OFFERING ENCOURAGEMENT – The Indian Creek Local School District held its 44th Annual Scholars Banquet on May 4 to recognize students who earned a 3.5 GPA or higher over consecutive semesters. Jefferson County Engineer Eric Hilty was the guest speaker and honored students received gold, silver and bronze keys and certificates. Juniors and seniors attended the festivities while freshmen and sophomores will receive their awards at school. -- Contributed

WINTERSVILLE — Students who made the grade at Indian Creek High School were recognized during the 44th-annual Scholars Banquet on May 4.

Nearly 50 juniors and seniors and their families joined school officials at St. Florian Hall for dinner and honors during the event, which recognized students who earned a 3.5 GPA or better for one to seven consecutive semesters. ICHS Principal Louie Retton welcomed the crowd and Superintendent T.C. Chappelear introduced the guest speaker, Jefferson County Engineer Eric Hilty.

Hilty, an Indian Creek alumnus, discussed his path from graduating in 2007 to his recent election as county engineer, saying it took a lot of hard work and choices to get to this point in his life. He recalled attending the banquet as a gold key scholar and wondering what he would do in his future.

“Eighteen years ago, I was a student sitting in this very room. It’s an exciting award and it feels good to be a scholar,” he said. “I had a really good experience at Creek and the people were really helpful and guided me along the way.”

He described playing soccer and football, playing emcee for basketball games and also becoming “entrepreneurial” with his deejay and landscaping businesses. He ultimately followed his siblings’ footsteps into engineering, studying civil engineering at the University of Akron and eventually earning his master’s degree in structural engineering, but he briefly diverted from his path and spoke of working for his uncle’s restaurant business in between.

“I found I really liked [engineering] and interned at the county engineer’s office, but I still wondered what I wanted to do for a living,” Hilty continued, saying he did not regret his decision to step back and manage his relative’s restaurant chain because it gave him more experience working with people, management and marketing.

He eventually returned to his chosen field and began working as a construction engineer for the county, receiving his professional engineer’s and surveyor’s licensure along the way. Hilty was now qualified to become a county engineer and was elected this past year. Now, he is focusing on serving the area and updating his office with a website and digitized records, some of which date back to the late 1700s.

“I am ambitious, and I always like to pursue other interests,” he noted. “I really love my job. It’s a great job and a public service. One thing I learned is to be proud and enjoy your journey. Be proud of earning a 3.5 or higher because you can do anything. You don’t have to know what you want to do in life, but you have to pursue something, whether it’s college or a trade,” he concluded. “Your career will find you.”

He also mentioned that good company provides great opportunities and having the support of parents, teachers and friends is beneficial.

“Keep these people in your life and ground yourself with great people. Good people will bring you great opportunities in life.”

Officials then recognized juniors and seniors on hand with gold, silver and bronze keys and certificates. Freshmen and sophomores also earned honors and were awarded later at school. Gold key recipients who earned a 3.5 GPA or better for seven consecutive semesters included seniors Caleb Bodo, Shiloah Connell, Noah Crane, Emma Doerr, Kyleigh Haines, Emily Hanlin, Jerlyn Hirschfeld, James Houser, Melia Lane, Hannah Long, Allison McGraw, Allison Rawson, Kyle Shultz, Briggs Taylor, Caleb Zifzal and Marlee Zook.

Silver key recipients, who earned a 3.5 GPA or better for five consecutive semesters, included seniors Maxwell Constantine, Katherine Grizzel, Caila Higgins, Xander Mazik, Ava Paterra, Emma Vok, Cambrie Wilson and Knowledge Wright. Among the juniors were Delaney Bates-Dallman, Gabriella Boyuk, Anna Bradley, Jaymes Chandler, Chelsea Channels, Abigail Dennis, Emily Dennis, Ava Dowdle, Aaliyah Duke, Brooklyn Evans, Noah Forrester, Aubrie Hanlin, Brody Kurner, Kaleb Manion, Leah McFarland, Luke McMillion, Kolton Norris, Abbey Pendleton, Jackson Pitts, Trevor Reese, Gavin Rheinhardt, Riley Sadler, Colin Schrumpf, Shayne Scott, Trista Simeral, Marek Speece, Ian Starkey, Brayden Stewart, Cooper Sweeny, Gabriella Taylor, Cara Vandeborne, Xavier Vines, Logan Wedlake, Katie Wells and Emma Westfall.

Bronze key recipients with three consecutive semesters of a 3.5 GPA or better included seniors Cambryl Caprita, Mattie Carroll, Camryn Ketron, Sophia Maxon, Hannah Sherbondy, Ivory Spencer, Alayna Starr and Selena Walker. Juniors included Mailin Espitia, Madison Geary, Maddox Simmons, Madison Tolman, Joshua Wells and Kennedie Wells. Among the sophomores were Blake Archer, Landon Bonar, Aleah Bowers, James Brothers, Damien Bruno, Becca Burch, Tatum Campbell, Adrian Cornish, Hannah Creech, Kylie Dray, Preslie Ewing, Dakota Forster, Nicholas Franklin, Korey Frey, Natalia Gombar, Brayden Hamilton, Dakota Hamilton, Hailee Hixenbaugh, Nina Householder, Ruby Howell, Madelyn Keener, Gabriel Kuruc, Bruce Mazar, Morgan McCumbers, Lukas McVicker, Lei’Azjah Moore, Donovan Morris, Megan Paoloemilio, Bradley Paulman, Keira Phelan, Vincent Prolago, Eli Purviance, McKenna Puskarich, Payton Rath, Caden Saffle, Jocelyn Saltsman, Alexis See, Jessa Skeen, Ethan Starr, Evan Stoddart, Emilia Taylor, Gabriel Thomas, Paisley Tolman, Skielor Truax, Kaydence Walker, Gracie Wiley and Ilsa Zinsmeister.

Certificates for one consecutive semester with a 3.5 GPA or better were awarded to seniors Logan Baker, Brendan Burns, Grasyn Danielson, Zane Holloway, Nandhana Ranjith, Sy’Christian Simpson, Gianna Taliani and Riley Tongate. Juniors included Maxwell Bolton, Elexia Christy, Jace Clark, Za’Rea Franklin, Austin Gregg, William Hamilton, Raygen Opic and Keirra Thompson. Sophomores included Iyanna Buggs, James Donaldson, Layla Gump, Riley Hildreth, Nathaniel Klinesmith, Faith Marinacci, Kaylee Montgomery, Ajay Petrosky and Carley Phillips. Freshmen included Mikhailo Amis, Mia Andreozzi, Maddin Bahen, Elizabeth Barrow, Maggie Blackburn, Dalana Bove, Carsyn Brown, Asher Calabrese, Mara Camp, Michael Campana, Kendall Canestraro, Khila Chamberlain, Anthony Christy, Garrin Clark, Calista Cozart, Landon Cullen, Alexander Fabian, Benjamin Fox, Hailey Francis, Kade Haines, Parker Heath, Yarentzi Hernandez, Gracie Higgins, Sydney Himmelrick, Jessah Hirschfeld, Keeley Johnson, Caden Johnston, Taylor Kakascik, William Kelly, Abby Kirkpatrick, Gracelyn Klinesmith, Jace Knox, Kaylin Lee, Harper Long, Caleb Lyons, Blaine Maxon, Hannah Mick, Madison Moran, Julia Nutter, Ashlyn Nuzum, Baylee Painter, David Pawelczyk, Gianna Peveich, Logan Plante, Sofia Randazzo, Benjamin Rusnak, Augustine Schloss, Danica Stellfox, Alec Stevens, Sophia Tongate, Quinn Ujcich, Phoenyx Vines, Kacey Walenciej and Isabella Wilson.

Meanwhile, students honored teachers who inspired them and among the educators chosen were Isabelle Heisler, Aimee Carroll, Matthew Shreve, Peggy Pyle, Michael Minor, Joseph Dunlevy, Janet Maxon, Julie Robinson, Ginny Pawelczyk, Robert Zinsmeister and Diane Dalesio, the latter formerly with the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School. Seniors Hannah Long and Allison McGraw respectively led the invocation and benediction and Dr. Chappelear by recognizing longtime administrative secretary Diane McAfee, who organized the event and was planning to retire after 24 years, as well as district and high school administrative staff Tami Haggerty and Lori Orban, the latter who will succeed McAfee next year. He also offered some parting words to the senior class.