Author: Tanner Atha

Congratulations to Hilliard Darby sophomores, Jennifer Norris and Alyssa McDowell, who won the 2023 Central Ohio Miniature Bridge Building Competition, and Noelle Hampton, Halle Atkinson, and Angela Santiago, who placed third out of 63 teams. These students designed a bridge structure with the highest load-to-weight capacity ratio over a predetermined span using supplied materials.

The purpose of the event is to provide the opportunity for students and the local civil engineering community to interact and help students:
1. Learn how to apply principles of physics and math to bridge design and construction;
2. Undergo the process of preliminary design, detailed design, and construction of a miniature bridge to understand the hard work and challenges of the civil engineering world;
3. Experience firsthand the procedure of testing an engineered element to better under its capabilities;
4. Learn about the many facets of a fascinating and challenging career in civil engineering.​​

Anyone who knows Hilliard Darby Media Specialist Nikki Henkel would say she is a beaming ray of light. She is a great resource for students and staff, and she always promotes positivity around her. As the world started dealing with COVID-19, Nikki struggled as her daily exercise routine was disrupted; many of the gyms she used before and after work were shut down. While talking to her colleagues, she uncovered many of them also had the same problem. Nikki, also the wellness coordinator at Darby, decided that she should start a fitness group that would meet outside a few times weekly to work out. She designed HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts that were fun and brought people together throughout the difficult times. She started these workouts three years ago, and she still has a constant group of people that attend. The group calls themselves the TRIBE.

“COVID was not a positive experience, so it was fun to get together and lift each other up, and as long as you’re moving and grooving, it’s a positive. Also, it’s a good time to connect with other staff who are a part of the TRIBE. They lift each other up, and we realize the strength as a whole. It’s good to get together with positivity,” Nikki said. She learned that positivity is infectious and that it can spread throughout a classroom a lot quicker than COVID can.

Nikki has taught in the district for over 26 years, and she says that things have changed since she began her career. She has learned that now, more than ever, she needs to support students to navigate the world as well as academics. “How do we support kids to navigate the stress and anger that they bring with all that baggage that is unseen at school? Once we see that, we can navigate that and help them.” Nikki is always a positive, smiling face that students can go to, whether they are having issues inside or outside of the classroom.

Nikki said that her favorite thing this year at Darby is the people. “We have such a unique place, and we have something really special here at Darby.”

Congratulations to Memorial Middle School 8^th Grader, Kat Drovdlic, who has been chosen to perform in the Junior High Honor Choir at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference which will be held February 22-24 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Kat was chosen through a rigorous audition process and will join 200 singers from across the United States for three days of rehearsals and concerts for thousands of choral music educators.  She will get to work with acclaimed conductor and composer Andrea Ramsey.  We are so proud of Kat and congratulate her on this outstanding accomplishment!

Supplemental Service Teacher to Hilliard City Schools, Heather Conrad is always on the go. Heather spends most of her day traveling between fourteen different buildings as she helps students from all different ages in the district. Heather says she has the privilege to following her students throughout their whole career in Hilliard which makes her relationship with them extra special. Colleague Yvonne Haight said, “Heather has heart that serves and loves others to the fullest. She gives endlessly of her time and energy to others, making a difference in the world. This translates into each student and staff she reaches out to on a weekly basis.”

Now that her children are grown and don’t need her to drive them around to sport practices or friends’ houses, she realized she had more free time on her hands. Although she thought the free time would be nice to relax after work, she wanted to spend her time outside of the classroom giving back to the community.

Heather joined a group, where on Mondays they adopt a block within the Columbus area that benefit from support. The group not only provides meals to the individuals in the area but a glimpse of hope. Along with serving meals on Monday night she serves in the children’s ministry at her church. Heather said, “The work I do outside of the classroom, brings me more knowledge and perspective that I can bring to my students in the classroom whereas otherwise I wouldn’t know. She goes on to say that “Don’t be afraid to follow your passions in ways that aren’t your profession, and you’ll see how they both improve each area.”

Congratulations to these Embrace, Empower & Inspire Award winners, Angela Davoll (Band Teacher at Weaver Middle School) and Mark Huston (Custodian).

“Mrs. Davoll is an amazing and caring educator. She makes ALL students feel welcome and loved in her class. She recently had the insight and bravery to help her students prepare an entire band performance focused on her student’s understanding of and experience with mental health. She masterfully facilitated a chance for her students to express their feelings and emotions through powerful words and music. Mrs. Davoll’s commitment to teaching the whole child is unrelenting and most likely life-saving.”

Mark entered our building to help fill a temporary leave. Our building just expanded, some of the teachers were just finding out where they would be located and there was Mark. He came in not just “filling in” a routine but helping us all find our new routine. Anytime we have a question or a need, Mark is there to help! One day our wagon lost a wheel on the way out to recess and I asked if it could be fixed sometime tomorrow. Nope, it was fixed before we returned from recess waiting for us. He knew we needed it for a little one with mobility issues and my class was at the end of the hall so a long walk for her little legs. This is only one example of so many and not just from myself and the classroom team, this goes for the whole school. He goes out of his way to help and allow us to teach our students. His attitude and smile are so contagious as he greets our little ones walking down the hall and encourages them with a variety of tasks. I hope he knows how much he made such a difference in the staff and the students here at the preschool while he “filled in.” Thank you, Mark!

These staff members go above and beyond the expectations of the Hilliard Way and truly make a difference in our district. If you know a staff member that goes above and beyond their way to make a difference, you can nominate them for next month’s award by clicking HERE!

Crossing 5th graders are once again creating things for Darby’s Children’s Show. This year, the show Miss Nelson is Missing required the actors to imagine events happening in their minds. The 5th graders created stop-motion animation to be played overhead on a screen to depict just that. Mrs. Sherrill, a 4th-grade teacher at Crossing and the Theater Director at Darby High School, comes up with unique ways to get her elementary students the opportunity to partake in a collaboration with the high school.

Check out the process of the students creating their stop-motion animation below: