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Meerdink
places fifth at National History Day
Emily Meerdink, Akron-Westfield student, placed fifth in the junior
division, individual performance with her project entitled, “Rachel
Carson: Actions Towards a Legacy of Environmental Conservation.” Emily was
also the Outstanding State Award winner in the Junior Division. She was
among 12 Iowa students who earned national honors at the National History
Day contest at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD, June 14-19.
Congratulations Emily! Also competing at National History Day from A-W
were Jayde Ostermyer, Kylee Reed, and Haley Coyle in the Junior division,
group performance. Watch for more information on National History Day in a
future issue of The Akron Hometowner.
United
Nations commends Akron-Westfield alumnus
A
selfless act by a 1985 Akron-Westfield graduate in the Gaza Strip was
recognized by both his employer, the United Nations Relief and Work Agency
(UNRWA) and the United Nations Security Council. Retired U.S. Army Major
Scott Anderson received a letter of commendation for his “prompt and
courageous action” on Jan. 15, 2009, to prevent the combustion of fuel
stored in the UNRWA Gaza compound. According to the letter, an independent
Board of Inquiry found that without Anderson’s “action to move burning
fragments from underneath a fuel truck, many deaths and injuries and
further destruction could have been caused. The report noted that
(Anderson) took this initiative at considerable personal risk and despite
incoming artillery shells.” “I am truly proud of all of the United Nations
staff who brave difficult and dangerous circumstances to help those in
need in Gaza,” wrote UNRWA’s BAN Ki-moon. “Even within this extraordinary
group, your actions stand out as going beyond the call of duty and
fulfilling the highest ideals of the international civil service.”
Anderson is the son of Eric and Marlys Anderson; the grandson of Maxine
Anderson and the late Lesley Anderson; and the nephew of Susan Anderson;
all of Akron.
Greater Hoyt
School: Save it or destroy it?
By Julie Ann Madden
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series on the Greater Hoyt School
property. It’s the only country school in Union County left standing,
and what to do with it is the question that the Greater Hoyt School Board
must decide in the next year. “Greater Hoyt owns it,” said Board President
Greg Heeren at the school board’s June 16 meeting. “Nobody else gets it.
It’s ours to do with as we want.” According to the Union County Registrar
of Deeds Office, the first mention of the Great Hoyt School District
property in county records was a March 10, 1943, warranty deed from Akron
Savings Bank to W.J. Davidson of Akron. At this time, Davidson purchased
the south half of Section 24 “except one acre in the northwest corner of
the Southeast Quarter of said Section, used for school purposes.” An
actual deed for the school property wasn’t filed until Dec. 28, 1993 when
Richard K. Aalfs of Akron deeded the one-acre gift to the Greater Hoyt
Independent School District No. 61-4. Now, the Greater Hoyt School Board
is hoping an organization can be formed to preserve the facility. “My
suggestion is to form a Greater Hoyt group,” said Heeren. “They own the
property...and raise funds to try to save the building or improve the
building or property, or whatever needs to be done.” “It’ll be up to the
group organized to get money donated to keep the building standing,” said
Board Member Lynn Johnson. “The group needs to get organized so we can
turn over the property to them when the time comes,” said Heeren, who
hopes that the group will not only keep the property but serve as a
watchdog to keep Greater Hoyt students attending Akron-Westfield Community
School after Greater Hoyt School District ends on June 30, 2010. It was
noted the building needs some work, including foundation and furnace
repairs and possibly a new roof in the near future. Board members voiced
their concern that there have been some inquiries about the property that
would lead to the destruction and removal of the building. Anyone
interested in being a part of an organization dedicated to the
preservation of the Greater Hoyt School building and its students is asked
to call Board Member Pat Benton at (605) 565-3616. The Greater Hoyt School
District’s one-room country school doesn’t look much different than it did
when it was closed more than 40 years ago. Inside there are school desks,
books, and a teacher’s desk as well as maps hanging and a chalkboard in
tact. The Greater Hoyt School Board still holds their monthly meetings in
the building except for this past winter. The building’s furnace system
quit in the Spring of 2008 and meetings were held in the Dave Heeren farm
office last winter. As of now, the board meetings will again be held in
the school building. The next school board meeting is scheduled for 8
p.m., July 7. All are welcome to attend. “At least the property is here
for those people who make some effort to save it,” said Heeren
.
Greater Hoyt School sets on one
acre along Hoyt Drive, just west of 481st Street.

A-W girls
rip Le Mars Gehlen
by Hank Krause
The Le Mars Gehlen Catholic ladies came to Akron-Westfield for a showdown
on Monday, June 15. The awaited showdown became a blowout as A-W scored a
10-0 win in six innings. Jordan Harris pitched a three hit shut-out. She
scattered three hits through the game as she fanned four hitters. A-W
scored three runs in the bottom of the first to grab the early lead. A-W
then scored in the third, fourth and fifth innings to hold a 7-0 lead. A-W
then pushed three in the sixth to end it for the night.Leading A-W at the
plate was Brandi Davis and Alison Kusler. Both players had two hits.
However, all players had a hand in the win. At this point the A-W girls
are improving every game. A-W has four seniors but some of the younger
kids are really playing well.
A-W gets by
SOS in 10
by Hank Krause
It took the Akron-Westfield girls ten innings but they came through in a
very tough game, 6-4 as South O’ Brien played host on Tuesday, June 16.
A-W fell behind 3-1 in the third. In the fourth Brandi Davis, Karly Groon,
and Alison Kusler all delivered timely hits to score one run. A-W then
tied it up in the fourth as Melissa Kroksh and Tasha Johnson got hits to
score Kroksh to make it interesting. In the ninth Groon got on by an error
to later score on Kroksh’s fielder’s choice. SOS came back in their half
of the ninth to score one run on a hit, a sacrifice and an error to knot
it at four. SOS threatened in the tenth as they put together two hits and
a base on balls. Groon threw out a Wolverine runner at second but SOS
still had two runners on before Jordan Harris coaxed a fl y-out to end it
6-4. Harris gave up nine hits but struck out 12.
A-W girls
get by Spalding Catholic
by Hank Krause
The Akron-Westfield girls had a real struggle on their hands as they
played the Spartans in Granville on Thursday, June 17. A-W came away with
a 3-1 win but it was anything but easy. A-W scored early as Alison Kusler,
Melissa Kroksh and Sheriden Eastman all hit to push Kusler across. A-W
then tallied two more in the third as Jordan Harris walked followed by
hits by Monica Harvey, Brandi Davis, and Karly Groon to give A-W a 3-0
edge. Spalding scored a single run in the fifth as Schroeder tripled,
Hansen the n
singled her home. Spalding had their chances as they threatened in the
first and third innings. The Spartans left the bases loaded both innings
but Harris got out of the jams to preserve the lead and the win.
A-W girls
nips St. Mary’s
by Hank Krause
The Remsen St. Mary’s Hawks were the visitors on Wednesday, June 17. The
game was a small nail-biter but it was tense. A-W 3, St. Mary’s 0. St.
Mary’s is a much improved team but A-W showed some weariness as the
effects of the 10 inning battle with South O’Brien the previous evening
was evident. Jordan Harris pitched a four hit shut-out but not without a
couple of scary moments. Harris sat down 18 of the first 21 Hawk hitters
before yielding three straight hits in the seventh to make it a little on
the nervous side. Harris also struck out 11 Hawks before she tired in the
seventh. Alison Kusler opened things up in the second as she singled,
stole second and third before Sheridan Eastman drove her home. A-W led 1-0
until the sixth when Monica Harvey got on by an error. Harvey later scored
as the Hawks committed two more errors to give A-W a 3-0 edge. St. Mary’s
threatened in the seventh, bunched three kids, with one out. With an out
Harvey had an unassisted double play as she snagged a line drive then
tagged the base to force the runners who had strayed a little too far off
the bag.
Westerners
back in win column as they defeat Gehlen
by Steve Peterson
Akron-Westfield pitcher Tyler Johnson had all the confidence in the world
when he threw a key one-ball, one-strike pitch to a Gehlen Catholic hitter
with “the game on the bases” as they say. Left fielder Tanner Bundy made
the catch to preserve a 4- Akron-Westfield win on June 15. Along
with Alex Frankl in center and Grant DeRocher in right field, the outfield
has been something A-W pitchers can rely on for the most part. “I’ve
played center last year, too,” Frankl said. “The first step is the most
important (on a fly ball),” Frankl said. Ending the five- ame losing
streak was the biggest accomplishment this particularly cool Monday, but
also staying in the War Eagle Conference race. “Any time you can beat
Gehlen, it is great,” Johnson said. The moment of truth came when Akron-
estfield held a 4-2 lead going into the seventh. Gehlen had a leadoff
double, a walk, a line out, an infield single then loaded the bases. A
walk brought home one run and it was 4-3 with the bases loaded. But the
defense made the play for the Westerners. “It was a big conference win. We
were able to get the key hit,” A-W Coach Gordy Johnson said. Frankl had a
big RBI double in the fifth inning, cutting the Gehlen lead to 2-1,
scoring Bundy, who singled. DeRocher walked and also scored, on a two-run
single by Derek Appley for a 3-2 A-W lead. Mike Oetken singled and Johnson
put down a perfect RBI bunt. “A great game,” the home plate umpire alluded
to as he left the Akron park. “Tyler pitched a great game. He’s had a
shoulder injury. That was his best game of the season. We beat a good,
tough club,” Johnson said. “Frankl has had a good year. He catches them
all out there, like a vacuum,” Johnson said. Gehlen gained a 2-0 lead with
three runs in the third inning. The A-W offense was more than up to the
task and helped gain a 6-5 record, 4-3 in WEC play. Mike Harris was
1-for-4; Frankl 2-for-4 with a run; Appley 1-for-3 with a run; Oetken
2-for-3 with two singles; Johnson 1-for-3 with a single; Ben Brown 1-for-2
with a single; Cale Banks 1-for-2 with a single; Bundy 2-for-3 with two
singles and a run and DeRocher 0-for-1 with a walk, sacrifice bunt and
run. The win also secured an improvement in the win column over last
year’s 5-21. “We had a great start, but with the losing streak, it showed
that we can handle adversity,” Johnson said.
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