Students recognized for Impact Leadership and state wrestling; board clears speech-and-debate national trip request

Several student groups and athletes were recognized at the March 11 Vermilion Local School District board meeting. Middle- and high-school students described the Impact Leadership program’s six pillars — hard work, discipline and attitude, teamwork, mental toughness, character and class — and said students receive mentoring and opportunities to return as high-school mentors.

Student presenters included Garrett Lewis, Caroline Russell, Mark Benson (student), Jack Rogers, Kylie Hayden and Alexa Guitar, who spoke briefly about their participation in school activities and the leadership program. The board thanked the students for their presentation.

The board also honored recent wrestling accomplishments. A presenter praised multiple qualifiers and individual finishes at the state tournament, noting one wrestler finished sixth and one (identified in the meeting by first name Brooke) won a state championship; the team placed third at state — a result the presenter described as possibly the highest in the program’s short history. The presenter said one sophomore had advanced to the round of 12 and highlighted several other individual successes.

On a separate, related item the board approved in the consent agenda a request to allow Devin Snook, BHS speech and debate advisor, to escort students (listed in the agenda as Ava Bennett and Ava Raskowski/Nuskowski) to the National Speech & Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, with tentative dates June 16–21. The agenda noted dates could change based on travel requirements; the board approved the trip as part of the consent agenda and the administration will finalize travel arrangements.

The superintendent also publicly recognized Jen Bangle as Cleveland-area administrator of the year, citing coaches’ unanimous support for her contributions to speech-and-debate activities.