Although their Commencement is two days away, a group of joyous Class of ’24 graduates-to-be enjoyed their first official alumni event Thursday night – the annual Beyond the Berg celebration, hosted by the Office of 澳门银河网站参与.
The students enjoyed food and drink and entered a raffle for more than 30 great prizes donated by members of the 澳门银河网站 Council, the Office of 澳门银河网站参与 and HYPE Career Ready®.
While the class reveled in the antics of emcee Ashley Helmstetter and President Rob Huntington in his role as Vanna White, the highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 2024 Young 澳门银河网站 Achievement Award. This year’s recipient is award-winning science educator Ashlie (Burkhart) Gowitzka
’06.
Ashlie teaches Honors 生物学, Anatomy & Physiology and Forensic Science for Perkins Local Schools in Sandusky. She also teaches 大学学分加 courses to high-schoolers and served as the school’s National Honor Society advisor. But one of her most impactful roles has been as the school’s BioClub advisor. Perkins’ BioClub has won numerous awards from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ohio State’s Stone Lab and the Ohio Sea Grant Program. The club also assisted with the ecological restoration efforts at the NASA Neil Armstrong Test Facility.
In 2019, Ashlie was named the Ohio 生物学 Teacher of the Year by the National Association of 生物学 Teachers.
在她的业余时间, Ashlie also serves as a 4-H advisor, 青少年足球教练, Sunday school teacher and community volunteer. She’s also a wife and mom of two active sons.
All of this is to say that Ashlie has found and continues to nurture her passions, which took root while she was a student at Heidelberg.
“I am a person who has been deeply shaped by my experiences at Heidelberg,” she told the students. “It has had a profound impact on my own journey and career.”
直到今天, Ashlie values the lessons she learned while at Heidelberg: the importance of lifelong learning and a strong sense of community.
As a commuter, her ’Berg experience wasn’t typical. But she connected with her women’s soccer teammates, 和其他通勤学生一起, through conversations in Rock Creek Café and in the many hours spent with classmates in Gillmor Science Hall. “不管我在哪里, I always felt a sense of belonging and Heidelberg really fostered that,”她说。.
Ashlie expressed her gratitude for the tools and skills “necessary to inspire the next generation” – skills such as empathy, compassion and service to others, and her commitment to not allow herself to become stagnant in her career or life.
十八年前, I entered the ranks of Heidelberg alumni, 正因为如此, I’ve found success in many facets of life. … Find that same passion,” she encouraged the students. “Keep learning from those around you, no matter their age. You’ll be surprised what you can learn from others.
“I truly love going to work every day … well, most days. That’s led me to continue learning every day.”
As they become part of the Heidelberg legacy of excellence and integrity, Ashlie’s parting wish for the grads-to-be is to “never lose sight of the power you have to make a difference in the lives of others.”