2018 vol. 77, no. 11 - February 21, 2018

              A10 West Life, February 21, 2018
Campus news
The following Westshore-area students were
named to the Kent State University dean’s list
for the fall 2017 semester. BAY VILLAGE:
Brogan MacMillan, Whitney Stoops, Daniel
Berger, Sarah Allison, Lucy Alksandrovic,
Caitlin Roach, Andrew Mills, Madeline Holmes,
Tyler Jones, Andrew Mis, Franklin Wilde,
James Peterson, Michael Humphrey, Samantha
Meisenburg, Rachel Bilardo, Kate Cowles,
Matthew Freitas, Mackenzie Ross, Matt Koch,
Haley Tennyson, James Fisco, Luke Nye, Evan
Harms, Grace Harms, Kevin Keefe, Matthew
Szekely, Christina Kinkelaar, Olivia Swasey
and Savannah Bingaman; FAIRVIEW PARK:
Abigail Large, Kelly Adler, Joseph Weaver,
Maria Martis, Inderpal Singh, Leah Remy,
Hannah Filkill and Milan Janca; NORTH
OLMSTED: Jonah Held, Andrew Struck,
Hannah Sidol, Alexander Gajowski, Mariam
Ahmadian, Cara Ungar, Linh Phung, Joseph
Grgetich, Jonathan Covell, Emma Stec, Kyle
Smith, Sara Koubek, Joseph Kneebusch, Quinn
Kacirek, Tyler Roll, Shanon Kirkwood, Hailey
Kost, Bradley Wargovich, Gwen Fandrich and
Alexandra Hamame; ROCKY RIVER: Angela
Pujolas, Megan Conrad, Serena Fantozzi,
Wesleigh Stryker, Anne Laskowski, Lucy
bowers and Chang Liu; WESTLAKE: Madeline
D’Amico, Olivia Humer, Julie Appel, Kathleen
McHugh, Ryan Zubricky, Thomas Withers,
Katherine Kunze, Maxwell Kunze, Veronica
Musser, Emily Tighe, Angela Senes, Christine
Bashour, Rachel Falin, Kristina Schuerger,
Kalahan Patterson, Kelsea Patterson, Nicholas
Campagna, Janie Drellishak, Dominic Cristiano,
Rebecca Mainger, Rami Naso, Magdalene
Morley, Alia Janmey, Jaclyn Doehne, Paige
Staggs, Rebecca Guercio, Erika Elias, Amanda
Brucchieri, Michael Steinetz, Samantha Horwitz,
Abigail Farabaugh, Sohi Mistry, Daniel Squeri,
Thomas Adams, Thomas Gerent, Victoria
Cohen, Erin Tanker, Paul Jatsyshyn, Nicholas
Button and Sydney Smith.
The following Westshore-area students were
named to the Ohio University dean’s list for
the fall 2017 semester. BAY VILLAGE: Hallie
Bechtel, Olivia Brahler, Rachel Caddey, Lori
Chin-Albert, Alyson Czepczynski, Kaylie
Harden, Emma Jarvi, Jesse Jarvi, Jessica
Leusch, Owen Macmillan, Molly Matejka,
Brandon Morriss, Erika Neuendorf, Alysse
Nowak,Brenna Rohlke, Milana Scarlato,
Lauren Sheil, Stephanie Sheppa, Kaelin
Sullivan, Madeline Voiers, Carleigh Walter and
Johanna Webster; FAIRVIEW PARK: Alison
Biehl, Jena Catalano, Gwyneth Howard, Brian
Keating, Jason Kish, Maureen Klag, Maeve
Kroeger, Brian Lowry, Carly McFadden,
Maire Simpson and Kyle Wagner; NORTH
OLMSTED: Cullum Andrews, Maura Blake,
Daniel Bova, Brenna Brossard, Robert Devries,
Julia Dimarco, Jessica Huber, Jacob Juhn,
Sadie Lamparyk, Kevin McMullen, Kim
Michalczyk, Olivia Muskin, James Nally,
Matthew Pauvlik, Daniel Sabo, Tyler Truax
and Ryan Wagner; OLMSTED FALLS: Jillian
Mueller and Zachary Vanrooy; OLMSTED
TOWNSHIP: Andrew Ade, Krista Calai,
tony Caraffi and Emilio Irizarry; ROCKY
RIVER: Zachary Andolsen, Meghan Donnelly,
Daniel Foster, Cassandra Hamker, Kaylie
Harden, Darby Hickey, Paul Kelting, Morgan
Klimack, Maximalian Konrad, Mollie Kopp,
Aaron Kosmerl, Maeve Kroeger, Kelly Love,
Brian Lowry, Nora McKeown, Sumner Mead,
Ashley Moreman, Lorena Opris, Audrey
Peters, Brett Scherzer, Bryan Shaver, Carlie
Tianello, Yiana Tjotjos and Austyn Vovos;
WESTLAKE: Alexandria Anastasopoulos,
Courteney Belmonte, Avery bogart, Andrew
Bovenzi, Dante Catanzarite, Jessica Cherico,
Katlyn Dewerth, Regan Falin, Kathryn Feran,
Connor Fife, Theodore Greco, Eileen Guzik,
Margaret Hicks, Eric Hillenbrand, Austin
Howe, Kylie Hulver, Abbey Kay, Taylor
Kedzie, Tim Kieltyka, Jennifer Lawrence,
Nicholas Marquard, Maureen Matousek, Sarah
Melaragno, Macie Menichini, Kelly O’Neill,
Daniel O’Malley, Emily Pavilonis, Hallie
Pohlman, Haley Rudiger, Cameron Sico, Kelly
Thaxton, Elijah Wahib, Brian Wallenhorst and
Jennifer Werchiwsky.
Calire Dunphy of Westlake, and Cameron
Caskey and Rachel Jerome, both of Bay Village,
were named to the capital University dean’s
list for the fall 2017 semester.
Bay senior is National Merit Finalist
BAY VILLAGE — Bay High School senior
Ava Walker is a 2018 National Merit Finalist.
Ava earned the prestigious academic distinc-tion
with her score on the 2016 Preliminary
SAT taken during her junior year in high
school. The nationwide pool of finalists
represents less than 1 percent of the 1.6 million
students from 22,000 U.S. high school who
take the PSAT.
Ava plans to major in mathematics with a
focus in actuarial science when she attends
college. She is leaning toward attending Kent
State University.
“I’ve always liked
math,” she said. “Then,
when I had my statistics
class about two years ago, I
really enjoyed it. It’s bring-ing
in real-world problems,
and it gives a real, practical
use to math.”
The cross-country run-ner
also plays viola in the Bay High Pit
Orchestra, participated in both the Model
UN program and Culture Club’s Team Africa.
She also volunteers as a junior coach for the
nonprofit Girls On The Run, working with
elementary-aged girls to build self-confidence
while training to run.
After enjoying her high school jobs at the
city pool and as a referee for youth soccer,
Ava is considering a career in the banking or
insurance, once she passes the license exam
to be an actuary.
“Ava deserves this level of recognition for
all her hard work,” Bay High School Principal
Jason Martin said. “She is a tremendous
student with a strong work ethic and com-mitment
to her studies.”
Walker
Westlake mom wins Connecting for Kids award
By KEVIN KELLEY
WESTSHORE — Traveling by air with
young children can be challenging under
the best of circumstances. A child’s ability to
behave can be put to the test by the boredom
of waiting or the requirement to sit still and
not use “outdoor voices”during the flight.
The potential for behavioral problems can
be much greater when a child has autism.
Kim Riley, the mother of a 9-year-old boy
with autism, shared her tips on flying in an
email with another mother with a special
needs child. Her suggestions: Show the child
photos or videos of what to expect at the
airport. Bring noise-canceling headphones
so the child can use his or her iPad. And
bring plenty of snacks.
That Riley took the time to share her experi-ence
is one of the reasons she was chosen as
Connecting for Kids’ board member of the
year. The Westlake resident will be among
five people honored at the organization’s
annual fundraiser Feb. 23 at Ahern Catering
and Banquet Center in Avon Lake.
Riley regularly answers parents’ con-cerns
through email exchanges, said Sarah
Rintamaki, the founder of the organization
for parents with concerns about their child’s
development.
“She spends a lot of hours personally meet-ing
with parents,” said Rintamaki, Connecting
for Kids’ executive director.
Riley and her her husband have four chil-dren.
She has also established a subgroup for
children with moderate-to-severe disabilities
and volunteered to help lead the group.
“We started a Facebook group first,” Riley
said, explaining that parents of children with
severe developmental disabilities some-times
have difficulty meeting and sharing
experiences.
Connecting for Kids also does a good job
supporting families with kids who exhibit
some mental, behavioral or developmental
problems but may not qualify for special
education services, said Riley, who has been
a board member since 2012.
“It may not rise to the level of a diagnosis,
but the kids are very much struggling,” she
said of such cases.
The attorney also revised the organization’s
internal structure and wrote policies for areas
such as human resources, Rintamaki said.
Natalie Tesar, a second-grade teacher at
Eastview Elementary School in Avon Lake, is
being honored as the organization’s educator
of the year.
Several Connecting for Kids parents
nominated the Bay Village resident, saying
she communicates well with parents and
encourages students to be kind to each other.
Another parent noted her students always
appear eager to see her.
Tesar said Connecting for Kids has had
a great impact at her school with its Buddy
Bench, a bench on which students can sit
during recess when they want to play with
others. Students can sit on the bench if they
don’t have someone to play with at the time,
and other students can invite them to play.
Connecting for Kids has introduced the
Buddy Bench and an accompanying social
skills program at several area schools in
recent years.
“I’ve had many students share how they
utilized it at recess – either when they them-selves
needed to find friends to play with,
needed time to just take a break, or in an
effort to include someone in their recess
activities,” said Tesar, now in her eighth
year at Eastview. “We’ve had classroom
discussions centered around kindness and
inclusion of others regularly as a result of
this program.”
Tesar, who received a bachelor’s degree
in early childhood education from Baldwin-
Wallace College and a master’s degree in
curriculum from Ohio University, said she
has referred parents to Connecting for Kids
and its many resources, especially during
parent-teacher conferences.
Tesar and her husband, Phil, have a 2-year-old
son.
North Ridgeville residents Chris and
Maureen Box will be recognized as parents
of the year, and Kyleigh Brigg, an Olmsted
Falls student, will receive the Kind Kid Award.
Tickets for the 2018 Connecting for Kids
Annual Fundraiser cost $65 per person and
include heavy appetizers, drinks, dessert
and entertainment. For more information
or to reserve a ticket, visit https://connect-ingforkids.
org/2018Fundraiser, email info@
connectingforkids.org or call 1-440-250-5563.
A medical diagnosis is not required to attend
Connecting for Kids programs, which offer
resources for children who may have food
allergies or issues with anxiety, attention,
or speech and language. The organization’s
website is www.connectingforkids.org.
Kim Riley Natalie Tesar
By KAREN UTHE-SEMANCIK
BAY VILLAGE — More than 400 racers ran
the streets of Bay Village last Saturday morning
for the Snoball Run to benefit Bay Athletics.
Racers did not have to face snow at the Sixth
annual event, one of the first road races of the
season, but they did have to deal with tempera-tures
in the low 30s when they stepped off from
Bay High School. The frigid temperatures didn’t
stop some from showing team spirit or individual
personality, including the Bay High wrestling
team running in their singlets.
The flat, fast 3.1-mile route, which winds
through western Bay Village, attracted runners
from ages 6 to 86. Medals were awarded in
such categories as best costume/most spirited;
first dog and racer to cross the finish line;
and first stroller. Winners in more traditional
categories were also awarded, such as best
overall male, awarded to Mark Grogan, 28, of
Bay Village, who finished first with a time of
15:49; and best overall female, Tracy Tungac,
35, of Sheffield Village, who finished with a
time of 18:07 and placed 12th overall.
After the run, participants enjoyed a pancake
breakfast in the high school gym to refuel.
“It was great to see so many Bay Village
community members, and even members of
other communities, come out and support
such a great event,” Bay High School Athletic
Director Matt Spellman said. “The Bay Rockets
Association does such a great job in supporting
Bay athletes, and to see so many community
members support the Rockets Association and
the athletes is outstanding. What is also great
is to see the various teams come together to
take part in this event, both to support the Bay
Rockets Association and also to support each
other. It truly is a fun event.”
Bay Rockets Athletic Boosters is a
volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization
dedicated to raising funds to promote and
support the athletic teams at Bay High and
Bay Middle schools.
Photo by Karen Uthe-Semancik
More than 400 runners and walk-ers
participated in the Sixth annual
Snoball Run to benefit Bay Athletics,
including Nicole Weatherwax, left, and
Jennifer Reiman, both of Sandusky.
Team spirit evident at Bay’s annual Snoball Run