NILES, Ohio – Forty-two educators from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties were honored Tuesday during the second annual Mahoning Valley Educators of the Year Honors Dinner at Eastwood Event Centre.

About 400 educators, administrators and community leaders attended the event, during which each honoree received a red marble apple on a pedestal in recognition of their work in the classroom and their impact on students across the Valley.

“I’m fortunate to help create a moment where educators can see just how much their students, colleagues and communities appreciate them,” said Josh MacMillan, an art educator in the Hubbard Exempted Village School District and creator of the Mahoning Valley Educators of the Year Honors

Dinner. “To see this event grow in its second year – with more nominations and about 400 people in the room – shows how strongly the Mahoning Valley values great teaching.”

Five of the educators also received special distinction awards and a golden apple and will receive an additional professional development opportunity, courtesy of Huntington Bank. They are:

  • Educator of the Year: Nicole Mathias, Sebring Local Schools.
  • Secondary Educator of the Year (grades seven through 12): Kayla Welsh, Hubbard Exempted Village Schools.
  • Early Educator of the Year (kindergarten through sixth grade): Carol Pantelis, Niles City Schools.
  • Golden Educator of the Year (20 or more years of service): Christine Meeks, LaBrae Local School District.
  • Young Educator of the Year (10 years of experience or less): Maria Mangine, Lordstown Local School District.

Through Huntington Bank’s Ignite the Classroom initiative and its partnership with the Ron Clark Academy, the special distinction award recipients will participate in a yearlong professional development program that includes immersive training at the academy in Atlanta. 

The Ron Clark Academy is a nonprofit middle school and educator professional development facility founded in 2007 by Ron Clark and Kim Bearden. The academy also serves as a demonstration school where visiting educators observe best practices in action before participating in hands-on workshops focused on student engagement, academic excellence, relationship-building and creating a positive school climate and culture. 

Huntington’s investment supports a yearlong professional development program that includes a three-day training workshop at the academy, helping teachers bring proven ideas back to their students and schools.

Sam Huston, Mahoning Valley market president and senior vice president at Huntington Bank, announced Huntington’s support at the dinner.

“Great teachers change the trajectory of young lives,” Huston said. “Educators don’t often get the time or opportunity to step away, collaborate with peers and sharpen their craft. We’re proud to invest in this experience at the Ron Clark Academy because when teachers grow, our students and our region grow with them.”

The honors dinner celebrates outstanding teachers nominated by their schools and districts for their dedication to students and classrooms. It was created and coordinated by MacMillan in partnership with the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, organizers expanded participation to include more schools, educators and community partners.

“The quality of educators nominated this year speaks volumes about the strength of our schools across the Mahoning Valley,” said Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Regional Chamber. “As new career opportunities continue to grow across our region, we rely on dedicated teachers like these to prepare students with the skills, confidence and ambition to succeed. Their work is essential to our long-term economic success.”

The other educators who were recognized at the dinner are:

  • Tim Ritter, Austintown Local School District.
  • Amy Wolski, Beaver Local School District.
  • Nancy Sampson, Bloomfield-Mespo Local School District.
  • Melanie Oberle, Boardman Local Schools.
  • Mary Arp, Brookfield Local School District.
  • Annette Tovarnek, Campbell Impact Academy.
  • Jeremy Hamilton, Canfield Local School District.
  • Maureen Kandray, Cardinal Mooney High School.
  • Maria Magiassos, Champion Local School District.
  • Madison Kurtz, Columbiana Exempted Village School District.
  • Ryan McCullough, East Palestine School District.
  • Donna Melanson, Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio.
  • Eric Pellegrini, Girard City School District.
  • Jeanne Reyes, Jackson-Milton Local School District.
  • Carrie Schlatt, Lakeview Local School District.
  • Emily Rodik, Leetonia Exempted Village School District.
  • Carrie Smith, Lisbon Exempted Village School District.
  • Laraine Matisi, Lowellville Local School District.
  • Lisa Schiraldi-Argiro, Mahoning County Career & Technical Center.
  • David Ottney, Mathews Local School District.
  • Lora Sembach, Newton Falls Exempted Village School District.
  • Michelle Landers, Poland Local School District.
  • Cynthia Maynard, South Range Local School District.
  • Elizabeth Fink, Springfield Local School District.
  • Kevin Dailey, Struthers City School District.
  • Anthony Savric, Trumbull Career & Technical Center.
  • Jessica Stucke, Trumbull County Educational Service Center.
  • Ryan Burd, United Local Schools.
  • Lisa Devlin, Ursuline High School.
  • Danielle Sample, Valley Christian Schools.
  • Brandy Scarmack, Warren City School District.
  • Matthew Green, Warren John F. Kennedy Catholic School.
  • Scott Yeagley, Weathersfield Local School District (Mineral Ridge).
  • Kathleen Menegay, West Branch Local Schools.
  • Carla Duda, Western Reserve Local School District.
  • Saedah Hadi, Youngstown City Schools.
  • Jennifer Ciocca, Youngstown Community School.

Pictured at top: From left are Sam Huston, Mahoning Valley market president and senior vice president at Huntington Bank; Maria Mangine, Lordstown Local School District, Young Educator of the Year; Nicole Mathias, Sebring Local Schools, Educator of the Year; Carol Pantelis, Niles City Schools, Early Educator of the Year; Kayla Welsh, Hubbard Exempted Village Schools, Secondary Educator of the Year; Christine Meeks, LaBrae Local School District, Golden Educator of the Year; and Heather Chunn, vice president of operations and HR at the Youngstown State University Foundation.