North High School Scholarship Announced

Employees at the North Cluster schools have already raised more than $2,000 and hope to raise additional funds before awarding the first scholarship later this year.

The goal is to award the scholarship annually, said Doug Merideth, a counselor at Jennings CLC.

“These students face a double challenge,” Merideth said. “Not only do they have to learn what every other student learns, they have to learn a new language at the same time. By helping them reach a level playing field, we hope to help them reach their fullest potential here in America.”

Koly taught at APS for more than 25 years — from 1978 to 2004. Her husband, Ron, is a retired ESL teacher who now works part-time as the North Cluster’s ESL coordinator.

District-wide, more than 1,100 students are currently enrolled in ESL programs at APS. Most speak Nepali, Spanish, Karen and Burmese as their first languages.

The district has seen its ESL population nearly double in the last six years (up from 600 in 2008). The International Institute of Akron, a refugee resettlement agency, has helped establish the Karen, Burmese and Nepali communities in the city. Many other families who were settled around the U.S. have moved to Akron to join friends and families.

Anyone interested in contributing to the scholarship fund may make checks payable to North High School, with Catherine Koly Scholarship in the memo line; and mail them to North High School, 985 Gorge Blvd., Akron, Ohio 44310.

For more information about the scholarship, contact Doug Meredith at 330.761.2002 or dmeridet@akron.k12.oh.us or Mary Mathews (a counselor at North) at 330.848.5237 or mmathews@akron.k12.oh.us. For more information about the district’s ESL program, contact Paula Shafer at 330.761.3114 or pshafer@akron.k12.oh.us