ALLIANCE ACADEMIC RECOGNITION DAY
ALLIANCE HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMIC RECOGNITION DAY SPEAKERS
1988: Governor George Voinovich, former Mayor, City of Cleveland: “Excellence in Education.”
1989: Dr. James Rowley, Space Ambassador, NASA Lewis Region: “The Future Belongs to the Brave.”
1990: Dr. Benjamin Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University Hospitals: “2001 Spaced Outacy.”
AHS Foundation begins the awarding of scholarships to the top 10% "Varsity Scholars."
1991: Dr. Jeanette Grasselli Brown, former Director of Corporate Research, BP America, Inc.: “The Promise of Tomorrow Through Technology.”
Primary funding begins from Babcock & Wilcox Company, Research and Development.
1992: Dr. Anthony R. InGraffea, Professor of Structural Engineering, Cornell University: “What Will I Need to Know?.”
1993: Dr. Lynn Bondurant, Chief Education Officer, NASA: “Standing at the Dawn of the 21st Century.”
1994: Attorney Patricia Russell-McCloud, McCloud and Associates, motivational speaker: “Vision 2000: It’s Your Turn!”
1995: Mr. Bob Steenlage, motivational speaker, Vietnam veteran, former teacher: “Failures Fail Once…Successful People Fail Many Times.”
1996: Dr. E. Gordon Gee, President, The Ohio State University: "A Commitment to Quality.”
1997: Attorney David Lieberth, Founding President, Inventure Place, National Inventors Hall of Fame: “Legends of the Future, Visions of the Past.”
Primary funding begins from McDermott Technology, Inc., Research and Development Division.
1998: Mr. Gary L. Wilson, Chairman, Northwest Airlines; Board of Directors, The Walt Disney Company: “The Future is Yours to Shape.”
1999: Dr. Lawrence Krauss, Chairman, Department of Physics, Professor of Astronomy, Case Western Reserve University: “To Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before.”
2000: Mr. Chris K. Soentpiet, award winning illustrator and author of children’s literature: “A Teacher Can Make a Difference.”
2001: Dr. Michael J. Dunphy, professional educator and speaker, “The Second Law and You.”
2002: Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, Vice President for Health Sciences and Medical Affairs, Dean, School of Allied Health and Life Sciences at New York Institute of Technology: “The Future Begins Today.”
2003: Mr. Ted Gup, Shirley Wormser Professor of Journalism at Case Western Reserve University. a best selling author, and award- winning journalist. “The Importance of Dissent.”
Primary funding begins from SOFCO Holdings LLC & Babcock and Wilcox. Also, emphasis placed on attracting AHS alums as speakers.
2004: Mr. Darius Kirksey, AHS graduate 1990 and currently Co-Director of US Equity Derivatives for Cantor Fitzgerald and Co.
2005: Dr. Michael Bowling, 1993 AHS graduate, Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Ph.D in 2003 from Carnegie Mellon University in artificial intelligence.
Primary funding begins from Ward J. and Joy A Timken Foundation.
2006: Mary Ann McCready, 1970 AHS graduate, 1974 graduate of Vanderbilt University, founding principal and President of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Primary funding begins from Judge Charles Brown, Stark Co Municipal Court & Judge Robert Lavery, Alliance Municipal Court.
2007: Michael R. Johanson, 1982 AHS graduate, 1987 graduate of University of Tennessee. Program Manager for Space Exploration with ZIN Technologies, Inc.
2008: Duncan T. Brown, 1993 AHS graduate, 1997 graduate of University of Chicago (B.A.); 2000 graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Law (J.D.). Current Assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
Primary funding begins from Alliance Area Businesses & Community.
2009: David Phillippi, 1980 AHS graduate, 1984 Bachelor’s Degree from Ohio University in Communications; 2005 Associate Degree from Ohio University in Electronic Media. Current Brand Manager/Sales Manager for PPS Group, a high-definition video production firm in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2010: Patrick D. Heddleston, 1982 AHS graduate, 1986 Bachelor of Arts Degree from Mount Union College in Business Administration, Finance and Economics. 1998, Named Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer at Mount Union College.
Primary funding begins from The John & Roene Klusch Foundation & a scholarship is awarded to the student with the highest ACT composite score.
2011: Mark Fedor, 1989 graduate, 1994 Engineering Degree from the University of Akron. President and CEO of Morgan Engineering.
2012: Natalie Schwarz-Ridley, 2002 graduate, 2006 Ohio University BS in Journalism. Coordinating Producer morning newscast at WCNC, NewsChannel 36, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
and
Alisha Schwarz-Glasser, 2003 graduate, 2007 Baldwin Wallace College BA in Theater. Production Associate at Great Lakes Theater, in Cleveland and Company Manager for the Lake Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
2013: Dr. Stephen Allen Jones, 2003 graduate, 2005 Youngstown State University BS, 2010 Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM). General Surgeon at Northside Medical Center in Youngstown, Ohio, Published Author.
AHS Educator/Non- AHS Grad. Speaker
2014: Mr. James Ballor, Literature & History Lake Superior State College, Teacher Corps & Teaching Degree Youngstown State University. Retired Educator Alliance City Schools, Two-time AHS Teacher of the Year, Twenty-time Honored Educator.
2015: Mr. Robert Fountain, 2008 graduate, 2008 State of Ohio Licensed Cosmetologist, Managerial & Independent Contractor License, 2012 Owner of R.L. Styles Salon, & Director of Activities at Alliance McCrea Manor Nursing Home & Rehabilitation Center.
2016: Jan Kehres Dartt, 2004 graduate, 2008 graduate of Wittenberg University BS in Biology, 2011 graduate of Kettering College MS in Physician Assistant Studies, practicing Physician Assistant at Youngstown Orthopedic Associates specializing in the spine: "Ask Yourself, is my success significant?"
2017: Mr. Travis Alexander, 2004 AHS Graduate, 2004 Elvin Wilson Scholarship Recipient, 2008 Duke University Graduate, Manufacturing Engineer and Project Manager at STERIS Corporation
2018: Allison Lansell, Esq., 2005 graduate Alliance High School, 2009 graduate Case Western Reserve University, BA Arts Political Science and Sociology 2012 graduate University of Virginia School of Law.
Amanda Lansell, MD, 2005 graduate Alliance High School, 2009 graduate Case Wester Reserve University, BA Biochemistry, MA Bioethics, 2013 graduate University of Toledo College of Medicine. Pediatric Hospitalist, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospitals
2019: Charles (Todd) Diehl, COO (Chief Operating Officer), PTR Group, LP, Graduate, Alliance High School 1986, Machine Trades, Vocational Educational, Barberton Machining Institute, 4 year Trade School
2020: No speaker - COVID
2021: Dr. Laura Albrecht, DDS
2022: Scott Rowley, James Cancer Center Hosp. OSU
2023: David Zadigan, Dow Chemical, New Orleans
2024: Kendra LeGrand, Proverbs 2023 Ministries
Brock Schwarz, BK Media Works