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Featured Journal Article Proud Products of Ohio Public Schools by Crystal Davis Hutchins, OSBA deputy director of communication, and Bryan Bullock, OSBA communication coordinator Ohio’s public schools are making a huge difference in students’ lives every day. Ohio Department of Education (ODE) statistics show the state’s public school districts clearly outperform most charter schools and are more uniformly successful than charter schools. |
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The numbers also show public schools manage their money better than their charter school counterparts. In the process, Ohio’s public schools are producing many exceptional graduates who have gone on to make a real difference in the world.
For the second year, OSBA is featuring “Proud Products of Ohio Public Schools” as a special section of our Journal magazine and here on our website. As part of OSBA’s “Public Schools Make a Difference” campaign, we’re presenting living examples that prove beyond a doubt that our schools are going above and beyond to prepare Ohio schoolchildren for bright futures. “Proud Products of Ohio Public Schools” highlights graduates who have achieved great success in their chosen fields. Learn more about these "Proud Products:" Lou Holtz, Allison (Bahnsen) Bolinger, Daniel C. McClelland, Stefanie Brown, James Cordle, Yvette McGee Brown, Ryan Amos and Tiffany Barnes.
Sportscaster and retired football coach
From East Liverpool to extraordinary coach to ESPN analyst
Although he now works as an ESPN football analyst, Lou Holtz is best known as a legendary college football coach. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008, he is the only coach in the history of college football to take six different teams to a bowl game; win five bowl games with different teams; and have four college teams ranked in the final Top 20 poll.
“Attending (East Liverpool City’s) East Liverpool High School was a blessing,” Holtz said. “I had some excellent teachers, great friends, winning athletic teams and attractive girls that wouldn’t date me.”
Holtz went earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Kent State University and a master’s degree in arts and education from the University of Iowa. He played linebacker at Kent State before an injury ended his career.
As head coach at the University of South Carolina, Holtz led the Gamecocks to back-to-back bowl game wins for the first time in school history. As head coach at the University of Notre Dame, he helped the Fighting Irish win the consensus national championship. After leaving Notre Dame, Holtz worked as a sports analyst for CBS Sports for two years.
He also was head football coach at the University of Minnesota, University of Arkansas, North Carolina State University, College of William & Mary, and for the NFL’s New York Jets. Before becoming a head coach, Holtz served as an assistant coach at several colleges, including Ohio State University. The Walter Camp Football Foundation named him 1998’s Man of the Year, and he was named 1977 Coach of the Year.
Holtz and his wife Beth are the parents of four children and live in Florida. He has authored three New York Times best-selling books and is a highly sought-after motivational speaker.
Education inspiration
“Glenda Dunlop, my sophomore English teacher stands out,” Holtz said. “Meanest person, pound-for-pound, I have ever met, but a great teacher. She didn’t care if you liked her or not, she cared about you learning English ... I was able to graduate from college because of her standards.
“(Another outstanding) teacher was my football coach, Wade Watts. During my junior year, Mr. Watts told my parents I should go to college and be a coach. My parents said I would go, I said I wouldn’t, so we compromised and I went to college. I had worked since age 9, and saved my money to buy a 1949 Chevrolet. (Instead) I used this money to go to college and my mother went to work at the hospital from 11 p.m.-7 a.m. as a nurse’s aide to help me get through college.”
Giving back
“Because my wife and I are from the upper Ohio Valley, we have provided two scholarships a year to the 17 high schools in the valley (for students) to attend trade schools,” Holtz said. “We have done this the past 14 years. We still speak to various high schools, but we can never repay the people in the Ohio Valley that had such a positive influence on me and Beth.”
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“Public schools and teachers can give you a chance to learn and grow but, in reality, it is your choice. Life is nothing more than making good choices. If you choose to goof off, ridicule people that want to learn, drop out of school, do drugs, join a gang, have multiple children out of wedlock, you are choosing to end up in prison or in poverty. I thank the public schools for emphasizing how to make good choices.”
Extravehicular activities trainer and flight controller, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston
Spacewalk supervisor
When NASA astronauts learn to perform spacewalks, they learn from Lancaster City graduate Allison (Bahnsen) Bolinger. She was the 1999 valedictorian of her graduating class at Lancaster High School.
“When thinking back to my school experience in Lancaster, I remember very dedicated teachers who always strived to challenge me and to keep me interested in math, science and pursuing my dreams of working at NASA,” Bolinger said. “Once I decided early in elementary school that NASA was my ultimate goal, I never encountered a teacher who did not fully believe in and support my lofty ambitions, which worked wonders in helping these dreams become a reality.”
Bolinger initially began her career at NASA in 2001 as a cooperative education student during her sophomore year at Purdue University. After graduating from Purdue in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, she began her full-time career at NASA in the extravehicular activities (EVA) group. The EVA group focuses on training astronauts in all aspects of conducting spacewalks, including spacesuit operations, tool usage and task training in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, which contains the world’s largest indoor swimming pool complete with life-size mock-ups of the International Space Station. The EVA group also works as flight controllers in the Mission Control Center, providing support for the astronauts while they are on spacewalks.
“Most recently, I had the honor of planning, training the astronauts and ultimately leading from Mission Control the four spacewalks performed on the STS-134 mission in May 2011, the final flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour,” Bolinger said.
Education inspiration
“There are two teachers from my high school career that I partly attribute my success to,” Bolinger said. “Nancy Gruezke, my AP (advanced placement) chemistry and AP physics teacher, who helped foster my love of science and taught me it was cool to be a female in a technical field. She had a great sense of humor and always kept things interesting. Rod Ishida, my AP calculus teacher, helped me build the mathematic foundation that served me well at Purdue in my engineering degree and, eventually, in my career.”
Giving back
“I’ve given presentations on NASA, the International Space Station and my job to help inspire Lancaster’s elementary and junior high students,” Bolinger said. “And, I’ve answered students’ NASA questions via email for projects. I’ve also given NASA presentations to the Lancaster Rotary and Kiwanis clubs.”
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“One of my favorite quotes is ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll be among the stars.’”
Geauga County Sheriff
Chardon’s hometown hero
As Chardon Local recovers following the Feb. 27 school shooting that left three students dead and two wounded, a local leader is in the national spotlight. District officials say school violence preparedness training with law enforcement helped ward off an even greater tragedy. They are calling the man who played a role in that training, Chardon High School graduate and Geauga County Sheriff Daniel C. McClelland, their hometown hero.
“He handled the tragedy and the town with dignity, honor and compassion,” said West Geauga Local Director of Academic Services Brenda Armstrong, who nominated McClelland as a “Proud Product of Ohio Public Schools.” “(Chardon) Superintendent Joseph Bergant II and Dan were a true team and remain so as the town heals.”
“Law enforcement was quickly placed inside the school upon arrival and we believe that helped to lessen the tragedy that occurred,” McClelland said. “Unfortunately, much had occurred prior to law enforcement’s arrival.”
McClelland is humble about his contributions in the wake of the shooting. He says it just feels good to be able to give back to the school that means so much to him.
“I came to Chardon High as a transfer student,” McClelland said. “I had to learn to meet and interact with people because I didn’t know anyone. The students and faculty that reached out to me made me feel welcome and made a lifelong impression. It was at this time that I learned that I wanted to work with people, to make a positive difference in their lives, just as others did for me.”
Education inspiration
“While many teachers greatly influenced my life, it was my mom, Millicent, who stands out,” McClelland said. “Mom had gone back to school, and when I was a sophomore, she was hired as a first-grade teacher. It was Mom’s drive, juggling raising a family and putting herself through school that I remember. I saw how she demonstrated a passion for her job and a real caring for the children. It is not everyone who can say their mom was their best teacher.”
Giving back
“Whether it be serving as a guest instructor on topics of law enforcement and citizenship, or performing a law enforcement function that serves to keep our schools and children safe, I have been fortunate to have many opportunities to give back,” McClelland said. “My biggest joy is when I can go back to the school, talk to students and promote the importance of personal integrity and education.”
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“I am a proud product of Ohio’s public school system. It was a public school that taught me the importance of being a lifelong learner, and that helped me become a successful family man and member of our community. The future of our community is in good hands because public schools make a difference.”
National African-American vote director, Obama for America
Bedford grad knows how to get out the vote
When the president of the United States selects you for an important job, you know you’ve hit the big time. It happened to Bedford City graduate Stefanie Brown, who is currently serving as the national African-American vote director for the Obama for America campaign.
Brown previously worked as the national field director for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Baltimore. Under her leadership, NAACP’s national civic engagement campaigns registered more than 200,000 people to vote in the 2008 and 2010 election cycles. Concurrently, Brown served as the national director of the NAACP Youth & College Division, representing 23,000 people under the age of 25 around the country.
A native of Bedford Heights, 31-year-old Brown was recently inducted into the Bedford High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
“I can definitely say that my education and extracurricular activities at Bedford High School (BHS) taught me how to multitask and strive for a successful work-life balance!” Brown said. “Always one to serve in capacities that will help others, BHS enabled me to grow as a leader and a scholar. I will forever be grateful for the wonderful support of teachers and counselors ... for helping to make me the woman I am today.”
A graduate of Howard University, Brown has been recognized as one of Essence.com’s “Top 10 Emerging Political Leaders of 2010” and Ebony magazine’s 2007 “Top 30 Young Leaders under the Age of 30.” In 2011, Brown launched the Brown Girls Lead Academy, an engaging leadership development program for black collegiate women on the campus of Howard University.
Education inspiration
“Yvonne Sims, my high school guidance counselor, was always the person I could turn to for constant support and encouragement,” Brown said. “Every day I was in her office to laugh, cry, strategize about life and just shoot the breeze. To this day, she continues to be like a mother to me and I will forever be grateful for her love.”
Giving back
“I’ve always stayed close to Bedford Heights by participating in local activities and representing my home community as often as possible,” Brown said. “In 2006, I established the Harvey and Delores Brown Scholarship Fund, named in honor of my parents, at my alma mater to provide scholarship support for graduating seniors who enrolled in a historically black college or university.”
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“Quote I live by: ‘Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest and the playtime.’ — W.E.B. DuBois.”
Professional football player, New York Giants
Cordle cares about public education
Although he now wears a Super Bowl ring he earned with the NFL’s New York Giants, James “Jim” Cordle’s football success began at Lancaster City’s Lancaster High School (LHS). A 2005 graduate, Cordle was a two-time first team All-Ohio award winner at LHS.
“My mother, who is a public school teacher, always told me my education needed to be my first priority,” Cordle said. “I loved athletics, but my first two years of high school were not great, academically. My mom’s message sunk in my junior year and I excelled in both academics and athletics.”
Cordle went on to become a three-year starter at The Ohio State University. He started at four different positions on the offensive line and helped the Buckeyes go to a Bowl Championship Series game every year, including two National Championship games and a Rose Bowl victory.
Cordle has five Big Ten Championship rings along with five pairs of Gold Pants, an award given to Buckeyes following a victory over the University of Michigan. He won the Jim Parker Award (given to the top offensive lineman) in 2009 and the Jim Marshall Warrior Award in 2007, which is given to the toughest player. In 2010, Cordle was named the Rex Kern College Athlete of the Year. During college, Cordle also organized a highly successful Special Olympics fundraiser called “Bowling with Buckeyes,” which earned him several awards.
At Ohio State, Cordle excelled in academics as well. He was named to the Academic All-Big Ten for four consecutive years and graduated with a 3.27 grade point average from the prestigious Fisher College of Business.
Cordle was signed as a free agent by the New York Giants in 2010 and spent that fall on the practice squad. In 2011, he was signed to the active roster and played in nine games in various roles as the Giants went on to win Super Bowl XLVI.
Education inspiration
“While (my parents) are special education teachers and never had the opportunity to teach me in a classroom, they taught me as well as any parent has at home,” Cordle said. “I feel I had great teachers all along and I want to recognize one. Cyndi Lavere was the advisor for Teen Institute at LHS and she made a big impact on my life and many others. Teen Institute served as a leadership group that had an anti-drug and alcohol policy and volunteered at the school and in the community.
“Under Mrs. Lavere’s leadership, we rallied through town with signs asking citizens to ‘pass the levy.’ That effort, like anything Mrs. Lavere sets out to do, was successful. Mrs. Lavere’s passion for improving students’ well-being and education experiences continues to make a big impact during their high school years. The successful start to my foundation is in large credit to Mrs. Lavere. Local businesses just cannot turn down her positive attitude and cheerful laugh when she inquires for donations.”
Giving back
“Over the years, I have given back to public schools primarily as a guest speaker,” Cordle said. “My success at Ohio State and in the NFL has made schools eager to have my message heard by their pupils. I have visited schools throughout Ohio and in New Jersey stressing education, physical activity and an anti-bullying message. This summer, the Cordle Cares Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that I founded, will be hosting a Youth Football Camp at Lancaster High School for Fairfield County children in grades three to six.”
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“I am honored to be selected as a Proud Product of Ohio Public Schools! Public schools hold the future to our nation's success.”
Justice, Supreme Court of Ohio
Ohio’s first female African-American Supreme Court justice
Yvette McGee Brown serves as a justice on the highest court in Ohio. The first African-American woman to sit on the Supreme Court of Ohio says her life’s upward trajectory began as a student in Columbus City.
“I recall our teachers being very invested in our success,” McGee Brown said. “The reason I went to college is because of my high school guidance counselor saying to me one day, ‘You’re too smart not to go to college.’”
McGee Brown graduated from Mifflin High School in 1978 and went on to Ohio University, earning a degree in journalism and public relations, then The Ohio State University, where she earned a law degree.
She was elected to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations and Juvenile division in 1992. As a judge, she led the creation of the Family Drug Court and the SMART Program, a truancy and educational neglect intervention program. McGee Brown served on the common pleas court until 2002, when she retired from the bench to create the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The Columbus center is a multidisciplinary child abuse and family violence program that centralizes services for those experiencing abuse. She served as founding president until early 2010, when she became a candidate for Ohio lieutenant governor.
In 2011, McGee Brown became the 153rd justice to join the Supreme Court of Ohio. She is the eighth female justice in the court’s history.
Among her many honors are induction into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame and receiving the Champion of Children Award, YWCA Woman of Achievement Award and several honors from Ohio University and The Ohio State University.
She is married to Tony Brown, who has been a high school teacher for 35 years. They have three children and one grandchild.
Education inspiration
“I remember my (high school) government teacher challenging us to think about the world differently and how we planned to make a difference,” McGee Brown said. “Dwight Groce, who I still run into from time to time, really ignited in me and others a passion for public service. He pushed us academically and treated us like young adults. But I guess what I remember most of all is the sense that our teachers cared about us and wanted us to have a bright future.”
Giving back
“I try to speak at public schools when I travel and talk with young people about who they can be and to encourage them to focus on the future,” McGee Brown said. “It’s all about preparing your brain to move on to the next phase. I think it’s important to let young people know you have been where they are and you understand the challenges of high school. Life is so much more challenging for kids today than when I was in school.”
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“People often ask me why I spend so much time working on behalf of young people. The answer is simple: Ohio has given me a great education and great opportunity. My education in Columbus City Schools provided me with a love of learning, a curious mind and a belief that I was smart and capable. I would not be in this place but for the teachers at Mifflin High School who saw something in me before I could see it in myself. They changed the trajectory of my life.”
Co-founder of Daily Booth, Inc.
A picture a day keeps an entrepreneur happy
Ryan Amos graduated from Milford EV’s Milford High School just eight years ago, but he's already made a lasting impression on the World Wide Web. He is the co-founder and engineering lead at DailyBooth.com and Batch. Daily Booth allows users to quickly snap a picture of themselves and share it online, while Batch is an application that helps users quickly post photos wherever they want online. Before that, Amos sold his first startup, Humor Software, which enabled users to create their own web page with humorous videos.
Amos was born and raised in Ohio. He says he found a love for programming at the age of 11, when he quickly started working on his own projects. He graduated from high school in 2004.
"One specific event I remember was when we watched ‘Pirates of Silicon Valley’ in a computer class," said Amos. "That movie got me excited about the possibilities of what was out on the West Coast. Ever since we watched that movie, I wanted to move out to the bay area to be around all the exciting things different computer companies were doing."
Education Inspiration
"Roxann Schneder was the one who always gave me the opportunity to learn things beyond what was taught in class," said Amos. "She taught me in high school but now teaches at Milford Junior High. When we didn't have a Web class, she allowed me take an independent study course to explore things on my own."
Giving back
"I've offered to speak at my high school to talk to potential entrepreneurs and/or computer classes."
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"Quote that I live by: 'Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can't.'"
Journeyman Ironworker for Local 17
Building on the strong foundation of public education
Building bridges, buildings and other steel structures for a living is certainly not the career every girl dreams of. But for 2005 Keystone Local/Lorain County JVS graduate Tiffany Barnes, it's all she's ever wanted. She was accepted into the ironworker apprenticeship program right after high school and has continued to build on the skills gained through public education.
"School taught me so much about life. I didn't realize it then, but I realize it now," said Barnes. "(It taught me) the responsibilities of the average work day, and the skills you need to get through life and deal with people and a career. School taught me that education is the one thing no one can take from you — and that is very precious. With an education, nothing is impossible."
Barnes' journeyman apprenticeship program was so rigorous that it began with 40 students, but graduated just 12.
"In order to complete the program, a journeyman must get a welding certificate, 13 other certifications, and must work while going to school," Barnes said. "It's very physically demanding!"
As an ironworker for Local 17 in the Cleveland area, on any given day Barnes may be found erecting the structural steel framework of arenas, hospitals, stadiums, wind turbine towers, pre-engineered metal buildings, and single and multi-story buildings. Among other duties, ironworkers also unload, place and tie reinforcing steel bars, as well as install post-tensioning systems, both of which give strength to the concrete used in piers, footings, slabs, buildings and bridges.
"I am currently a journeyman ironworker working on the Medical Mart in downtown Cleveland, and someday, I hope to be a superintendent."
The 25-years-old lives in North Ridgeville now, but her hometown is LaGrange, Ohio. She recently became engaged and describes herself as "just a small-town farm girl."
Education inspiration
"(Lorain County JVS Auto Technology Teacher) Darrin Lewis helped me in many ways," said Barnes. "He was not only my teacher but a friend, and he pushed me to learn and to fully apply myself. He helped me learn to become responsible and he never gave up on me."
Giving back
"I have built many schools around the Cleveland area and I donate all the time to education fundraisers," said Barnes. "I am getting ready to become a public speaker for hard-hatted women who encourage young women to step into ‘male-dominated careers.’"
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"School taught me how to take responsibility and to get a successful career," Barnes said. "School gave me the courage to step into a male-dominated career and I love every minute of it!"