“She’s an outstanding educator. She’s an outstanding person. She is truly amazing. If any of you have any experience with her, I’m sure you know exactly what I mean.”
When Smith asked students for words of praise about Wilhelm, the responses ran thick and fast, he said.
“There were probably many people that did not realize ... when Jill was on maternity leave, because she was always here,” Smith said.
One of her students, senior Shelby Dixon, chose her career path because of Wilhelm. “She’s really fun. She makes an effort not only to teach us music but know our lives. She’s more like a friend than a teacher. She inspired me to (study) music education,” said Dixon, who will attend Miami University.
Wilhelm said that, like Smith, she had to contain her emotions.
“I always say that I have the world’s best job because I get to work with incredible students and an incredible community — and I get to play. We make music all day. I don’t think I work very hard. I think I just get to play and enjoy it,” she said with a laugh.
The winner of Rotary’s Art Award went to senior Amanda Taylor, for her pen-and-ink drawing of Harbin Park, through which she went on cross-country runs.
Winners of Rotary scholarships were Ken Akuamoah, Spencer Barrett, Rebecca Clark, Kristyn Cradler, Shelby Dixon, Haley Gray, Danielle Grimes, Cailea Harper, Brandon Hoover, Jaqueline Mapes, Joseph Marot, Katherine Toensmeyer and Maya White.
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