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Alumni Awards

OTS Class of 2023 at the Grade 8 graduation ceremony.

Our success is measured by the accomplishments of our graduates. 

Their confidence, competence and character set Old Trail graduates apart wherever they pursue their educational journey. They embody a wide-ranging global outlook, a commitment to service, and a recognition of their potential impact on the world. OTS students emerge as poised leaders and effective self-advocates in both high school and college, having established a solid groundwork of critical-thinking abilities and creativity that propels them towards a lifetime of achievement.

The Old Trail School Alumni Award program recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to OTS, their communities and others.

2024 Award Winners

Peter G. Wilson Rising Star
Kyla Korvne '08
Kyla Korvne '08

Kyla is the Head of Evaluation, Learning and Data Analytics at Tostan, an Africa-based organization that works directly with rural communities in Senegal, Mali, Guinea Bussau and Gambia, leading their own development. From 2016-17, she served as the organization’s Fulbright Research Fellow, where she designed a project exploring the pathways to political empowerment for women in villages in rural Senegal.

Lincoln Gries Distinguished Alumni
Meg Harris Stanton '71
Meg Harris Stanton '71

Meg Harris Stanton’s study of art history began during her high school years at Old Trail School and continued during her years of living abroad in London from 1982-1988. Soon after her return to Akron, she was named Director of the Evelyne Shaffer Gallery, which she later bought and changed its name to Harris Stanton Gallery in 1998. Meg’s more than 31 years of experience at the gallery has afforded her the opportunity to curate and install numerous exhibitions, both on and off-site. 

Alumni Association Honorary Alumni
Brad and Amy Bowers
Brad and Amy Bowers

Brad and Amy Bowers have been integral members of the Old Trail School community since 2001. Their unwavering dedication to OTS as parents, thought leaders, supporters and volunteers has enriched the school and community in countless ways. All three of their children, Kal ’10, Ben ’11 and Natalie ’15, received their education at Old Trail.

Do you know someone who is deserving of one of these awards? 

Submit a nomination on their behalf! Links to our online nomination forms can also be found below. If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Pry in the Development Office. 

About the Peter G. Wilson Rising Star Award

The Peter G. Wilson Rising Star Award is presented to Old Trail alumnus who are under 30.  The recipient has shown professional and community leadership and exhibited an appreciation for  Old Trail School. The Award is named in honor of Peter G. Wilson, former Old Trail Headmaster. 

Nominees must have attended Old Trail School, contributed to their community  and/or to the betterment of others, earned the respect of Old Trail alumni and exhibit a continued loyalty to Old Trail School.

Past Recipients

2005 - Elizabeth Sheeler '87
2006 - Tony Troppe '81 
2007 - Peter LeVan '84 
2008 - Jessica Rohlik '93
2009 - Katie Keith Dettling ‘95
2011 - Major Robert C. Bender ‘90
2012 - Alison Spitzer ‘94
2013 - Andrew Freeman ‘93
2014 - Jackie Rohrer ‘94
2015 - Rachel Rubin ‘95
2017 - Evan B. Delahanty '99
2018  - Spencer Case ‘99
2019  - Andrew T. Novak ‘04
2022 - Alexandria Couch ‘12
2023 - Ceara O’Sullivan ‘06

About the Lincoln Gries Distinguished Alumni Award

The Lincoln Gries Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to an Old Trail alumnus who has made an important contribution or given extraordinary service to others in some field, as a professional or as a volunteer. It is named after Lincoln Gries, a former parent, board member and board chair who provided exemplary service to Old Trail School. 

Nominees must have attended OTS, contributed to their community and/or to the betterment of others, earned the respect of both Old Trail alumni and future Old Trail students and shown a continued loyalty to Old Trail School.

Past Recipients

1980 - Betty Looker Jaycox '30 
1981 - Dorothy Seiberling Steinberg '39 
1982 - Dorothy Hoyt Mollin '32 
1983 - Christine Dietrich Freitag '52 
1984 - Bonnie Stewart Mikkelsen '50 
1985 - Suzanne McCormick Rickards '50  
1987 - Judy Bear Isroff '54 
1988 - Betsy Frost '34 
1989 - Mary Laub Babcox '45 
1990 - Barbara Brooks Smoyer '33
1991 - Peggy Jett Pittenger '40 
1992 - Susan Akers George '52 
1993 - Sarah Mabry Born '58 
1994 - Frances Seiberling Buchholzer '52 
1995 - Susan Bruggemeier Kruder '49 & Jeanne Schulman Leventhal '38 
1996 - Rachel Ober Burrell '46 
1997 - Cheryl Gates McFadden '66
1998 – Ethel Seiberling Fox ‘53 
1999 - Mary Catherine "Kitty" Guinther Brown '42 & Rebecca Knight '79 
2000 - Virginia Brown Sperry '43 & Anne Alexander Sperry '45
2001 - Lucretia Leonard Romey '51
2002 - Jane Johnston '52 
2003 - Karin Lewald Clumpner '53 & James Figetakis '79
2004 - Marilyn Buckey '64 & Marjory Wheeler '3
2005 - Deborah Wince Smith '68 & Sonya Haddad '54*
2006 - Esther Sans Takeuchi ’71
2007 - Suzanne Rogers '49 
2008 - Leland P. Smith ‘77
2009 - Kim Paradis Coryat ‘75
2011 - John Frank  ‘54
2012 - Coralie Munroe ‘68
2013 - Katherine Merseth ‘63
2014 - Amy Freitag ‘81
2015 - Elisa Drumm Van Aucken ‘80
2016 - Sandy Auburn ‘63
2017 - Lucinda Weiss '67
2018 - Melissa Merryweather ‘79
2019 - Nancy Schoonover Rhinehart ‘53
2022 - Alexandra Wilson ‘90
2023 - Molly Vollman Makris ‘95

* - posthumously

About the Alumni Association Honorary Alumni Award

The Alumni Association Honorary Alumni award is presented to a person who has made an important contribution or given extraordinary service to Old Trail School.

Nominees must have contributed significantly to the welfare of Old Trail  (parent, trustee, volunteer or benefactor), deserved the respect of both Old Trail alumni and  future Old Trail students and shown a continued loyalty to Old Trail School.

Past Recipients

1981 - J. Penfield Seiberling 
1982 - Nora Hamlen Robinson 
1983 - Lincoln Hays Gries 
1984 - Beatrice York Allen 
1985 - Ruth Courtney & Edwin L. Mollin*
1986 - Thomas R. Merryweather 
1989 - Magaret Cameron & Donna Lord
1990 - Marion Schell Garnish & Alice Mae Pierce 
1991 - Getrude Foutz & Jan B. Parry 
1992 - Jeanette Williams Homeier 
1993 - Hope Chandler Gates 
1994 - Alice Wilson 
1997 - Anne Saalfield Macdonald 
1998 - Bernard Tolan
1999 - John F. Seiberling 
2000 - Peter G. Wilson
2001 - Kathleen "Boo" Whitmer & Jerry Whitmer 
2002 - Ann Hubiak
2003 - Julia Shepard Gregory
2004 - Joe Henninger & Olive "Ollie" Townsend*
2005 - George Parry 
2006 - Karl Hay 
2007 - Karen Patterson 
2008 - Sandra Haslinger
2009 - George & Sue Klein
2011 - Ron Allan
2012 - Robert Briggs
2013  Judy Brookhart
2014 - Sam Yannerilla
2015 - Mike Hochschwender
2016 - Terry Squire
2017 - Drew and Nancy Forhan
2018 - Mike Duff
2019 - Bonnie Childs
2022 - Laura Billow Preston
2023 - Katie Kagler

* - posthumously