25th Leadership Coshocton County Class graduates

The Leadership Coshocton County Class of 2016 included: Front row – LaTasha Fralin; Mary Deeter, Coshocton County Dept. of Job & Family Services; Jandi Adams, Clary Gardens; Darcie Keirns, McWane Ductile; Stephanie Hawkins, Coshocton Juvenile/Probate Court; Jenny Strickler, The Ohio State University Extension; Darla Wagner, Coshocton County Career Center; back row – Nate Berry, Coshocton Juvenile Court; Joe Carter, McWane Ductile; Jed McCoy, Coshocton County Dept. of Job & Family Services; Matt Drummond, Prudential Insurance Co.; and Dave Harrison, Hilscher-Clarke Electric. Contributed | Beacon

COSHOCTON – The members of the 25th Leadership Coshocton County class spent the past nine months honing their leadership skills and learning about the hidden treasures of Coshocton County.

On May 12 they shared their final project with all those who had gathered together for their graduation ceremony at the Frontier Power Community Room.

The class worked together this year to record information printed on gravestones at the Clarke and Blissfield Cemeteries that is compiled and recorded by the Coshocton County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society for those researching family history. They also had to work in groups to create Power Point presentations for their graduation that showed different organizations or businesses in the community that they felt demonstrated excellent leadership skills.

The first group to go included Darcie Keirns, Jed McCoy and Darla Wagner.

“For (an example of) model the way we picked Coshocton Grain,” Keirns said. “They could have shut down after their explosion, but instead they rebuilt.”

For inspired a shared vision, her group selected Shepherd’s Christian Assembly, which McCoy said they were so impressed with that their class collected plastic bags for them. Shepherd’s Christian Assembly serves free meals to those in need and the bags donated by the class will be used to pack extra food up for people.

The next group consisted of Jenny Strickler, David Harrison, Mary Deeter and Nate Berry.

For a model the way example Harrison spoke about the poverty simulation the class participated in and was led by Kathy Rednour, executive director of Leadership Ohio.

“She is a person who has overcome many obstacles in life from poverty to homelessness and now she is enabling others and showing them that to overcome anything in life you just need dedication,” Harrison said. “This led me to sign up to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity so I can help enable others.”

For the groups take on encouraging others, Nate Berry spoke passionately about Hopewell Industries and how they take their work seriously, but still enjoy their jobs.

“They made me see that small victories are still victories and steps in the right direction,” he said.

The final group to speak consisted of Jandi Adams, Matt Drummond, Joe Carter and Stephanie Hawkins.

For challenging the process they selected McWane Ductile for using their resources to come up with a new and viable product.

Their selection for encouraging the heart was Hopewell Industries.

“They run such an amazing program,” Adams said. “At Clary Gardens (where Adams works) we have a Wednesday morning volunteer session and they have brought people there every Wednesday since it started.”

When their presentations were over, it was time for the graduates to receive their leadership plaques and special recognition from Todd Shelton, SE OH District Director for US Senator Rob Portman; Tim Ross, Eastern Ohio Regional Liaison for Governor John Kasich; Jennifer Kiko, Field Representative for Congressman Bob Gibbs; and The Honorable Jay Hottinger, member of the Ohio State Senate, District 31.

Bee Lehner from the Leadership Coshocton County Alumni group encouraged the graduates to stay involved and attend alumni meetings that are held on the third Tuesday of the month at various restaurants in the community. Socializing starts at 4:30 p.m. and the meeting begins at 5:15 p.m. The group aims to provide graduates with continuing education, leadership and community service opportunities.

“Please plan to become active as we are busy planning our Aug. 6 anniversary celebration,” Lehner said.

Leadership Coshocton County (LCC) is a Coshocton Foundation program for emerging and potential community leaders. For information, call 740-622-0010 or visit www.coshoctonfoundation.org/leadership.

Betsy Gosnell joined the program last year as executive director and she was excited to see her first class graduate.

“I’ve enjoyed getting to know each of you and will always remember this first class,” she said at graduation.  “I know our paths will cross again.”

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