Student Stars: Terra State students earn honors

        Terra State Community College students Katrina Drake and Jamie Walton have been recognized on the All-Ohio Community College Academic Team for the 2020-2021 academic year.
        Students are nominated for the academic team by their college administrators. Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership and engagement in their college and community service.
        Walton and Drake both placed Third Team All-Ohio, which acknowledges them as top community college students in the state in each category. They will each receive a $250 scholarship.
        Terra State Associate Professor Michelle White, the All-USA College Nominator for Terra State, nominated both students.
        “Jamie and Katrina were both selected based on their academic achievements and the quality of their essays,” said White. “They demonstrated drive and persistence to reach an end goal by enrolling in and successfully completing challenging coursework. The depth of their essays provided additional insight into what was motivating them to do well at Terra State. Jamie and Katrina have worked very hard to get to this point and I am so excited that they are being recognized for it by receiving these scholarships.
        Walton is studying in the social work pathway at Terra State. After graduation this May, she will continue on to receive her Bachelor of Social Work from Campbellsville University. Outside of class, Walton is involved with Phi Theta Kappa and works at Tiffin City Schools and other districts through North Central Ohio Educational Service Center (NCOESC) as a substitute educational aide and substitute teacher. She also volunteers with CASA of Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot counties.
        Drake is a second-year student in her first semester of the nursing program. After graduation, she hopes to work in a hospital setting before branching into other areas of healthcare.
        Time management was a big challenge for Drake, a working mom, but her passion for helping others persevered. “This award helps me with confidence in my future because the timing of finding out about the award reminded me that I can do it,” she said.
        The application process for the 2022 awards is now open. Students should contact Michelle White at mswhite@terra.edu for more details.
 
Phi Kappa Phi inductee
        Joseph Loar of Gibsonburg, a student at Arkansas State University, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society.
        He is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
 
R.C. Waters Top Class Dojo Winners
        Several R.C. Waters Elementary were honored as top ClassDojo winners for March.
        The school has been participating in a school-wide initiative called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) –a process for creating safer and more effective schools by creating a safe and productive learning environment. A set of unified expectations is in place in classroom and non-classroom settings throughout the schools – “Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Ready.”
        ClassDojo is a behavior-tracking system designed to reinforce positive behaviors and engage students in becoming responsible for their own choices. On a scheduled rotation, students are able to “shop” from the Dojo reward cart using the points they have earned for meeting the behavior expectations.
        March Top Class Dojo winners include:
        Kindergarten: Adalyn Slack, Trace Moss, Mason Fritch, Zoey Reid, Payton Wooley, Micah Clapsaddle, Sophia Wallace, and Gage Vranish.
        First grade: Ava Porath, Paris Krehmke, Cameron Pfeiffer, Evelyn Miller, Ryleigh Goldstein, and Evan Oberlin.     
        Second grade: Jaxon Eilrich, Keegan Garlock, Xander Flower, Alayna Sheets, Sofia Matusas, Aiden Short, Brianna Simkus, Brianna Pocs and Wesley Eschenbrenner.
        Third grade: Mina Steinmetz, Payson Hopkins, William Hiltabidel, Isaac Taylor, Maddison Sutkus, Payton Greer, Connor Thompson, Aubreyanna Monhollen, Abbygail Ryckman and Elli Greener.
 
Best of Show
        Madison Arquette, of Oregon, is participating in the 2021 Juried Student Art and Design Exhibition, which will be on exhibit at the University of Findlay through April 29.
        Arquette was awarded best of show for her digital photo, “Princess Ardala of Zantia.”
        Any UF student is eligible to enter artwork for consideration. All work must be original and have been completed during the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 academic years. Categories include drawing and mixed media, sculpture, visual communication, ceramics, painting, film photography, digital photography, design, and printmaking. Work is juried into the show by the University faculty. Pieces to receive awards are selected by a professional in the art field. This year’s awards judge is Amy Corle, who formerly worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.
       
Northwood student showcases research
        The University of Mount Union hosted its annual Student Celebration Honoring Our Latest Academic Research (SCHOLAR) Day in a hybrid in-person/virtual model on April 20.
        Alissa Loving, a psychology major from Northwood, was selected for work on a formal presentation titled, “Perceived Psychological Effects of Mask Wearing on Attention and Classroom Performance” during the event.
        SCHOLAR Day is traditionally a campus-wide, day-long event filled with presentations showcasing academic excellence and scholarly research conducted by Mount Union students.
        While still adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols, Mount Union provided limited in-person attendance to the poster and formal presentations, while still offering a livestream option to those off-campus.
        Learn more at mountunion.edu/scholar-day.