Sylvania: Teen ends a varied school career

5/19/2004

Meryl Smith, the valedictorian at Northwood High School, admits that between starring in the school's musicals and playing three sports, she may have lacked the time to study as much as she should.

The extra responsibilities didn't stop the 18-year-old from receiving the school's top honor at graduation on May 30 or from carrying a 4.1 grade point average.

She played varsity volleyball, basketball, and softball, and performed in the school musical for three years.

Miss Smith is also a student council representative, class officer, and a member of the National Honor Society. The extracurricular activities didn't leave her much time for working a part-time job, so instead, she volunteered at the Rehabilitation Center at St. Charles Mercy Medical Center in Oregon.

"I wanted to do something and I thought it would be really good to volunteer," she said.

Miss Smith will be attending Ohio University in the fall where she'll major in journalism and communication. "I think that I am going to go into broadcast journalism," she said.

Miss Smith was a Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership representative and she attended Buckeye Girls State. She achieved First Team Toledo Area Athletic Conference and honorable mention District VII in volleyball and Second Team TAAC in softball.

She is the daughter of Mel and Linda Smith.

Other top students:

Clay High School: Matthew Limmer, valedictorian; Kevin Kissling, salutatorian.

Rossford High School: Mackenzie Caldwell, valedictorian; Eric Soltis, salutatorian.

Cardinal Stritch: Michael Walters, Curtice, valedictorian; Jonathan Wicks, Toledo, salutatorian.

Northwood High School: Natalie Phillips, salutatorian.

Lake High School: Phillip Magnone, valedictorian; and Ashley Lowry, salutatorian.

Genoa High School: Not decided as of press time.

Woodmore High School: David Bowen, Carrie Netcher, and John Nevergall, valedictorians.

Eastwood High School: Does not recognize a valedictorian or salutatorian. Student graduation speakers are Sarah Longbrake, Jacob Speck, Angela Hackworth, and senior class president Doug Russell.

Perrysburg High School: Allison Walton, valedictorian; Karl

Meyer and Erika Osterholzer, salutatorians.

Toledo Christian School: Drew Oostra, of Holland, valedictorian; Alissa Toth, of Toledo, salutatorian.

Maumee Valley Country Day: Jamie Wasielewski, of Erie, valedictorian. Central Catholic: Andrew Schetter, Holland, valedictorian; Jocelyn Oblizajek, Toledo, salutatorian.

Emmanuel Baptist: Connie Neyhart, Toledo, and Sharon Stookey, Sylvania, co-valedictorians.

Notre Dame Academy: Jennifer Enright, Maumee; Kelly Gallagher, Oregon; Hafsa Kanjwal, Sylvania; Emily Kenney, Sylvania; Lauren Kluz-Wisniewski, West Toledo; Shannon McNamara, South Toledo; Laura Miller, Bowling Green, and Megan Slanina, South Toledo, valedictorians.

St. Francis de Sales: Michael Zook, Toledo, valedictorian; David Tighe, Toledo, salutatorian.

St. John's Jesuit: Joseph Farinella, Perrysburg; Adam Holewinski, Toledo; Nathan Niese, Maumee, and Matthew Zapotosky, Toledo, valedictorians; Michael Cassidy, Toledo, salutatorian.

St. Ursula Academy: Kristen Monarch, Toledo, valedictorian; Rebecca Nusbaum, Toledo, salutatorian.