Pictured left to right: Blendon Assistant Principal Fred Tombaugh; Sunrise Rotary President Rick Rano; Sunrise Rotarian Diane Conley; Service to Youth recipient Sandi Trask-Tyler; Blendon Principal Kendall Harris; and Sunrise Rotarians Gretchen Kiehl, Don Denton and Paul Kulik.
Blendon Middle School multi-handicap intervention specialist Sandi Trask Tyler was surprised on February 4 when Sunrise Rotarians visited her workplace to name her as the monthly recipient of the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Diane J. Conley Service to Youth Award. She received a plaque, a cake, and a gift card to Max & Erma’s restaurant.
The Sunrise Rotarians said Trask-Tyler has the “patience and compassion of a saint.” She dedicates countless hours developing individualized education plans for each student, ensuring that all have equal opportunities to grow and develop to their greatest potential. Trask-Tyler oversees the Blendon Buddy program in which pupils serve as peer mentors and role models to their special needs peers. And for the past several years, she has supervised Blendon’s Youth to Youth after school club. “Sandi is a true example of a teacher who loves her job and working with students,” they said. Blendon is proud to have such a kind-hearted, emotionally strong and dedicated teacher.
Rotary Sunrise instituted Service to Youth awards two years ago to recognize exceptional school employees who have made a special contribution to youth; have served as a positive role model for young people; and have demonstrated service above and beyond the call of duty in performing their job responsibilities. The award is named in honor of Sunrise Rotarian Diane Conley, retired Chief of Academic Affairs for Westerville City Schools.