Ken Blanchard, Director of Allen County Literacy, last week spoke to the Ada Kiwanis Club about volunteering to be a literacy tutor. He noted the following statistics:
• 50% of the chronically unemployed have poor literacy skills.
• The U.S. Military spends $70 million per year in teaching basic skills to recruits.
• 75% of the U.S. prison inmates do not have a high school diploma.
• It is estimated that limited literacy costs the U.S. businesses and taxpayers $20 billion in lost business earnings, wages and taxes.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has named senior infielder Hailee Loughman(Brookville) and junior catcher Gabby Stewart (Union, Ky./St. Henry) to the 2019 NFCA All-Central Region squads for their on-field performance this season, the national office announced Wednesday.
Loughman was named First-Team All-Central Region at third base, while Stewart garnered Second-Team All-Central Region honors as a catcher. The duo was listed among 364 total players recognized in the NCAA's eight regions across the country this year.
Loughman and Stewart both received their first career All-Central Region nod with the announcement.
Seniors Sam Shook (New Philadelphia) and Maddy Reed (Piketon) were named Ohio Northern's Clyde Lamb Award winners for the 2018-19 academic year at the 2019 Ohio Athletic Conference Awards Banquet at the Crowne Plaza in Columbus on Monday evening.
The prestigious award is the highest honor given to OAC student-athletes each year, including one male and one female representative from the league's 10 institutions.
By Cort Reynolds
BOWLING GREEN - Three members of the Ada tennis team competed at the Div. II district tournament Thursday in Bowling Green.
The top four placers at district qualify for the Div. II state meet in Mason next weekend. Play was single elimination in the first two rounds.
Ada's Isaac Spar entered the 16-player field as one of the top four seeds after winning the Lima sectional at UNOH.
Spar played junior Stephane Granato of Maumee Valley in the first round Thursday at BGSU. Spar won the first set 6-0, but then Granato rallied to take the last two sets 6-3, 6-2.
