Westerville365 Fall 2016

FALL 2016

Preschool Primer Celebrate the Season

Passion for Patients

Soccer Standout

Unhee Kim plans to grow Mount Carmel St. Ann’s into a community health partner.

Westerville365.com

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CONTENTS

Fall 2016

8 Community Connections Former nurse Unhee Kim strives to boost Mount Carmel St. Ann’s legacy both inside and outside the hospital.

ON THE COVER Photo by Lorrie Cecil

12 Early Education Westerville’s preschool program aims to close the achievement gap by focusing on its youngest learners.

16 Hometown Holidays Westerville offers numerous activities to celebrate the season, including concerts, craft shows and charitable endeavors.

20 Comeback Kid Emmanuel Appiah refused to let a knee injury derail his pro soccer dreams.

Westerville365 | Fall 2016

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DEPARTMENTS

Be WARM!

Rotary-WARM

Holiday Food Drive

Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM) provides food and services to thousands of Westerville residents each year.

Saturday, November 26th Wednesday, November 30th Grocery bag delivery to residences begins Saturday, December 3rd starting at 9:00am

Grocery bag pick-up from residences

Area Kroger stores will serve as drop-off sites 9am to Noon Items Needed: Canned or vacuum-packed meats Canned fruit Spaghetti sauce Tomato products Cereal (hot or cold) To make donations online visit: www.warmwesterville.org A Gift of $25 could provide 100 meals!

Questions? Call WARM 614-899-0196.

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Fall 2016 | Westerville365

6 Around Town The Great Westerville Food Truck Fest

3 From the Editor 4 Events Calendar 24 Library Notes A new service at the Westerville Public Library helps children choose the right books for school. .25 Outtakes

From the Editor

Kim Reflects on First Year as President 7801 N. Central Drive Lewis Center, OH 43035 740-888-6000 • Fax: 740-888-6001 Westerville365.com Volume 2 • Number 4 PUBLISHER Bradley M. Harmon EDITORIAL Editor: Julanne Hohbach Contributors: Kathy Lynn Gray, Andrew King, Lisa Proctor and Pamela Willis PHOTOGRAPHY Chief Photographer: Joshua A. Bickel Contributors: Lorrie Cecil and Paul Vernon DESIGN/PRODUCTION Production Manager: Rebecca Zimmer Design: Annie Steel Web Producer: Scott Hummel ADVERTISING Director: Doug Dixon Retail Manager: Heather Kritter Classified Manager: Terri Tribbie Account Executive: Gail Fullerton Marketing & Promotions: Annie Steel CIRCULATION Home Delivery & Business Distribution Customer Service: 888-837-4342 Retail advertising: 614-583-5793 advertising@westerville365.com Classified advertising: 614-785-1200 Editorial: 740-888-6000 editorial@westerville365.com Westerville365 is published quarterly by ThisWeek Community News with Sunday distribution by Consumer News Services Inc., a subsidiary of GateHouse Media Inc. Consumer News Services Inc. reserves the right to reject, cancel or edit any advertisement at any time. If we make a substantiative error in news coverage, we want to correct it. If you believe an error has been made, call 740-888-6000. CNS is not responsible for unsolicited photographs, manuscripts, press releases, etc.

By Julanne Hohbach

A

s I sit down to write this column, it’s a beautiful 78-degree day in early October. But soon, cool nights will give way to cold days, and green leaves will change color and fall to the ground.

When that happens, the countdown to the holidays is on. But more on that later.

At this point in 2016, it’s been a little more than a year since Unhee Kim took over as president of Mount Carmel St. Ann’s. The executive at Akron-based Summa Health had no intention of changing jobs until some former co-workers sung Mount Carmel’s praises and she threw her hat in the ring.

ThisWeek Community News reporter Andrew King talked with Kim about why she came to central Ohio and how she spent her first year.

Since arriving, Kim has set her sights on addressing any lingering issues (she says she found no gaping holes), finding ways to grow and improve the hospital and getting to know the community.

The former nurse also visits patients because she says staying in touch with them and their families is one of the best indicators of how St. Ann’s is doing. Learn more about Kim and her leadership in “Community Connections,” starting on page 8.

Also in our Fall issue, you’ll find an insightful look at the Westerville City School District’s preschool operation. While all districts are required by federal law to operate these programs, not all of them are created equal. Westerville’s recently received the highest possible rating from the state’s Step Up to Quality initiative.

ThisWeek Community News reporter Pamela Willis recently spent time at the Early Learning Center, where the preschool program is based, observing classes and talking to administrators, teachers and parents.

Those who have (or have had) children ages 3-5 can no doubt appreciate the challenge of overseeing one classroom full of them—let alone 11. But it seems Suzanne Kile, who’s in her second year as director of preschool services, is up to the challenge. Be sure to check out “Early Education” on page 12.

Getting back to those looming holidays: If your family loves local traditions, Westerville has plenty to offer in the next few months. From the star that hangs over Uptown to the tree lighting, concerts and Westerville Sertoma Children’s Christmas Parade, there’s something for every interest and budget. Freelance writer Kathy Lynn Gray rounds up some of the most popular annual events and a couple new additions as well. Better mark your calendar—there’s a lot going on.

Thanks for reading.

© Copyright 2016, GateHouse Media Inc.

Wvl365

@WVL365

Westerville365

Westerville365 | Fall 2016

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Upcoming

Events

To submit an item for the calendar, go to Westerville365.com. All events will run online and select listings also will appear in the magazine. The deadline to submit listings for the next print publication is Dec. 13.

November Nov. 2 Matt de la Peña, Author Visit New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal winning author of Last Stop on Market Street, Matt de la Peña will visit for an author talk and book signing.

7 p.m. Westerville North High School, 950 County Line Road. Free. Registration is required. For more information, contact the Westerville Public Library Program Office at 614-882-7277, ext. 5023, or programoffice@westervillelibrary.org.

Nov. 5 Mark Twain Craft Bazaar In its 32nd year, the Mark Twain Craft Bazaar has grown to include more than 150 artists from around Ohio and 2,000 patrons. The event is sponsored by the Mark Twain Parent Teacher Association. All proceeds benefit Mark Twain Elementary School. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Westerville North High School, 950 County Line Road. Admission is $2 for adults. facebook.com/ marktwaincraftbazaar Nov. 5 Rotary Honors Veterans 5K Walk/Run Proceeds to benefit a veterans organization to be announced and the Rotary Club of Westerville. 9 a.m. Alum Creek Park North, 221 W. Main St. $32$37. rotaryhonorsvets5k.org Nov. 11 Veterans Day Celebration The city of Westerville is hosting a public pancake breakfast to honor veterans.

Registration is required at either the Westerville Senior Center (310 W. Main St.) or the community center front desk.

8:30-10 a.m. Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave. $5, free for veterans. westerville.org Nov. 12 Mom & Me Holiday Tea Girls ages 3-8 are invited to a semi-formal tea and fashion show with their mom or 4

Fall 2016 | Westerville365

FILE/JOSHUA A. BICKEL

Nov. 18 Evening of Elegance Join the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its signature event at a new location. The evening includes dinner and live and silent auctions. 6-11 p.m. The Medallion Club, 5000 Club Drive. $60. westervillechamber.com another adult. Dress up and get ready for favors, a tea party with dainty finger foods and sweets, and a fashion show featuring all of the young guests. Registration is required. 10-11:30 a.m. Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave. $15, $10 for residents. westerville.org Nov. 17-20 Dance 2016 – The Goddess The 2016 dance concert, choreographed

by Otterbein Theatre & Dance faculty, is inspired by the story of Durga, Mother of the Universe, and the power behind the work of creation and preservation of the world. Times vary. Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, 1 S. Grove St. $20. otterbein.edu Nov. 27 Music in the Atrium The Westerville Public Library will host this 16th annual series, featuring holiday, regional and classical music. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. 2-3 p.m.

Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St. Free. westervillelibrary.org

December Dec. 4, 11, 18 Music in the Atrium The Westerville Public Library will host this 16th annual series, featuring holiday, regional and classical music. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. 2-3 p.m.

Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St. Free. westervillelibrary.org Dec. 6, 10-11 Christmas Open House See the holiday decorations while touring the 1850s home of the Hanby family, listening to live music and sampling refreshments. Visitors might even hear Up on the Housetop, composed by Benjamin Hanby. 7-9 p.m.

Dec. 6, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Dec. 10-11. Hanby House, 160 W. Main St. $3 adults, $2.50 seniors, $1 children. hanbyhouse.org Dec. 8 Business After Hours The Westerville Area Chamber of

Commerce will host a casual night of light appetizers, socializing and beverages. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center, 300 Polaris Parkway, Suite 2000. Free for chamber members, $5 for nonmembers. westervillechamber.com Dec. 11 Westerville Symphony: Sounds of the Season Join the Westerville Symphony for a lively program of holiday-themed classical compositions and Yuletide favorites with sing-alongs. This annual tradition is suitable for the whole family. 5 p.m. Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, 1 S. Grove St. $25. westervillesymphony.org Dec. 13 Quarterly Membership Luncheon Join the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce, moderator Cabot Rea, U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi for a holiday luncheon and conversation on the future of business in Ohio after the presidential election. Speaker lineup is tentative. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $25 for chamber members, $35 for nonmembers.

Villa Milano, 1630 Schrock Road. westervillechamber.com

Dec. 18 Holiday Concert The Westerville Community Bands will perform a holiday concert. 3 p.m. Westerville Central High School, 7118 Mount Royal Ave. Free. westervillebands.org Dec. 28 Phil Brown Basketball Classic The girls and boys basketball teams from Westerville Central, North and South high schools will play three other teams. Proceeds benefit Westerville athletic programs. 9 a.m.

Otterbein University Rike Center, 160 Center St. Cost TBD. westervillerotary.com Dec. 30 Noon-Lite Madness Celebrate New Year’s Eve preschool style with crafts and entertainment from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and a noon countdown to celebrate the New Year.

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave. Registration is required. $5. westerville.org

Louise Captein’s sabbatical exhibition that brings together pattern design, collage and painting by blending art and craft with form and color. 4-7 p.m. with artist remarks at 5:30 p.m. Leslie H. and Ethyl Rose Miller Gallery, Art and Communication Building, 33 Collegeview Road. Free. otterbein.edu. The exhibit runs from Jan. 9 to Feb. 10. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Jan. 31 Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner The Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce will celebrate 2016 accomplishments and recognize the Business Person and Young Professional of the Year award winners. Darren Malhame, co-owner of Northstar Café, will speak and the gavel will be passed to the new board chair. 6-8:30 p.m. Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, 100 Green Meadows Drive S., Lewis Center. $40 for chamber members, $50 for nonmembers. westervillechamber.com

january Jan. 13 Keep on Doing Otterbein University will host a reception for Keep on Doing, Associate Professor

Sources: city of Westerville, Otterbein University, Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce, Westerville Public Library, Westerville Symphony, Westerville Visitors & Convention Bureau

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Around Town

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Food Truck Fest

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Photos by Paul Vernon The Great Westerville Food Truck Fest drew about 14,000 people to the fourth annual fundraiser for the Westerville Area Resource Ministry. The event, which raised more than $20,000, offered music, children’s activities, a community service project and edibles from about 30 food trucks. It was held Sept. 11 at the Nationwide Children’s Close to Home Center on Executive Campus Drive. This year, the fest was part of a Community Day that included Cops & Kids Day and the 9/11 Memorial Observation.

1 John, Samantha, 12, and Zachary Lee, 4, Melinda Barstow and Courtney Lee 2 Secarr Morehead and Rosario Beltran of Columbus 3 Erica, Macy, 8, Chad and Avery Maxeiner, 14, of Sunbury 4 Heidi, Tim and Violet Hackworth, 2, of Sunbury 5 Heather and Mike Krolak and their dog, Konrad 6 Nick, Alyssa and Walker Thomas, 1, of Cardington and Mandy and Jake Thomas of Sunbury 7 Priyanka and Sushil Kodali of Lewis Center 8 Josh and Nadia Strum of Worthington 9 Parker, 6, Kevin, Elaina, 3, and Kate Capurso 10 Monica, Macaulay, 1, Kaylan, 3, Marquise and Tamia Griggs 8

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“There’s so much rich history and success here. It’s really just building upon that.”

Unhee Kim president of Mount Carmel St. Ann’s

Lorrie Cecil

Community Conne Former nurse Unhee Kim strives to boost Mount Carmel St. Ann’s legacy both inside and outside the hospital.

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Fall 2016 | Westerville365

W

hen Unhee Kim arrived in Westerville last year, she wasn’t sure what to expect.

After spending nearly all of her career in northeast Ohio, Kim had just been named president of Mount Carmel St. Ann’s. Westerville was only a twohour drive from Akron, where she served in several leadership roles for Summa Health over 14 years. But her knowledge of the area didn’t go much further than plotting central Ohio on a map. “My son is a graduate of Ohio State and so I joke that my money is already here,� she says with a laugh. “So I knew how to get to Ohio State, and I knew how to get to Columbus.�

After her August 2015 arrival, Kim was tasked not only with getting to know the 2,100-employee hospital she would be running, but also the community St. Ann’s serves. She admits it was a lot to process at first, but she made a commitment early on to learn about Westerville and the surrounding area.

One day, Kim got a call from Janet Tressler-Davis, president and CEO of the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce. Tressler-Davis offered to take Kim on a tour of the city, showing her everything from where she could get her hair done to where the city’s largest businesses are located.

Tressler-Davis says she often offers such tours to new executives, and has “never had anybody turn me down.�

She was just happy Kim agreed. “She blocked out that much time to do that,� Tressler-Davis says, “which I thought was wonderful.�

Kim, meanwhile, was taken aback. “Isn’t that nice? Who does that? She was so kind,� Kim says. “It’s been people like that that are so welcoming.

It’s been easy to get to know people around here and get to know the area.�

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The statue “Grace” sits in front of the Mount Carmel St. Ann’s entrance.

File/ThisWeek

A Strong Legacy When the top job at St. Ann’s opened in January 2015, Kim wasn’t thinking of changing jobs. She was serving as vice president of service lines and ancillary services at Summa, where she had been since 2001, and was happy in Akron.

“I wasn’t particularly seeking to move to Columbus or seeking this position,” she says. “A few people I used to work with had joined Mount Carmel and loved Mount Carmel. When they told me about the organization, the mission of the organization, the values and how much they felt they were making a difference and contributing, that’s what really initiated my interest.”

Kim took her friends’ advice and applied. She was named president that June, with Mount Carmel leadership setting high expectations from the first press release. Then-President and CEO Claus von Zychlin praised her “wealth of hospital experience and strategic business development skills” and said she would “undoubtedly provide strong leadership.”

Still, Kim had some large shoes to fill.

She replaced Janet Meeks, who was St. 10

Fall 2016 | Westerville365

“She seems very interested in staying connected with the community and values what St. Ann’s has had with Westerville, that strong bond and relationship.”

Janet Tressler-Davis president and CEO of the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce

Ann’s president for nearly 10 years and oversaw an expansion worth more than $100 million that brought the hospital’s square footage to 767,000.

Rather than taking over a hospital heading the wrong direction or in need of rejuvenation, Kim was joining St. Ann’s on an upswing. The 389-bed

hospital admitted 19,613 patients last year and was a significant part of Mount Carmel’s $3 billion systemwide revenue in fiscal year 2015. (The organization does not report per-hospital numbers.)

“My first priority was assessing what needed to be addressed, and there was nothing huge that needed to be done,” Kim says.

“There’s so much rich history and success here. It’s really just building upon that,” she says. “And my job is just to continue to improve that and enhance what people have done and make things a little bit better, and continue to grow this hospital so that it’s really the trusting health partner for Westerville and the surrounding community.”

Colleagues say they like what they’ve seen so far of Kim’s leadership. “Unhee is building on a strong legacy that Janet Meeks started at St. Ann’s,” says Richard Streck, chief clinical operations officer and executive vice president at Mount Carmel Health System.

But Kim isn’t just duplicating Meeks’ strategies. While her predecessor came to health care from business administration, Kim has a background in patient care. She worked as a bedside nurse for five years before transitioning into management, and says it helps inform how she leads today.

“I’ve worked those off-shifts and those holidays, and I’ve worked with a number of departments really from the bedside,” she says. “So I have that appreciation and I know the hard work that people do to deliver the care. I also understand the interfaces between the departments and some of the challenges. … So I think having that clinical experience enhances it.”

Streck agrees, citing those qualifications as one of her best attributes. “One of the added strengths she brings to the role is her clinical background as a nurse,” he says.

“The clinical team—all of the clinical caregivers—recognize her passion for exceptional patient care and her commitment to making Mount Carmel St. Ann’s the finest health-care facility in the region.”

Building on Success Kim tries to make as many trips to see patients as she can. She’ll often pop into their rooms, where most are surprised to see an administrator rather than a nurse or doctor. But she says her “random” drop-ins are often the most telling indicator of how the hospital is treating its patients and their family members.

“Staying close to the patients and the family is very important because that’s really the heart of what we do,” she says. “So I think being personally visible

“One of the added strengths she brings to the role is her clinical background as a nurse.”

Richard Streck chief clinical operations officer and executive vice president at Mount Carmel Health System

and around and being visible to our colleagues and physicians … is very important.”

While she took over a stable hospital, Kim still has a to-do list. She says she wants to continue the things that Meeks instilled while improving St. Ann’s already-solid reputation for patient care.

“We keep our team focused on those things that are very important to our patients,” Kim says. “We’re busy; everybody’s busy focusing on their own departments. But as a leadership team, we need to step back and say, ‘Where are we with those key areas of focus? Are we making improvement?

Are we improving safety? Are we improving communication? Are we improving results and service to our patients?’ That’s something I’m very passionate about.”

Kim already has begun to instill those values, and Streck says folks at Mount Carmel have taken notice. He says her “personable” and “very approachable” nature helps with community outreach, and she has hit the ground running.

“She’s come out of the gate very rapidly,” he says. “I would continue to (expect) to see rapid improvement in the services that we offer at St. Ann’s.

I think we’ll see a greater visibility in the community and embracing new clinical services.”

While Kim admits with a laugh that there was “a lot of pressure” after her appointment, Streck says the transition has been “smooth.” Though she continues to acclimate to her new job, Kim says she is thankful for the position.

“God puts us in places at the right time, and I feel the Lord has directed me here to be part of Mount Carmel and St. Ann’s,” she says. “It’s truly a blessing.”

Settling In After a little more than a year on the job, Kim aims to be a leader not only at the hospital, but also in the community—just as she was in Akron.

She is Mount Carmel’s representative at the American Heart Association and was the executive champion for this year’s Central Ohio Heart Walk, where she broke a record for fundraising. (She explains, with a laugh, that she’s “a little bit competitive.”)

“Every chance I get between working, I’m starting to get acclimated into the community,” she says. “What’s nice is that Mount Carmel is very involved in the community. They make it very easy to be connected with volunteering and supporting that.”

Tressler-Davis says Kim is “extremely eager to learn about the community,” and she looks forward to working with her. “She is a smart lady,” Tressler-Davis says. “She asks great questions … and she seems to know her job and her arena very well. She seems very interested in staying connected with the community and values what St. Ann’s has had with Westerville, that strong bond and relationship. I have no doubt she wants to continue that.”

Kim also has begun to build relationships with city officials. She’s met with City Manager David Collinsworth, Assistant City Manager Julie Colley and Economic Development Director Jason Bechtold, and has had conversations with city council members and other leaders.

“We’re excited that she’s on board,” Bechtold says. “St. Ann’s continues to be an anchor in the Medical Mile and they continue to be successful, it seems.

It’s vital to build that relationship with executives from major employers. We want them to be successful, so having that relationship and conversation only makes the city better and enhances our business relationships.”

Kim’s work outside the hospital has been noticed by her colleagues, and Streck says he’s happy with the way she’s thrown herself into the job. “I know her passion and enthusiasm and energy is not going to let her sit on her laurels,” he says.

For her part, Kim says she’s still got plenty of learning, connecting and relationship-building to do. And as she continues to entrench herself in Westerville, she’s excited about the possibilities for St. Ann’s.

“I want to be more connected with the community, now that I’m not so new anymore, and really get to understand what the needs of the community are and how St. Ann’s can partner with business leaders and the city to better meet those needs,” she says. “We’re at an exciting time.”

Westerville: 444 North Cleveland Ave. Ste. 210 Westerville, Ohio 43082 Dublin: 4335 W. Dublin-Granville Road Dublin, Ohio 43017

Andrew King is a reporter for ThisWeek Community News.

Westerville365 | Fall 2016

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“We need to keep working on pre-academic skills and study how children’s bodies and minds are ready to learn when they get to school-age.”

Suzanne Kile director of preschool services for the Westerville City School District

Early Education Westerville’s preschool program aims to close the achievement gap by focusing on its youngest learners.

A

By Pamela Willis • PHOTOS BY JOSHUA A. BICKEL

s children enter the preschool program at the Early Learning Center, a twisty green tunnel slide is the first thing they see, followed by the “Westervillage” storefront that includes a pet store, firehouse and police station.

Behind a kid-sized yellow door is a poster of a grinning Big Bird with his friends from Sesame Street.

Westervillage usually sparks surprised laughter from children entering the building, but sometimes a few tears fall, says Suzanne Kile, director of preschool services for the Westerville City School District. “One little girl cried in that lobby every day she came to school this year—refusing to go to class,” Kile says.

“I met her in the lobby every day, too, and we just sat there together as she cried, and I listened.

“We got in tear-free just yesterday,” she says.

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Fall 2016 | Westerville365

Kile, who is in her second year leading the preschool, has had other reasons to celebrate beyond that mid-September triumph. The state of Ohio’s Step Up to Quality program recently awarded the preschool five stars—the highest possible rating.

The Early Learning Center, 936 Eastwind Drive, houses the district’s special needs program for children ages 3-5. The students learn side by side with typically developing peers, who act as role models.

Federal law requires all school districts to educate children with disabilities starting at age 3. In Westerville, those students attend preschool for free, while others pay $150 per month. Class sizes are capped at 16, with equal numbers of special needs and peer students.

Nearly 200 children are served by a total staff of about 50, which includes

teachers, educational aides, physical and occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and an adaptive physical education teacher. They consult weekly to discuss best practices for every student.

Preschoolers attend Monday through Thursday for two and a half hours per day. Each of the 11 classrooms has a morning and afternoon session, and children learn gross motor skills on a variety of play equipment in the “moon” and “sun” gymnasiums.

“Fridays are professional days for our staff,” Kile says. “It gives us the time to work together. When we have a tough case, we really need to figure out how we can help.

“I think we can close the achievement gap and make the most changes K-12 if we start with these little ones—getting their bodies and minds ready to learn,” she says.

Miles Rex, 4, pokes his head out of a tunnel while crawling through an obstacle course during physical education class.

“Suzanne provides great leadership and all the children end up with a sense of belonging. I think a lot of great components make it a truly unique learning environment.”

John Kellogg Westerville superintendent

Working Together On a busy Wednesday in mid-September, Kile encourages kids working out in the moon room as they hop on circles painted on the floor and step through tires and other obstacles. “Can you hop with your feet together?” she asks one girl, who tries the next hop without the step between. “Good!”

The fact that one of their classmates moves through the course with a walker does not faze the other children, who patiently wait for him to catch up.

The room also has specialized equipment such as “the squeeze,” a set of padded rollers that students push through. It’s human interaction that sometimes helps the most, however.

“I’ve always believed that when a child misbehaves, we have to figure out what he needs,” Kile says. “One boy and I had a plan last school year that I would give him a big hug every day.

“Kids respond to good relationships and predictability,” she says. “This year, he is a completely different kid.”

As Kile greets students, John O’Connor and a group from the Westerville Kiwanis Club move through the room, making a delivery for the Birthday Book Bonanza program.

Kile says such partnerships are key to the preschool.

“We provide a free collection of books to the school, and each teacher selects two to three books to give students during their birthday month,” O’Connor says. “We have a standing date to visit the school on the second Tuesday of each month, when someone from

Kiwanis or WPE (Westerville Partners for Education) walks around the school with the books that have been identified for kids with birthdays during that month.”

As she leaves the moon room, Kile kneels to visit with two boys sitting outside Jessica Marlatt’s class. As she leads them inside, other students are settling down for a snack.

Marlatt, who is in her 11th year as a preschool teacher in Westerville, says her class schedule includes book time, painting, crafts and other activities that teach phonemic awareness, phonics and other early learning skills. “We also get plenty of movement breaks, running, jumping, skipping and playing hopscotch in the backyard,” she says. “Preschoolers need to learn through play. They also need to feel respected and loved.”

She says students tend to accept each other’s abilities. “Kids with special needs learn a lot from typically developing peers. They all learn from each other.”

‘Never a Dull Moment’ Next door in Moriah Stull’s classroom, the students welcome a special visitor: Jill Beck, who works upstairs in the district’s administrative offices. As students gather on the floor around her chair, she pulls out a book and two puppets. “This is Professor Pinkystein, and he always has a piece of paper in his mouth because he likes fun facts,” she says. “Today he has fun facts about bears.

“Poppy is from Jamaica. Who would like to hold her?”

Westerville365 | Fall 2016

13

“We want parents to know we are teaching their children in all areas that will help them flourish and grow.”

Moriah Stull preschool teacher

Two children hold and hug the puppets as Beck reads from the book, explaining big words such as “hibernation” and “omnivore.”

Stull is in her 12th year of teaching preschool. “There’s never a dull moment,” she says.

As she leads a small group through worksheets at a kid-sized table, Otterbein student Katherine Walters shows the preschoolers how to trace letters and shapes on a large interactive whiteboard called an Eno Board.

“It’s a lot like a Smart Board, so that anything that shows up on the computer can show up on the board,” Stull says.

“We can also Skype with it.”

Walters is studying early educational development. “I really like how interactive everyone is here, and I’m learning a lot about how to run a classroom,” she says.

To keep families informed, Stull regularly sends emails and photos and schedules in-person conferences. “We want parents to know we are teaching their children in all areas that will help them flourish and grow,” she says. “Kids’ brains are like sponges at this age. They learn more than you would expect. The more experiences you can provide, the better, which includes guided playtime.”

Parent Erin Kendall says she appreciates the way her child interacts and learns alongside children of different abilities, cultures and family situations. “It is very encouraging to see your child grow to be friends with a classmate that has different physical or developmental abilities, but they don’t notice the difference in negative ways—just that their friend does things differently than they do.”

She says teachers “go the extra mile” by getting to know each child as well as his or her family.

Both of Sarah Hayman’s children 14

Fall 2016 | Westerville365

attend the preschool program—one has special needs and the other is a typically developing student. She says the teachers’ work goes beyond core skills.

“They are very dedicated to teaching the children not just the basics of learning, ABC’s and 123’s, they also work on social and behavioral growth and development,” she says. “There isn’t a sense of special needs children and their peers—the classrooms are filled with kids playing and learning together.”

Parent Phyllis McKinney agrees.

“Every day, the teachers meet each child with a big smile and a very caring attitude,” she says.

“They not only teach them needed life skills, but do it in such a way that the children really look forward to learning,” McKinney says. “The children are disappointed that they can’t go to school on their days off.”

Kile created a “parent resource” corner at the preschool, which has books about parenting as well as information about typical and special needs behaviors. She even gives out her cellphone number. “I hope if any of our parents needs anything, they will reach out,” she says.

Helping Children Although her office is full of toys and books and she’s clearly devoted to her young charges, a career in preschool education wasn’t Kile’s first choice.

She earned an elementary education degree from Bowling Green State University, then a master’s degree in science educational administration. She has worked in the district since 2001 as an intervention specialist; principal of McVay and Whittier elementary schools and Genoa Middle School; district director of community relations services; and coordinator of pupil services.

Before coming to Westerville, she taught science and language arts at Brighton Area Schools in Michigan, then served as an elementary and middle school principal in that district.

She and her husband, Stephen, have two children: David, 18, a freshman at the Berkeley College of Music, and Matthew, a junior at Westerville Central High School.

Science is still near and dear to Kile—especially the study of the brain and how children learn and develop.

The books in her office are by leading psychiatrists, educators and scientists, such as The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog and Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist’s Notebook: What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing, by Dr. Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz.

“When you look at how many families come from other countries or from families that have a lot of problems,” Kile says, “you need to find the right tools to help those children.

“More and more, children are coming to us with some tough experiences, even at such young ages,” she says. “It can make a huge impact on their development.”

Kile says even some of the worst interruptions in development can be healed. “If we have the right kinds of activities and the right kinds of relationships, we can help those children,” she says. “Brains are malleable. Research shows us there are more and more things we can do to help correct a problem that impacts a child’s development.”

Setting the Stage Westervillage is the first thing Superintendent John Kellogg sees each workday. “It is the entry point for all the kids, and the village component is

part of this whole feeling of where you belong,” he says.

He says the storefront was the vision of Jeff LeRose, the district’s director of business and facilities. “Even the adults are inspired as they come to work each day,” Kellogg says. “It is a reminder to everyone who works upstairs just what is most important about our work here.”

He praises Kile for her leadership and the volumes of paperwork and site visits she and her staff completed to achieve the Step Up to Quality five-star rating.

“Parents rave about the preschool,” he says. “Suzanne provides great leadership and all the children end up with a sense of belonging. I think a lot of great components make it a truly unique learning environment.”

The district bought the 60,000-squarefoot building, which formerly housed McGraw Hill Publishing, for $3.5 million in 2010, with plans to consolidate its administrative offices and preschool classes there. Moving the latter under one roof freed up 11.5 total classrooms at Cherrington, Hanby, Hawthorne, McVay, Pointview, Robert Frost, Whittier and Wilder elementary schools.

About $2.7 million in renovations were completed before the preschool opened in 2011.

Kellogg says the district received about $860,000 in state funds for the preschool program last school year.

Tuition fees offset other expenses.

“Clearly, our program is working well and the skillsets developed in those early years of education make a huge impact on success in later grades,” he says.

As a “fan of neuroscience,” Kile interjects her background as a science educator to keep improving the program. “I do think we need to keep working on pre-academic skills and study how children’s bodies and minds are ready to learn when they get to school-age,” she says. “If we study the brain and how it develops and responds to stress, we can create the very best learning environment for kids.

“We need to build a resilience in kids so their brains are ready to absorb everything they can learn,” she says.

Kile credits her staff with striving for excellence in the program. “I am working with teachers and professionals who have been taught how to overcome learning obstacles,” she says. “They are passionate about education and chose to be in the field so they can make a difference in children’s lives.”

Pamela Willis is a reporter for ThisWeek Community News.

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15

“If you remember growing up when there used to be carolers on the street and choirs singing, well, that’s what Westerville has started doing.”

Jeff Hartnell executive director of the Westerville Visitors & Convention Bureau

Ava Kellar relights Sophie Bordron’s candle at the city’s 2014 tree-lighting ceremony.

Hometown Holidays

Westerville offers numerous activities to celebrate the season, including concerts, craft shows and charitable endeavors.

By Kathy Lynn Gray

16

Fall 2016 | Westerville365

File/Lorrie Cecil

T

he most magical time of the year is about to begin in Westerville, and the city is going all out to make it special for residents of all ages. Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Ghost of Christmas Past will roam the streets and shops of Uptown performing the story of A Christmas Carol in a new interactive theatrical production.

The elves of Snowflake Castle will be back for their 32nd year, helping youngsters build their own toys in Santa’s workshop.

And shining down on the town will be the Westerville star, hanging over State and Main streets as it has since the Great Depression.

“Westerville is a very happy city and we like to celebrate things,” says Mayor Kathy Cocuzzi. “People are happy to live here.”

The celebration gears up in November and stretches through December. Here’s a rundown of some of the most notable happenings.

Citywide Celebrations Two mid-November events are meant to help residents prepare for the holidays: Picture an Old Fashioned Christmas on Nov. 19 at Hanby House, 160 W. Main St., and the Family Craft Workshop on Nov. 20 at Inniswood Metro Gardens, 940 S. Hempstead Road.

A photographer will take family photos in the Hanby House parlor, where participants can dress up in the home’s period

costumes amid holiday decorations. The fee is $30 per group. For reservations, call 614-891-6289 or email hanbyhouse@ yahoo.com. At Inniswood, visitors can create holiday gifts from 2 to 4 p.m., with materials provided by the park.

The all-ages program is free.

The holidays officially begin with the annual tree-lighting ceremony from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2 at city hall, 21 S. State St. Cocuzzi says a local resident donates a tree and has the honor of lighting it as Rotary Club of Westerville members pass out free hot chocolate and cookies and a choir of preschoolers sings.

“It’s my favorite because it encompasses so many of the aspects of Westerville,” she says. “And we always sing Up on the Housetop because (local resident) Benjamin Hanby wrote that.”

The next day, Dec. 3, Snowflake Castle will open its doors at Everal Barn and Homestead, 60 N. Cleveland Ave. Nearly 300 volunteers will shepherd youngsters through the building, which is elaborately decorated to resemble the home of Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Westerville Senior Center member Kay Shively founded the event in 1984 to encourage children and senior citizens to mingle, says Chris Shirring, the center’s older adult services manager.

Last year, about 3,000 children took the hourlong tour, stopping to build a wooden toy with the help of Santa’s elves and posing for pictures with St. Nick. The castle will be open from 9 a.m. to noon and 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 3 and Dec. 5-10.

The event has sold out the past two

years, so Shirring recommends making reservations soon after tickets ($10 per child) go on sale Nov. 1, either at the senior center or at mkt.com/ snowflakecastle.

The Westerville Sertoma Children’s Christmas Parade and Rudolph Run 5K step off Dec. 4.

The run ($25 per participant) will begin at 2 p.m. near St. Paul the Apostle Parish, 313 N. State St., and ends at the same location. The parade begins at Westerville South High School, 303 S. Otterbein Ave., as soon as the runners pass the school on their way to the finish line. For more information, go to westervillesertoma.org.

Jeff Hartnell, executive director of the Westerville Visitors & Convention Bureau, says the parade route will change this year because of construction, making it more compact.

“I think it’ll work out so much better because it’s not so spread out,” he says.

As always, the highlight of the parade will come at the end when the jolly old elf himself arrives.

Santa also will be busy during Lunch at the North Pole and Evening at the North Pole at the Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave. Santa will share stories of the North Pole and his elves will serve a light meal, help with Christmas crafts and lead a sing-along from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9 and from noon to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 9. The event is geared for children 8 and younger with an adult. Tickets are $10 for children, $5 for adults. Registration is required at westerville.org.

Have an upcoming holiday event?

Showcase it online in our events calendar!

Submit for free at Westerville365.com.

Morgan Blankenbeckley (left) and Mackenzie Krapenc of Westerville get ready for the 2015 Rudolph Run 5K. File/The Columbus Dispatch Westerville365 | Fall 2016

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Dec. 2-3 and 2 p.m. Dec. 4 at Westerville South High School, 303 S. Otterbein Ave. Tickets, which are $10, will be available at the Westerville Community Center.

Music lovers will have a feast in December. Holiday concerts are scheduled at all area high schools.

A Music in the Library Atrium series will be offered Sundays at the Westerville Public Library, and Uptown churches will present the Progressive Christmas Concert.

Hartnell says the progressive concert feeds into the Victorian-era theme as guides dressed in 19th-century costumes lead audience members from church to church with lanterns, from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Dec. 9. For more information, go to westervillehabitat. com or call 614-794-0401.

File/ThisWeek

Volunteer Dan Damiano organizes food donations at Westerville Caring & Sharing’s 2013 distribution site in the Brooksedge Corporate Plaza.

“It’s a great boost to our food pantry, and it’s an opportunity for the community to engage and help their neighbors.”

Cheryl Wooten development and communications director for WARM

18

Fall 2016 | Westerville365

Seasonal Entertainment A much-anticipated new addition to the city’s holiday performances will be Uptown Scrooge, a retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol by Good Medicine Productions.

Professional actors will guide small groups around Uptown businesses as the classic tale is conveyed through storytelling, puppetry and interaction with audience members. Tours begin at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Parish, 23 E. College Ave. Uptown Scrooge tours will run 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 26 through Dec. 18. Tickets, $15 for adults and $10 for children, are available at goodmedicineproductions.org.

Hartnell says the Uptown merchants are especially excited about the show, because it adds to the Victorian-era feel of holiday events. ”It’s an old-fashioned community and this has really caught fire,” he says. “We plan to promote the heck out of it.”

Another take on the Scrooge story will be presented as Westerville’s fictional radio station, KPNF, steps back into the 1940s to perform A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play, sponsored by the Westerville Parks and Recreation Department. The shows, which include vintage commercials and live sound effects, will be performed at 7 p.m.

Giving Back Westerville residents also warm hearts during the holiday season through charitable endeavors.

The biggest citywide effort is the annual Holiday Food Drive by the Westerville Area Resource Ministry. With the help of the city’s two Rotary clubs, WARM volunteers will drop off specially marked grocery bags to local homes between Nov. 26 and 30. Residents are asked to fill the bags with nonperishable staples such as canned goods and boxed food, and volunteers will pick them up Dec. 3. Cash donations also are encouraged.

“It began years ago,” says Cheryl Wooten, development and communications director for WARM. “It’s a great boost to our food pantry, and it’s an opportunity for the community to engage and help their neighbors.”

Each month, WARM distributes 22 tons—44,000 pounds—of food to area residents, says Deb Wallace, manager of programs and projects. Last year, nearly 19,000 pounds of that came from the food drive, with an additional 10,200 pounds from schools, she says.

Local schools also raise money during the holidays through Westerville Caring & Sharing, a nonprofit group that helps needy students in the Westerville City School District.

Student drives begin in November, and last year the three high schools alone brought in nearly $42,000, says Greg Viebranz, the district’s executive director of communications & technology. For more information, go to westervillecaringandsharing.com.

Shopping Holiday craft shows kick off the shopping season beginning in November.

One of the earliest is the Holly-Day Bazaar, which will be held from

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Westerville Community United Church of Christ, 770 County Line Road. More than 40 vendors will offer merchandise including American Girl-style doll clothes, knitted and crocheted hats, toys, jewelry and Christmas decorations, as well as homebaked pies, breads and cakes.

The 19th annual Gingerbread Cottage Craft Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 3 at Westerville South. The show benefits music programs at the school and brings together crafters, foodies, artists and bakers. Admission is $3 for ages 12 and older, and strollers are welcome. For more information, go to gingerbreadcottage.org.

Uptown Westerville celebrates the season with Home for the Holidays, during which luminarias will line the streets, and shops will remain open until 8 p.m. Fridays from Dec. 2 until Christmas.

“We used to do just one weekend, but now we do the whole month,” says Nicole Harrison, president of the Westerville Uptown Merchants Association. “It’s awesome how people in Westerville support local businesses.”

Retailers decorate their shops for the holidays, and each weekend the association sponsors special events, which are listed at shopuptownwesterville.com. For the third year, illuminated ice sculptures will decorate sidewalks the weekend of Dec. 16.

“We want to give people a reason to come Uptown and enjoy the holidays rather than go to Easton or Polaris,” says Doug Hill, who manages Westerville Automotive. “The variety in restaurants alone is amazing but we also have antiques, vintage clothing, records, stores that sell art from local vendors and Amish furniture. You can get just about anything you want.”

“The shops do a really good job of having activities, and it’s developed into a far more elaborate series of events, with all the little things each of the stores do,” Hartnell says.

Westerville’s theme for the holidays is “Make Uptown Westerville Your Christmas Present,” he says. “If you remember growing up when there used to be carolers on the street and choirs singing, well, that’s what Westerville has started doing,” Hartnell says.

“People like to come here because of the whole atmosphere. We’re all working together, and it’s really become quite a special time.”

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19

Comeback

Kid

Emmanuel Appiah refused to let a knee injury derail his pro soccer dreams.

K File/John Hulkenberg

Courtesy University of Cincinnati

TOP: Appiah (left) tries to control the ball during the Warhawks’ regional semifinal loss to Gahanna in 2010.

ABOVE: Appiah (center) plays in a 2015 game against Northern Kentucky.

“It was just another hurdle he had to get over.”

Dave Pence Westerville Central coach 20

Fall 2016 | Westerville365

By Andrew King

nee injuries can spell doom for an athlete’s career. Professionals lose lucrative contracts because of injury, seasoned veterans lose speed or explosiveness, and studentathletes can have their dreams shattered if they don’t come back strong.

So when Westerville Central High School graduate Emmanuel Appiah—a central midfielder who already had earned his way to the University of Cincinnati because of his skills on the soccer field—tore the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee in 2013, his playing days were in jeopardy.

“I was devastated,” he says. “I honestly felt like the whole world was crashing down on me. At one point, I didn’t talk to anybody for a few weeks. I was just out of it.”

When Appiah walked onto the field of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium three years later, he wasn’t returning to his college career. Instead, he was there as a member of the Charlotte Independence of the United Soccer League, where he had been sent on loan from Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids. The Rapids had chosen him in the first round of the 2016 MLS Superdraft.

Without that knee injury, Appiah says he may never have made it back at all.

‘A Special Player’ When Dave Pence first began coaching Appiah at Westerville Central, he knew the young player had talent.

Appiah, a native of Ghana, was never one of the more physically imposing players on the team—he stands 5 feet 9 inches tall—but Pence says Appiah forced his way onto the field even as a freshman.

Appiah developed a reputation for technical skills that surpassed other players his age and a vicious shot from distance. “You don’t see them go through the high school ranks very often,” Pence says. “He was a special player from day one.”

Even then, as an undersized central midfielder who Pence recalls would sometimes find a tiny injury to excuse missing practice before a big game, his goal was always to play professionally.

“I just always had a feeling,” Appiah says. “I just always believed and I never gave up. People will tell you, ‘It’s hard to make it in the pros, so you’ve got to work hard.’

But in my mind I knew this is what I loved to do and this is what I was passionate about.”

Pence says he saw that as well, both on and off the field.

He describes Appiah as a team-first player who sought to make his teammates better, and calls him a “great all-around individual” who was liked by students and teachers. When Appiah scored a goal on a 30-yard strike in a district championship game against Gahanna, Pence says he was stunned. “It was a goal that would have been scored at any level,” he says.

At Cincinnati, Appiah again found his way onto the field as a freshman, starting in 12 matches and scoring his first collegiate goal on a 30-yard shot off the crossbar. Appiah added

“People will tell you, ‘It’s hard to make it in the pros, so you’ve got to work hard.’

But in my mind I knew this is what I loved to do and this is what I was passionate about.”

Emmanuel Appiah

Courtesy Sporting Kansas City

Appiah (front row, third from left) and his Kansas City teammates 11 more his sophomore year and was a key member of the Bearcats heading into his third year.

But just two matches into that season, the injury occurred. Surgery followed.

Appiah had to use a medical redshirt

and didn’t see the field for several months. He allowed himself to feel the devastation for a few weeks. But after encouragement from his coaches, friends and family, he decided not to let the injury stop him.

“Either you give up or you take this as an opportunity to get healthy, get your mind right and decide if you want to play the sport,” he says. “I had already made up my mind. I had to come back. I had to be better than I was.”

Make Uptown Westerville

Your Christmas Enjoy...

present “Uptown Scrooge” “Home For the Holidays” “Picture An Old Fashioned Christmas” “Hanby Christmas Open House” “Tree Lighting Ceremony” “Children’s Christmas Parade” “Progressive Christmas Concert” And much more!

Westerville.org www.Visit Westerville365 | Fall 2016

21

“He’s very receptive in trying to learn and better himself, which is an important quality.”

Mike Jeffries Charlotte Independence head coach

Appiah played for the Charlotte Independence until June.

Pence and Appiah still talk, and the coach says he knew the injury wasn’t going to derail a promising career. “Even though that, to most people, would be a critical blow, he knew all along that it was just another hurdle he had to get over,” Pence says. “His goals were the same … and he wasn’t going to change what he wanted to do and how he wanted to go about it.”

Appiah labored through rehabilitation but also took time to study the game, doing everything he could to push himself while off the field. He returned the next year as a redshirt junior and saw action in all 18 matches that season.

As a senior, he returned to the spotlight. He earned second-team all-American Athletic Conference and second-team all-Ohio honors, had five goals and six assists, and made it onto the radar of the Colorado Rapids.

Central’s First Pro Most Westerville residents likely know about the success of Central alumnus and Ohio State University football player Nick Vannett, who was drafted in April by the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. But it was Appiah, also a 2011 graduate, who in January became the school’s first professional athlete.

After earning his degree in international relations in 2015, Appiah was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2016 MLS Superdraft. The 23-year-old still finds it hard to believe he’s finally reached his goal. “This is what I’ve always dreamed of, ever since I was a kid,” he says. “People around me 22

Fall 2016 | Westerville365

always knew that this is what I’ve always wanted. It’s amazing.”

Although Colorado saw his potential, Appiah is still raw, so the team sent him to its USL affiliate in Charlotte.

Rather than become discouraged about not being with the MLS club, Appiah maintained a positive attitude.

“Wherever I get a chance to play, I’m happy with it,” he says. “Everybody is good now. Everyone has a nice touch and is really smart. There’s a reason they made it to the pros. Not a lot of people make it to the pros in soccer. So I wouldn’t consider this a lower level. I just consider it an opportunity.”

Independence head coach Mike Jeffries says that while young players often have a difficult time adjusting to the professional game, Appiah has approached the challenge in the right way. “He certainly doesn’t come across as a guy who takes it for granted,” Jeffries says. “He’s very receptive in trying to learn and better himself, which is an important quality.”

Despite positive reviews from Jeffries, Appiah was waived by the Rapids in June. But after just two weeks, he was snagged by Sporting Kansas City, which was in need of midfield help. The change of scenery was exactly what Appiah needed.

Signed July 12, Appiah made his MLS debut a month later. He played all 90 minutes in Kansas City’s 2-all draw with FC Dallas on Aug. 13, a moment he says “proved to myself that I can play in this league.”

When the time came, he was ready. “I

Courtesy Charlotte Independence

was nervous a little bit, but I’ve played soccer my whole life,” he says. “So I was excited, but I tried not to get too overly excited about it. I thought I was fine. I felt good going into the game. I didn’t feel too nervous; I wasn’t shaking or anything. I shouldn’t be going crazy over it. It’s something I’ve done many times.”

Appiah’s new coach, Peter Vermes, has given him chances with the full squad and can give him more playing time in Kansas City’s local USL team, the Swope Park Rangers. “Coach Vermes gives me a lot of confidence. I think that’s one thing that really helps me,” Appiah says. “It’s good to have a coach who’s going to give you a chance as a young player in this league. When it came to game time, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought. Coach already gave me that confidence to play. It’s always good to have a coach that instills that in you.”

Today, Appiah’s career far exceeds what he expected as he tumbled to the turf clutching his knee in college. “I say this, and some people think I’m crazy for saying it, but I thought that injury was the best thing to ever happen to me, soccer-wise,” he says.

“Before the injury, I felt like I was taking everything for granted. But after the injury, I was so determined. I was driven to get to this level. I realized how much this sport meant to me, and there was no way I could see myself not playing it.”

Andrew King is a reporter for ThisWeek Community News.

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Library Notes

New Service Helps Children Choose Books

By Ashley Mensah

H

ere at the library, we enjoy connecting young people to books so they can learn, grow and reach many great places in life. Reading is vital because as Dr. Seuss once told us, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Seeing kids walk up to the shelves with the freedom to grab a book based on their interests is rewarding. But what if you browse the shelves and none of the books speak to you? No problem.

Librarians are here to help.

We enjoy recommending books such as intriguing graphic novels (like Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series), suspenseful historical fiction that keeps kids guessing (as in Wolf Hollow) or a nonfiction book that makes you think to yourself, “Wow, I can’t believe that!” (like Glow: Animals with Their Own Night Lights).

At the same time, we understand that sometimes children need to read books within a certain Accelerated Reader level for school purposes. We can help in those situations, too.

AR is a program many Westerville elementary schools use in language arts classes. Students may be encouraged to read books within their AR range, such as 3.0 to 3.5, and can take a test on the book in order to earn a certain number of points. Therefore, it’s helpful for many kids to know the AR level of a book.

To help students find the AR level of books quickly, without searching the catalog or going to a website, library staffers have created a new service that allows kids, teachers, parents—anyone —to find the AR level of a book with a quick scan of the barcode.

How does it work? Meet David Torkornoo. He’s in third grade and has come to the library in search of a good

Courtesy Westerville Public Library

book suitable for his reading level. David strolls through the aisles and picks out a few books that seem appealing.

Then, he walks up to our Book Reading Level station, which is located under the hanging 3-D red arrow, and scans a barcode. Instantly, on the screen David sees the AR level as well as the book’s point value, in case he wants to take an AR test on it at school.

Librarians see many students at the library who, like David, need to know this AR information. Before we launched this new service, customers could find AR information in the catalog, but it required a few steps. To better serve our community, we decided to simplify the process. Thanks to our computer services department, all patrons can find the AR information right away. Now, it takes just one simple step.

We are constantly improving and

Third-grader David Torkornoo is ready to scan a book at the library’s new Book Reading Level station.

growing at the library. Our goal is to provide services and resources that are efficient, useful and time-saving for our customers.

At the Westerville Public Library, delivering the future is our mission.

To paraphrase Seuss, the more that we learn, the more places we’ll go—together.

Ashley Mensah is the youth services librarian at the Westerville Public Library.

For more information about library services and programs, go to westervillelibrary.org.

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Fall 2016 | Westerville365

Outtakes

Chris Carver, who worked in New York City as a dispatcher on Sept. 11, 2001, speaks from the podium during the 9/11 Memorial Observation at First Responders Park.

Tyler Stabile, The Columbus Dispatch

Salute to Service

W

esterville held a trifecta of events Sept. 11 as part of Community Day. Residents participated in the annual 9/11 Memorial Observation, Cops & Kids Day and the Great Westerville Food Truck Fest (see pages 6-7).

Utica Officer Kristal Kessler sits near Blaze, 2, as Noah Mohlmaster, 4, of Lewis Center laughs while the K-9 rolls in the grass at Cops & Kids Day at the Westerville Sports Complex.

Tyler Stabile, The Columbus Dispatch

Firefighters salute as taps is played during the remembrance ceremony.

Tyler Stabile, The Columbus Dispatch Westerville365 | Fall 2016

25

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