PHOTOS PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
FULTON COUNTY … Front row from left, Scholarship Winners: Troy Manz (Evergreen); Avery Roth (Archbold); Kayla Sliwinski (Fayette); Madison Inkrott (Pike-Delta-York); Macy Hoylman (Pettisville, Fulton County Winner); Gavin Sigg (Wauseon) ; Hailey Frosch (Swanton). Back row from left, Honored Teachers: Dan Steele (Evergreen); Andrea Oyer (Archbold); John Sorrell (Fayette); Alissa Karpuszka on behalf of Zach Karpuszka (Pike-Delta-York); Greg Waidelich (Pettisville); Kimberly Hinton (Wauseon); Christine Curtis (Swanton).
WILLIAMS COUNTY … Front row from left, Scholarship Winners: Kenley Routt (Millcreek- West Unity); Kylie Perry (Edgerton); Grace Slagle (Bryan); Grace Froelich (Stryker); Caroline Dick (Montpelier); Ella Osborn (Edon, Williams County Winner); Cailyn Meyers (North Central). Back row from left, Honored Teachers: Cristin Hagans (Millcreek-West Unity); Olivia Schaffner (Edgerton); Kathryn Rockey (Bryan); Jade Eberle (Stryker); Jayme Balasko (Montpelier); Annette Peckham (Edon); Marcia Geiser (North Central).
PRESS RELEASE – The Franklin B. Walter All-Scholastic Award Program was established by the Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA) to promote and recognize outstanding academic achievement.
The award is named in honor of Dr. Franklin B. Walter, who served as State Superintendent of Education for Ohio from March 1977 until August 1991.
Throughout his career, Dr. Walter exemplified concern for young people and dedicated his life to the improvement of education in Ohio.
Eligible students must be high school seniors enrolled in a public school district – local, city or exempted village – within the ESC’s service region.
Recipients demonstrate outstanding academic achievement as indicated by high school grades, test scores, school activities, awards and community involvement.
The Northwest Ohio ESC (NwOESC), serving Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams counties school districts, supports the Franklin B. Walter All-Scholastic Award Program.
However, the NwOESC has expanded the recognition to include locally awarded scholarships.
One outstanding senior in each district receives a scholarship award of $250, while one winner from each county receives a scholarship award of $500.
In addition, the county winners, along with their guests, will enjoy an exclusive invitation to the statewide recognition luncheon in Columbus, Ohio.
To promote teaching excellence along with student achievement, one teacher is recognized from each district.
The applying student is asked to write a tribute to the teacher who has been the most positive influence on the student’s success in school.
The NwOESC also honors a special education provider from each county for the work done on behalf of students with disabilities across Northwest Ohio. Providers are nominated by area districts through a written process each January.
Student scholarship winners, their honored teachers, and honored special education providers and their nominator were recently honored during the Franklin B. Walter Awards & Recognition Celebration held at the NwOESC offices in Archbold, Ohio, Monday evening, March 9, 2026.