Kirstyn Yoder, left, was named TVHS valedictorian and Quintin Allen was named salutatorian.

By Maggie Kenworthy
InkFreeNews

MENTONE — The Tippecanoe Valley School Board took a moment to recognize this year’s valedictorian and salutatorian at the meeting held tonight, May 18.

While neither were present at the meeting, TVSC Superintendent Blaine Conley announced that Kirstyn Yoder was named TVHS valedictorian and Quintin Allen was named salutatorian for the 2019-2020 school year.

Yoder is the daughter of Christopher and Tracy Yoder. She plans to attend Purdue University with a double major in actuarial science and statistics and a minor in business management.

At TVHS, she was involved in the following clubs and organizations: National Honor Society president, Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy, softball, Academic Team, Girls Who Code, and Leo Lions Club treasurer. Yoder was also named one of Kosciusko County’s 2020 Lily Scholars.

Allen is the son of Jacquelyn Apt. He plans to attend the University of Washington in Seattle to study biology, specifically paleobiology.

At TVHS, he was involved in the following clubs and organizations: robotics, Academic Team, National Honor Society, band, drama club and Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy. Allen was also chosen to participate in the Molecular Medicine in Action program by Riley Hospital for Children and IU School of Medicine. Most recently he was named an IASP Regional Academic All-Star.

“We just congratulate these two outstanding students and wish them the best of luck,” said Conley.

The school board also accepted two grants during the meeting.

The first was a Mighty Money Grant awarded by the AWS Foundation for $2,500. This grant will provide switches and adaptive toys to students at TVSC with severe communication expressive language disorders. These will help to promote engagement with curriculum-based activities, support inclusion with peers and increase independence in the student’s daily decision-making abilities.

The second was a Donors Choose grant prepared by Michelle DeBaets for digital microscopes in the amount of $532. These microscopes will be used in the science department at the middle school.

The next regular school board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, June 15, at Mentone Elementary.

In other news, the school board:

• Approved the hiring of Katelyn Bradley, guidance counselor; Jaclyn Holley, guidance counselor; and Jonathan Tinkey, social studies teacher at TVHS.
• Approved assisting Sonia Roche as the National Honor Society co-sponsor at TVHS.
• Accepted the resignation of Doug Heinold, PLTW teacher at TVHS; Emilie Rospopo, 5th-grade teacher at Mentone Elementary; Kelly Nellans, cook at Mentone Elementary; Stacy Andrews, cook at Mentone Elementary; Holly Arnold, instructional assistant at Mentone Elementary; Guadalupe Hernandez, instructional assistant at Akron Elementary; Brittany Meier, instructional assistant at Akron Elementary; Angela Perry, cook at TVHS; Cami Shriver, student council advisor at TVHS; and Julie Anderson, custodian at TVHS.
• Approved textbook fees for the 2020-2021 school year
• Approved temporary elementary and middle school grading policies due to COVD-19.
• Approved revisions to the Student and Staff handbook for the 2020-2021 school year.