President Beth Benko of the Port Clinton Board of Education awards Flagship Award recipients Abbie Fox, First Mate Award; Kendra Van Doren, Captain Award; and Gaye Winterfield, Crew Award. At right are board Vice-President Michele Mueller and Superintendent Patrick Adkins.

The Flagship Awards are part of Port Clinton City School District’s recognition program to honor parents, community members, staff and students that help the district fulfill its motto of “Proudly Charting a Course for Success.” At its last meeting, the Port Clinton Board of Education honored Abbie Fox, Kendra Van Doren and Gaye Winterfield as Flagship Award winners.

Fox received the Flagship First Mate award for parents for her assistance with the Port Clinton Middle School Young Entrepreneurs Program. She provided an overabundance of support for the Young Entrepreneurs experience. An entrepreneur, Fox greatly inspired many students and enriched the program.

Fox’s unwavering support and knowledgeable advice enhanced every student’s project. She engaged the group with the presentation, “What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur,” and volunteered several hours as a “Shark” for the judging panel, attended the final fair to support the program, generously donating a sum of money to the winners. Her guidance was far reaching and genuine. Each student felt invigorated by her presence to be even better than they expected for themselves.

Teachers Kerry Fial and Ryan Evarts said they wanted to thank her from the bottom of their hearts for having such an amazing impact on the kids and the program.

Gaye Winterfield received the Crew – Community Award. She helps coordinate a variety of programs to assist high school students discover their futures. She serves on the Ottawa County Business Advisory Council, where she collaborates with Port Clinton High School in attempt to connect students to different career paths.

Winterfield helps facilitate programs such as the Career Engagement Opportunities, or “CEO Program,” where students have the chance to obtain internships in specific career choices. She also assists with the Skilled Trades Academy, giving students the opportunity to learn specific materials related to skilled trade careers.

Winterfield spent hours connecting each student with the right employer to best fit their interest. In addition, she helped organize a freshmen career showcase allowing freshmen students to see the types of jobs available around Ottawa County.

The commitment Winterfield has shown to Port Clinton High School goes above and beyond any expectations. Her work and determination to help students find the right future career path earned her this recognition.

Kendra Van Doren was recognized with the Captain – Staff Award. Dedicated, caring, and creative in her role as principal of Bataan Primary, Van Doren spearheaded the implementation of the STARS literacy program, which has involved intense professional development by the staff.

Van Doren has a nurturing approach when interacting with students, with student well-being always at the center of the programs at Bataan Memorial Primary. She has introduced many innovative approaches to student behavior, such as the “solutions” classroom run by Janae Molnar. She led the start of the Positive Behavior System that has enticed other districts to observe the program. Recently, her leadership was put to the test, having to lead her staff through the tragic deaths of two school children. She did so with strength and grace.

Van Doren appreciates all of her students, and finds creative ways to show staff appreciation. Her popular snack cart is a hit with her staff, and she has a “store” for students to “shop” with their hard earned dojo bucks for being good students.