity leadership. We strive
provide some context about their credentials as they Let’s get going.
franchisees that fund the to promote the triple threats
how Wendy’s High School relate to academics, athletics For more information visit
program— for putting a stake … the leaders of tomorrow…
Heisman got its start. and extracurricular activities www.wendysheisman.com
in the ground and keeping the kids who are truly com-
I shared that Dave Thomas by Oct. 2 Then, they can Written by BryAnn Roth,
this long-held commitment mitted and know that no
started the program in 1994 log back in and complete a manager, brand and CSR com-
to recognize and celebrate amount of effort that they
because he wanted to honor couple of essays by Oct. 23. munications at The Wendy’s
outstanding high school put in is considered unreason-
high school student-athletes We do ask students to send Company.
student-athletes. able.
36 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM

Team state champions

(Left) The Upper Arlington boys

lacrosse team displays the Division I
state championship trophy after
winning the 2016 title with a 17-5
victory over Cleveland St. Ignatius.

(Far left) Pickerington North pitcher

Justin Grubb jumps into the arms of
catcher Alex Bradbury to start the
celebration after the Panthers
defeated Cincinnati La Salle 2-1 in
FRED SQUILLANTE/DISPATCH BARBARA J. PERENIC/DISPATCH the Division I baseball final.

LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

There were plenty of

reasons for hugs by
the Olentangy Orange
girls golf team
(above), the Worthing-
ton Kilbourne boys
lacrosse team (right)
and the Upper Arling-
ton girls swim team
(below). The Pioneers
won the Division I
state title, the Wolves
were the Division II
champions and the
Golden Bears won in Cam’Ron Culver (left), Adam Cone, Blaine Barringer and Nick Dawes enjoy their walk off the field after Hartley defeated Steubenville
DivIsion I. BARBARA J. PERENIC/DISPATCH to win the Division IV state football championship for the second consecutive season. BARBARA J. PERENIC/DISPATCH

Spring 2016
Division I baseball: Pickerington North
Division IV baseball: Newark Catholic
Division II softball: Lakewood
Division I boys lacrosse: Upper Arlington
Division II boys lacrosse: Worthington Kilbourne
Division I girls lacrosse: Upper Arlington
Division II girls lacrosse: DeSales

Fall 2016
Division IV football: Hartley
Division I girls golf: Olentangy Orange
Field hockey: Thomas Worthington
Girls water polo: Upper Arlington

Winter 2017
Division I boys bowling: Westerville Central
BARBARA J. PERENIC/DISPATCH
Division I girls swimming: Upper Arlington
Austin Kent is in the middle of the celebration after
Newark Catholic defeated Triad for the Division IV
SHANE FLANIGAN/THISWEEK baseball championship.
 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 37

Individual state champions

BARBARA J. PERENIC/DISPATCH
(Above) Gahanna’s Maycey Vieta captured the Division I diving
championship in February.
(Left) Granville’s Natalile Price shows her excitement at winning
JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH the 400 meters in the Division I track meet in 2016.

Spring 2016
Division I girls track: MiAn-
gel Daniels, Gahanna, 100
hurdles; Abby Steiner, Dublin
Coffman, 100 and 200;
Micaela DeGenero, Granville,
1,600; Natalie Price,
Granville, 400; India John-
son, Hilliard Davidson, 3,200;
Taylor Manivanh, Central
Crossing, long jump; Anna
Watson, Olentangy Orange,
pole vault; Gahanna, 3,200
relay; Dublin Coffman, 800
relay; Gahanna, 1,600 relay
Division I boys track:Andrew
Jordan, Watkins Memorial,
3,200; Mark Gooden,
Reynoldsburg, discus; Nik
Curtiss, Lancaster, shot put;
Pickerington Central, 1,600
relay
Division II girls track: Aziza
Ayoub, Jonathan Alder, 800; KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK
Columbus School for Girls, (Above left) Olentangy Liberty’s Brakan Mead jumps into the
1,600 relay arms of coach Mark Marinelli after winning the Division I 113-
Division II boys track: Jef- pound wrestling championship.
fery Floyd, Linden, high jump;
Mat French, Lakewood, shot (Above right) Linden’s Jeffery Floyd celebrates after winning
his third consective high-jump title in Division II.
put; Eastmoor Academy,
1,600 relay; (Right) Bexley’s Trevor Binau follows a shot on his way to the
Division III boys track: Division II boys golf title.
Logan Baker,Columbus Acad- (Lower right) Buckeye Valley’s Zach Kreft feels like a champion
emy, 800; Aaron Wood, Fisher at the Division II cross country meet.
Catholic, 3,200; Columbus
Academy, 800 relay
Winter 2017
Division I girls diving: Maycey Vieta, Gahanna
Fall 2016 Division I girls swimming: Dakota Elliott, Upper Arling- LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK
Division II boys cross ton, 200 individual medley; Hannah Bailey, Dublin Coff-
country: Zach Kreft, Buck- man, 100 breast; Upper Arlington, 200 medley relay; Upper
eye Valley Arlington, 200 free relay; Upper Arlington, 400 free relay KYLE ROBERTSON/DISPATCH
Division I girls cross coun- Division I boys swimming: Jason Mathews, Pickerington Dublin Coffman’s Abby Steiner
try: India Johnson, Hilliard North, 100 breast won titles in the 100 and 200
Davidson Division II girls swimming: Miranda Donley, Columbus meters at the Division I track meet.
School for Girls, 50 free and 100 free; Columbus School
Division I boys golf: Evan for Girls, 200 free relay; Logan Lawhorn, Liberty Union,
Yakubov, St. Charles 100 breast
Division I girls golf: Abby Division I girls bowling: Dakota Fink, Briggs
Kiefer, Dublin Jerome Division I wrestling: Brakan Mead, Olentangy Liberty,
Division II boys golf: Trevor 113 pounds; Dom Demas, Dublin Coffman, 145
Binau, Bexley Division II wrestling: Nate Keaton, Circleville, 113 pounds JOHN HULKENBERG/THISWEEK
38 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM
(Right) Jay Joseph of
Worthington Christian
picks up his plaque.
(Middle) Bo Jackson
poses for a photo with
the scholarship win-
ners.
How winning the Wendy’s
High School Heisman changed my life
I’ve recently been explor-
ing the concept of the power
within a single idea, decision
or just one moment.
This force can be positive or
negative, and often so strong
that life can change in that
instant it takes for a thought
to pass through your mind.
Perhaps it comes with just
getting older: An appreciation
for the infinite possibility and
change that exists in one finite
moment.
Coming off of such a once-
in-a-lifetime experience as
competing in the Olympics,
I’ve also wanted to take the
time to reflect on those little
moments that brought me to
where I am today.
I can remember when my
high school softball coach and
athletic director Myra Mansur
handed me the Wendy’s High
School Heisman application.
She said, “This is due
tomorrow, but looks right up
your alley. Would you have
time to get it done? I think
you can win this.”
In one fleeting thought
and simple action, a process
was initiated that would truly
change my life forever.
Fast forward a few months
to the Wendy’s High School
Scenes from the banquet
JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH left, Archie Griffin, David L. Kaufman and John J. Bishop.
ADAM CAIRNS/DISPATCH
Heisman Finalist Weekend, I
found myself surrounded by
the tall buildings and bright
lights of Manhattan, rubbing
elbows with college football’s
finest, and making lifelong
friendships.
There was no way I could
win this award, but I was okay
with that. The experience
of the weekend alone had
already set my life on a differ-
ent, higher path. And in my
young age, I still sensed that.
I had worked hard to prove
myself to be a high achiever,
it was why I was selected as
a finalist. But look at the po-
tential that exists beyond just
this weekend? This one award.
The alumni of the Wendy’s
Heisman program have gone
on to do amazing things with
their lives.
That could be me one day.
Any one of the other five
female candidates could have
been selected on that Decem-
ber Friday evening, but in that
moment, my name was read
aloud as the 2002 Wendy’s
High School Heisman Female
National Winner.
And with that, a cascade of
moments would unfold that
may have never been realized.
I firmly believe that adding
(Above) Olivia Brewer of Mount Gilead poses for a portrait with her family as she walks
the red carpet.
(Left) Hartley’s Mitchell Bergman accepts the top male scholar athlete award with, from
Wendy’s High School Heisman
National Winner to my col-
lege application helped to be
selected as a Jefferson Scholar
and accepted to the University
of Virginia.
Subsequently, attending
and graduating from UVA
would open a world of op-
portunities. One such oppor-
tunity was something I never
expected, but once I stumbled
upon it, I dove in with all of
the passion and energy I could
muster. I had never rowed
before the summer of 2010.
I didn’t even know it was a
sport until going to college
and being paired with a rower
as my freshman roommate.
I was a dual-sport college
athlete, playing volleyball and
softball, but I remember the
UVA women’s rowing head
coach telling me I should try
out for the team.
He said I should strongly
consider it and could be an
Olympian one day. I was flat-
tered, but I shrugged it off.
I was otherwise committed
to my current teams, but it
planted a seed. All it took was
that one conversation, his one
encouraging comment.
A few years later, I Googled
“rowing” and “Hartford, Con-
ADAM CAIRNS/DISPATCH
necticut” where I was living
and working, to find a local
community rowing club and
learn-to-row lessons. I didn’t
know it at that time, but in
those few clicks I was begin-
ning an incredible journey
toward realizing a life I’d never
dreamt of before.
Some 10 years after that
amazing WHSH weekend, I
took a leap of faith to quit my
job and deviate from the path
I had originally set out on
toward a promising career at
ESPN, to risk it all and chase
the Olympic dream.
It was one of the scariest
decisions I had faced, but
would soon prove to be one
of the greatest decisions I ever
made. Less than four years
later, I stepped off a plane
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as a
member of the U.S. Olympic
Rowing Team on my way to
compete in the 2016 Summer
Olympic Games.
The Olympics experience
JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH
JOSHUA A. BICKEL/DISPATCH
Dez Robinson of South accepts the
John J. Bishop male scholar athlete
award from John J. Bishop.
was incredible. As a kid, I
always loved watching the
Olympics on television. Those
athletes were my idols and I
wanted to be exactly like them
one day. Finding myself in
those shoes, on the other side
of the spectator, was other-
worldly. The energy surround-
ing the Games is like nothing
I’ve ever felt.
It was humbling to repre-
sent my country, my family
and friends and all the people
who believed in me, and to be
at the center of the world’s fo-
cus as they shared the excite-
ment, triumph and heartbreak
of the Olympic Games.
The experience is one that
changed me and will live with
me for the rest of my life.
Since returning from Rio,
I’ve been enjoying some down
time and catching up with
friends and family. Although
it feels as though a chapter
is coming to a close, I know
that this is only a moment
among many that will lead to
so many more great ones to
come.
Written by Olympian Meghan
O’Leary, who placed sixth in
the world on the U.S. women’s
double sculls rowing team with
Ellen Tomek.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM 39
40 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | 2017 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS | DISPATCH.COM