001testing. Okay, we're good. Can you guys hear me? All right. Good evening everyone. On behalf of the student success celebration committee, welcome and thank you for being here to celebrate some truly outstanding students across our district. My name is Summer Hall. I am the chair as well as member Carmea Kelly. Did I get that right? Car. Okay. And member Phil McGomery. We also have um member and vice president Renee Molinar. and Miss Angela Carter and Superintendent Mary Otley. Tonight is one of the most meaningful parts of our work and it's also one of the best committees, too. I'll just throw that in there. We have the privilege of recognizing students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, perseverance, and personal triumph. Each story we share represents not only student success but the dedication of families, educators, and
002school communities who support them every day. Joining me this evening, we also have student board member Miss Nvea Een. Welcome. Who will help guide us through tonight's recognition. Let's begin our student success celebration. Okay. We will begin with recognizing and reflecting board academic growth and personal triumph. A student whose journey sorry a student whose journey highlights demonstration resil resilience and progress. So first I would like to introduce principal Tara Bruce. Are you here? Okay. Um, it is my pleasure to introduce Principal Tara Bruce, who will recognize one of her students from Krauss CLC. Oh, I'm so sorry. Can you give me one moment? Um, we'll have the student board member give her reflections and transitions, but stay close. Stay close. Board member Miss Naa. >> We'll begin with a recognition that reflects both academic growth
003and personal triumph. A student whose journey highlights determination, resilience, and progress. >> Okay. Okay. Principal Tara, >> you go. Go ahead. >> Reyes. >> Angela. And I'm talking to you all or am I talking to the audience? >> Um, you're talking to all of us. Yep. You can go. >> Oh, just grab it. Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. Yep. >> All right. Good. Good evening, everyone. I'm uh Tara Bruce, principal of Krauss CLC, and I have the honor of recognizing Mandrel Ellis Harris. Come on up, honey. Let me just tell you, are you okay? Um, so Mandreal, I have uh had the honor of being the principal of Krauss for 10 years now. So I have been able to have all eight of his uh seven of his siblings at Krauss as well. So I've
004been able to watch them grow up. He is the youngest of the eight. So I have seen him since he was in the stroller and what have you. And I wanted to say I asked him was he the youngest of eight because I'm the youngest of eight too. We got that in common. All right. So his teacher uh Mr. Datling did want to say a few words about him. >> Hi everybody. My name is Mr. D. Uh I've had the pleasure of being at Krauss uh CLC for the last 28 years. So, and I also have had uh seven other of his siblings. And uh so it's kind of that generational thing when you stay somewhere for a long time. Um Mandrel is just a uh exceptional young man. Um he really works hard and
005he is very dedicated to his studies. He's also not afraid to ask for help and to he is also eager to participate in our discussions and to help others when they need it. um he checks his work, it's all submitted on time. Uh and you know, even when things are challenging for Mandrrell and even when things aren't going quite right, uh this young man uh truly shows the what we're really looking for in a lot of students is that grit, that perseverance, that stick tuitiveness, and he definitely has that even when circumstances around him aren't always working in his favor. And it's just an honor for me to be your teacher, sir. And uh so that's all I got to say. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> I want to give mom a hug. Our
006next recognition highlights academic excellence and focused achievement. the result of preparation, persistence, and commitment to learning. Please welcome Principal Miss Ren Miss Williams, who will recognize her student from Barber CLC. I am not Mrs. Williams. H Have you seen her? Well, I'll go ahead and you want to go to the next one and then I don't All right. Okay, we'll come back to um Principal Reia Williams. Um okay, let's go. Leadership takes many forms through innovation, initiative, and positive influence within a school community. Our next recognition highlights student leadership at a very high level. I would like to introduce um Christa Bowden on behalf of Dana Popa. Good evening everyone. I am the academy principal at STEM High School and we are here to recognize um one of our brightest students, Miss Payton Carr. She
007is a 10th grader who currently has already have two CCP classes under her belt, but she is being recognized. That's right. She is being recognized for her outstanding accomplishments and commitment to leadership in the field of medicine and science. Uh she is a two-time nominee for the National Medical Conference in Boston. She went last year and she has been invited back again this year. um distinguishing her as an outstanding um future physician and scientist. And she has also earned a $5,000 renewable scholarship to the University of Wisconsin E-clair. Let's give it up for Payton Carr. Our next honore represents a strong combination of academic achievement and student leadership, excelling personally while also serving as a positive example to peers. Please welcome Principal Diane Floyd who will recognize one of her students from King CLC. Where
008are you, Lorenzo? Scanning. There we go. There he comes. He's making an entrance. I like it. Good evening. I am uh Diane Floyd again, principal at King. Thank you so much for having us. And what a wonderful night to honor all of the wonderful students here. And I'm like a super proud principal tonight. I'm only coming up here once, but I have a whole room full of really amazing families here. And I always want to brag and say, "Oh, we have the best." But I see all these other families, and it's just so nice to see Akan public schools come together and something so positive. So, thank you to everyone here who believes in APS and has given their heart. So, thank you. Uh speaking of giving their heart, this is Lorenzo and he is
009a fourth grader at uh King CLC and uh he and I started King together. So he started as a kindergarter and I started as a firsttime ever elementary school principal, right? And together we have grown a lot, but this young man has really just blossomed academically and um I'm so proud of him. um over the past five years we've done a lot of growing together and he has just flourished and I've kind of asked all of his teachers and u mom and dad I I I won't read it all but you would see all the teachers who wrote something so kind about you and words like leader and courageous and hardworking and determined and um at King and I'm sure every other APS school it's a lot more than just academics and we're trying to
010just raise good human beings and this is an example of a wonderful human being and a really good egg. That's why we're gifting you the good egg. So, congratulations, Lorenzo. Good job, Mom and Dad. Thank you for having us. Thank you. Good job. One of the most powerful recognitions we present is for personal triumph. Our next honore represents personal triumph and action, showing what can happen when determination and initiative come together. Okay. Next, we would like to introduce Principal Kimberly Sabata. Please welcome Principal Kimberly Sabata, who will recognize our student from Elllet High School. Right. Good evening. I would also like to introduce Mr. Frank Colleine who's over here as her academy principal as well. If you would like to come up here with me. I'm not doing this alone, Mr. Colleine. But again, thank
011you for having us. Um, good evening, Chair Hall, members of the board, superintendent, and Akran public schools community. I'm so very proud to be standing here tonight um with one of our students. It is my honor to recognize an extraordinary student from CLC for an exceptional personal achievement. Isabella is a published author. Her book, Love Me Then Leave Me, is currently available for purchase on Amazon. An accomplished an accomplishment that reflects remarkable creativity, courage, discipline, and perseverance. Bringing a written work to publication is no small feat. And Isabella's achievement speaks volumes about her dedication to her craft and her belief in voice. Her work demonstrates initiative, personal drive, and a willingness to pursue her passion with commitment and purpose. Isabella serves as an inspiring example of what is possible when students embrace their talents and
012have the confidence to share them with the world. Isabella is now going to come up and join us. Y >> right. This is Isabella and we are so very proud of you. Um she's going to take a minute as we're celebrating her and this outstanding accomplishment. She's going to share just a small excerpt um from the the published book with us this evening. >> Here if you want you can read it. You want to read it to the board? >> Yeah. Okay. Hello. Um, okay. So, this is a part of kind of the middle of it. Um, there is a lot of context missing, but you got to read it to, you know, get the rest of the context. Um this um has a lot of meaning in it and instead of looking at the
013words I want you to find the meaning in it and that's all I really want out of this. Um so the auditorium was a smooth sto was a stomach dark cavernous full of things waiting to be digested. voice echoed. Whispers snapped like twigs on the stage. Chairs tilted at odd odd angles. Mike's cord fraying dust moes a swirling gold in the glare. And I stood backstage hard in my mouth. My script pinched so tightly in my dissolve. Someone brushed my arm. Miss handing me a b handling me a bottle of water and a peppermint. Eyes kind but tired. You want to rehearse again? She whispered. But before I could answer, Levi was by my side, steady and still. He didn't speak like someone demanding to be heard. He spoke like someone inviting me to feel
014safe. Look at me, he said. I did. You don't owe them perfection. You owe them truth. And you've already you've already survived the hard part. Writing it down. The rest is just saying it out loud. I swallowed. And if I can't, I'll still be here. I'll touch a cheek. Why? Because I chose to be. Because love isn't about rescuing someone. It's about refusing to leave even when you're tired. Even when it's messy. Even when they don't believe they're worth staying for. My name was on the program. It started stared at me like a dare. Everything got brighter. The crowd a rumor of faces. The microphone unkind and waiting. When my name was called, my legs obeyed. Some ancient ordered. I floated. I staggered. Each step forward felt like a like the cracking of ancient ice
015beneath my bare feet. I dressed the mic, the metal shrieking in the quiet. For about breath the second, I saw my whole life stacked behind my eyes. Journal pages, glue stick poems, phone string, phone screens bright with cruel world words. I can't talk. Hands tight against my chest in the dark. Nothing had prepared me for this. Nothing would. I looked down my notes. Rewritten, rewritten, torn, rewritten again. stained with what might have been sweat or the weather of my hands and then at the sea of students and I finally again not loud but sure the way a person would speak uh when they have only one thing to say and no more chances I used to think that silent meant safety I spoke as I did I let the world shrink and then open breath
016fragged um word by word my voice wavered at first cracked and hollow but I kept going each s sentence landed with a soft violent of a rain on a winter street. My voice shook. I s caught in the wind, but I kept my kept to my course. I said what I came to say about the book, the rumors, the cruelty, and about about how kindness wasn't weakness. How cruelty never brought anyone closer to strength strength. I choked on the choked on the word love but made myself explain. Some people think love is loud. It shouts through hallways and dances on table tables. But maybe maybe love is quieter than that. I pause, letting the words stretch. Maybe love is is what's left when everything else is gone. When there's no applause, no audience, no moment
017to shine. Maybe love is someone sitting with you when your world goes dark. Someone who stays not to fix you, but just so you don't sit alone. I let the silence settle. Maybe love isn't loud or poetic or perfect. Maybe it's soft hands and quiet mornings. Maybe it's late night texts that say, "Are you okay?" and mean it. Maybe it's patient that doesn't demand an answer. Maybe it's knowing all the broken parts of someone and staying anyways. Thank you for that. That was beautiful. And yes, kindness is not a weakness. Kindness is strength. as you uh stated. >> So, good job. Thank you so much for that. And one question, is your book for sale? Is her book for sale? >> Yes, it is. >> Amazon. >> Oh, on Amazon. All right. Good job. We
018have some amazing students. Um, I would like to go back to Principal Reeneia Williams. Please welcome Principal Reeneia Williams who will recognize her student from Barber CLC. Good evening, Chair Hall, members of the board, superintendent, and Akan public schools community. is my privilege to introduce an exceptional student from Barber CLC who is truly exemplifies academic achievement and scholarship. Amar Cross, also known as Little Me. Um when you come up, you will see her. Come on up, baby. Yes. This is Little Me. Um Amara is an outstanding scholar. She maintains an impressive 3.8 8 GPA while also demonstrating perfect attendance. Her commitment to excellence in the classroom reflects her strong work, ethic, focus, and determination to always do her best. Beyond her academic success, Amara is a natural leader. She earned first place in the school
019spelling be last May, showcasing both her prepare preparation and confidence. This year, she stepped into a new role as a cheerleader where she quickly emerged as both co- captain and captain, earning multiple awards at her team's banquet in recognition of her leadership and dedication. Amara's leadership extends beyond school as well. She was named student of the month at our dance studio in December, reflecting the same discipline, responsibility, and positive example she sets for others every day. Am Marley's with integrity, kindness, and confidence. She is a role model to her peers, a source of pride for Barbara Coc, and a wonderful example of what our students can achieve through hard work and leadership. Amara, we and of course I am incredibly proud of you and all that you have accomplished. Please join me in congratulating Amara
020Cross for her academic achievement and leadership. Oh, and I also just want to say thank you to her parents. We will close tonight's recognitions with the group that represents student voice, service, and shared leadership. Student leadership organizations play an important role in shaping school culture and strengthening student engagement. All right. So to present this final recognition, please welcome educator Lauren. Lauren, you got to help me with that last name. >> Reman Schneider. Everyone just calls me Miss R. >> Reman Schneider. I'm going to say it. Rema Schneider, who leads the student council at King CLC. And I think all the uh student council members had those blue shirts on, right? >> I say most of them are wearing their shirt. >> Okay. All right. All right. Good evening, everyone. I am so proud to be
021able to honor our King CLC student council. This year we have 32 members on our King CLC student council. A couple of exciting things that our student council has done this year is we started a monthly newsletter that we send out to the entire school and it is entirely student written. Um they have interviewed teachers, introduced new staff, they write about some of our PBIS um initiatives that we're doing at school. They also write about the student council drives that we are doing and fundraisers that we have. Um, in addition to that, we also had a group of student council members who wrote a proposal to our PTA to try to get some soccer nets so that we could play soccer at recess. We also had a group of students who started a referee program
022at recess so that everyone could play fair and follow the rules. In addition to those things, um, we have collected canned foods for families in need. We have collected personal care items for Project Rise. We recently had a bake sale we where we raised over $500 to help seniors through the adopt a senior program in Project Rise. Um we wrote Valentine's for all the teachers to show our appreciation to them. We've done so many amazing things and none of that could have been done without our amazing student council. So I just want everyone to just understand and appreciate that these are our future leaders and they are working so hard now as children where we think that change and action is something that's difficult to do and they're doing it at such a young age.
023So I am so proud of this group of students and I'm so glad that we're all here to celebrate them together. Can't Um, can I just have all my student council members stand up real quick so we can just give you a little round of applause, TOO. >> UM, MRS. Floyd has all the certificates, so we will get you guys those when we get back to school. Okay. >> Oh, wait. Oh, we won't. We're going to hand them now. Okay. >> Get the cameras ready. Mom, this way. We'll call you up. >> Okay. So, when you hear your name, you come on up and get your certificate. Okay. Uh, >> are we go this way? Yes, that's that's better. Um, okay. Our first student council member is Dalia Alariki, and she couldn't make it today.
024Uh, Matteline Arnold. Uh, next we have Edison Bader. Is Edison here? Uh, Emma Bird. Elijah Boyd Mans. It's okay. Is Chima Alina Crawl. >> Congratulations. Thank you for your work. >> Emerson Chromis. Rita Crutchley, Amelia Frank, Vivian George, Cassandra Granberry, >> I'm so glad you could make it. Elizabeth Harmon, Hie Hudson, Avery Humphrey, Aubrey Jones. She was here. I don't know if she Declan McFarland's Nora Meron. You counting up, bud? I don't know where she was here. Graham Ali, thank you sir. Gemma Ali, Neil Padreddi, Quincy Riazi Folkman, Elliot Frank Rizzo, Emma Rodriguez, Elliot Simpson, Milana Simpson, Aaliyah Smith, Dorothy Starvaji for your leaders. Kenneth Starvagi, Angelo Stoopoulos, Amelia Tatlo. Is that it? >> And I think that is everyone. >> Miss anybody still here? going to say >> thank you Schneider. >> Thank you
025so much. What a wonderful celebration tonight as we recognize our students who amplify excellence, leadership, pres perseverance, and heart. I also want to acknowledge um Eric Fletcher, program, I'm sorry, college access program manager. He's the one right there who gets our student board members. So, hey students, when you guys get to high school, you can become student board members where you get the pleasure to sitting up here with us and to also do reading uh conversate and also tell us about issues good and the bad and sometimes the ugly that may be going on um so that we as board members can help um identify changes or just celebrate excellence. Okay. So, I would like to also thank all of the parents Can we just give our parents a round of applause? This would be
026parents, guardians, grandparents, aunts, uncles, you name them. Friends, family members. Um, I just want to say thank you because without you, there's none of these little guys. Um, and I wish I had the opportunity to just tell my mom thank you so much for pouring everything into me. So, I know these kids appreciate you. They may, you know, fight with you every day, but know that when they grow up, they will definitely make you proud. And thank you for maybe giving you such a headache or just being great kids. So, um, I just want to say thank you parents for everything that you do for our students. Um, to our teachers, I heard we have a lot of educators in the building. Can you please stand up? I want to say thank you for showing
027up every day. Thank you for coming after hours down here. I know it's time for you to be home with your family, but thank you so much for just seeing um our children, loving our children, um supporting our children. We know it's a lot of work and we just thank you every single day for all that you do, the relationships that you build with our parents um and the relationships that you build with our kids because some of our kids need you to just say job well done. Congratulations. I'm proud of you. So, thank you for that. Um before we close out, any of my members, fellow board members like to say anything? >> Member Molinar. >> Thank you, Chair Hall. I want to first of all echo everything that our uh member hall said.
028Um I this is my favorite committee. Um not just because we created it, but this is a long day for us. Many of you know when you came you stood in the hallway. We have a meeting before this and a meeting after this. So this is a highlight wedged in the middle of a series of meetings for us. And so this is a breath of fresh air, a great reminder to us why we do what we do. Because of you kids, because of how successful you are. You are charging us. Um, and so, uh, student council, I hope we can get, uh, great group photo after this of everyone here and, um, maybe even just with everyone. Uh, Isabella, your book. I am moved. I will buy your book on Amazon. I will. Um, and
029I love hearing it's it's it's a hard balance. We have so many students um to hear the student voice. And so I want to say to um the members of the committee and the administrators who formed the committee, thank you for giving us the opportunity to hear directly from a student. We don't have time always to hear from every single student, but to see large groups, to hear individual students. Um it's a celebration. Um Amara, you're dressed. You reminded me this is a celebration. Um, and parents, this is a celebration of you, too. We want to celebrate you. Without your efforts, we would not um have the great things that the kids have done. And I just wish we had some cookies or something while you were waiting. Um, we could even celebrate our culinary
030students or something with cookies. So, maybe next time, um, we can have a snack while everyone waits for the next meeting while you're out there. It's a reception. Um, and so because of that, I don't want you to feel like, well, why are other kids getting cookies and not me? So, I was wondering if maybe we could dangle a carrot of a reason for everyone to come back and be celebrated again, maybe somehow. Um, student board member for some of you, that might be really far away, but a great goal to have. Um, but besides student board member, I know last year we highlighted everyone who had a perfect score on their Ohio achievement tests. So that might be something to work towards and something we might do again. But are there any other possible
031highlights or ideas of some groups or achievements or something that we could work towards? Thanks. >> Yeah. Yes. Thank you. Any other members? Oh, >> I don't know if there's anything specific like stars or are there any current district initiatives of awards that are going maybe for the next grading period? >> Yes, >> I think um Mrs. Chapman has one coming up. Um but then also I know that um >> yes. >> Okay. And then also if you want to celebrate your student teachers, principles, please send an email to I think there's a system or Mrs. Carter um it's online. You want to tell about it because you know more about that than me. I'll just ramble. >> Yes. On our board page on our website, you can go in and nominate. So, community members,
032teachers, parents, um principles, anyone can go in and nominate our scholars for different areas, personal triumph, um academics, um leadership. So, there's several different areas that where you can nominate students to be recognized. And so, we are looking for more and um I know Mr. Johnson has something planned for March, which we're excited about. So maybe he'll be able to share that during the announcement um portion. Uhhuh. Member Kelly, >> I wanted to take the time to uh I am so impressed that King Elementary School has a student council because we we you don't really see student councils in elementary schools. But what this says to me is that leadership is being built in our elementary schools. That our teachers and parents or guardians of those students attending King Elementary School is truly investing in
033what leadership looks like at a young age. And it starts it starts in elementary school at that grade at that age when you're attending elementary school. What I am surprised to hear, and I want to hear more about this, is how this student council body was able to raise $500 to donate to upper classmen. >> And so when we adopt a senior, those funds are going to students that are truly in need of support to help them graduate. Um, also what is it? Pay senior dues. So I am extremely proud of all of you for raising those funds to help fellow students out because that is a big responsibility. So that money that you raised will go to a student that is truly in need. And I am so impressed and thankful for the students
034that are a part of the student council at King Elementary School and the adults that have encouraged these these students to um to take on such a selfless act of service. And I think this Dr. Molinar is even more of a reason to bring this group back to show them how much we truly appreciate them stepping up and taking on such a large responsibility. Thank you. So, one thing me and Mrs. Carter was talking about Dr. Molenard was taking a picture before we moved on to the next one. So, if we were going to just take a picture like, is that okay, parents? Okay. So, kids, do you want to stand up and then give us your biggest smile? I have really like one arm. So, somebody want to take a picture? Just do it
035from this way. >> Oh, kids, come on up this way if you don't mind. Students, not kids. >> All students, it doesn't matter if you're being celebrated today. >> If you're here, come on up. You three, come on up. Get up. Come on. >> Come on. Face your parents. >> Yep. Come on up. >> Back up just a little bit. >> The three on the front. Angela, could you have those three stand up, too? the one in the back. >> So, I think all the students that were recognized, if you come on up, make sure you're up here. Oh, yeah. Let me see your certificates. >> One, two, three. >> I can do it. >> All right. Don't move. Stay there. >> One, two, three. >> I can do it. Excellent. >> Thank you. >>
036Okay. Thank you everyone. We're not done yet. Just give us a few more minutes. Okay. >> So, before we conclude this evening, I would like to introduce Dr. Carla Chapman and Larry Johnson. Is he in? >> Okay. Well, this is Dr. Carla Chapman. >> Good evening. >> So, I think this is the only committee where we grab the mic. So, I'm going to grab the mic. I've not seen it done in any other committee. All right. Exciting news for you future middle school students and parents and family members. Akran public schools is bringing the spelling bee back. Yes. So, thanks to Superintendent Outly who said she may have been a teacher the last time we may have had one, which was a long time ago. So, here's what's been going on. Beginning February 12th, any
037of you have middle schoolers that may have participated? I see a couple hands. So between February 12th and February 20th, all of our middle schools are having building level competitions for their spelling champion. We have five identified so far. I won't spill the beans yet. And then each middle school champion is going to come here on February 24th. Doors will open at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:30. And the 10 middle school champions are going to compete to become the Akran public schools spelling B winner, final champion of the district. But that's not all. That's not all. We got more. Our 10 finalists will have the opportunity to test for the scripts national spelling be. That's a okay. So, we want to get some qualifiers from our middle school champions. And so, I'm
038just so excited that Superintendent Outley got charged up about this. and commissioned a team including myself, Dr. Tuan Wyn, Mr. Larry Johnson, our executive director of middle schools, and we hit the ground running in about 35 days to get this up and running. And I am so hopeful that this will be the first of many, many more. We can't let it go 20 more years, superintendent. So, please join us here at 10 North Main, second floor, February 24th. That is next Tuesday. Doors will open at 5:30. Help us cheer on our middle school champions to become the Akran public schools spelling B winner. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Chapman. All I could envision right now is Aquila and the B. And I'm like tapping my legs spelling words. So this is a wonderful opportunity. Make
039sure you tell your friends and your family members who have middle school um students to participate in this. And our students said I can. So you can do anything you put your mind to. Um is there any other comments from board members? Student board member you want to say anything? No. Okay. All right. So, this concludes tonight's student success celebration recognition. Congratulations to everyone. Thank you again for showing up for our students. >> And just to let you know, our next meeting is on March 18th at 5:30, which is my birthday. Thank you.