They are called many things: Ordinary high school students engaged in extraordinary service to others,
unsung heroes, the next generation of service leaders. Yet the more appropriate words to describe the
129 area high schools students who received 2014 Leadership Toledo Youth Jefferson Awards are
"young leaders of today."
According to Leadership Toledo Executive Director David Schlaudecker, "Since being selected by the
prestigious national Jefferson Awards for Public Service to coordinate their youth initiative in the
Toledo region, we have helped student leaders change the culture of their high school campuses to ones
that place service to others on the same pillar as academics, athletics, and the performing arts.
Leadership Toledo works closely with administrators from each area high school to identify students who
possess that "it" factor; considering the selection pool has over 4,000 members of the
freshman class, those decisions are not easy. After an extensive nomination/selection process,
one-to-two students from each school are invited to become involved in Youth Leadership Toledo.
Jefferson Awards for the 2013-14 school year were given to students in four Wood County schools.
Lake: Russell Brett Fisher, Ashley Folley, Autumn Walker and Ne’Shell Neal.
Northwood: Sarah Raymond.
Perrysburg: Val Kopp, Niara Willians, Madison Graham, Kelly Printy, Kyra Marks, Madison Creps, Alexandra
Phlegar, Lauren Piezer, Alisa Leong and Sarah Schaller.
Rossford: Marty Linthicum, AJ Santellana, Mikhala Dunne, Allison Dunne, John Pupik, Maggie Leahy, Lauren
Nissen, Brian Burks, Nate Childress, Rebecca Rombach, Kaitlyn Schwiefert, Claire Verbosky and Ryan
Niese.