42 educators across the Valley were honored at the Mahoning Valley Educator of the Year Honors Dinner on March 3. 
 
The dinner was held at the Eastwood Event Centre, with approximately 400 educators, administrators and community leaders in attendance.
 
Five educators received special awards, including Educator of the Year:
 
  • 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
According to the news release, these winners will participate in a yearlong professional development course that also includes training at the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta. The program is run through Huntington Bank’s Ignite the Classroom Initiative. 
 
The following educators were recognized at the dinner:
 
  • 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 School Local District
  • Maureen Kandray, Cardinal Mooney Schools
  • Maria Magiassos, Champion Local School District
  • Madison Kurtz, Columbiana Exempted Village School District
  • Ryan McCullough, East Palestine School District
  • Donna Melanson, ESC of Eastern OH
  • Eric Pellegrini, Girard City School District
  • Kayla Welsh, Hubbard Exempted Village School District
  • Jeanne Reyes, Jackson-Milton School Local District
  • Christine Meeks, LaBrae Local School District
  • Carrie Schlatt, Lakeview Local School District
  • Emily Rodik, Leetonia Exempted Village School District
  • Carrie Smith, Lisbon Exempted Village School District
  • Maria Mangine, Lordstown Local 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
  • Carol Pantelis, Niles City School District
  • Michelle Landers, Poland Local School District
  • Nicole Mathias, Sebring 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 Schools
  • Danielle Sample, Valley Christian Schools
  • Brandy Scarmack, Warren City School District
  • Matthew Green, Warren John F. Kennedy
  • 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