The Indian Lake Board of Education presented the 2025 Indian Lake Schools Distinguished Alumni Awards to the first ever couple to be nominated during their regular board of education meeting Monday evening, April 21.
Board members and Superintendent Dr. Rob Underwood were proud to honor David and Nancy Knight of DeGraff, who have been married for 61 years. The Knights graciously accepted their awards surrounded by their children, several other family members and close friends.
“It really was an easy decision for the committee after we looked at the body of work of both Nancy and Dave Knight. Both have dedicated their lives to education, to community service and to service of country,” Dr. Underwood said.
Mrs. Knight is a 1960 graduate of Washington Township High School in the first year of the Indian Lake School District. She was very active in her school and served as class president. Mrs. Knight attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
She went on to serve Logan County in education, healthcare and agriculture. A retired superintendent of the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center, the OHP Nursing Building was later dedicated in her name.
“I think they look for people who have been active in the community and Dave and I certainly fill that category. We have both participated in quite a number of endeavors,” Mrs. Knight said.
Mr. Knight was the ILHS Class of 1961 class president and a standout athlete, scoring 1,002 points in basketball. He also scored 134 points as quarterback in his senior year.
After graduating from ILHS, Mr. Knight attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Management in 1965.
Mr. and Mrs. Knight were married in 1964. He was drafted into military service with the U.S. Army in 1966 and spent 37 months serving his country. He rose to the rank of First Lieutenant and served on the Personal Management Inspection Team.
After her husband was drafted, Mrs. Knight worked as a nurse wherever he was stationed including Georgia, Indiana and Virginia.
When they settled on the family farm in DeGraff, she took time to raise her family. After 10 years, Mrs. Knight returned to work at Green Hills and then became the Nursing Coordinator at Ohio Hi-Point Career Center.
She returned to school to gain her Master’s in Education and was named director of Ohio Hi-Point. In 1996, Mrs. Knight was named superintendent of Ohio Hi-Point and retired from there in 2003.
Mr. Knight worked at International Harvester (Navistar) in Springfield for 37 years. He served on the Riverside Board of Education for four years and the Logan County Board of Education for over 15 years.
He successfully ran for Logan County Commissioner in 2003 and served in that capacity for eight years.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Knight are respected members of the local agriculture community as well. They have raised hundreds of beef cattle over the years, with an emphasis on show steers. Mr. Knight has planted and harvested an unknown amount of corn, soybeans, and hay to help feed those cattle and his family.
He is a cancer survivor twice-over who never complained about his diagnosis. The couple share a strong faith in their Lord and Savior. Mr. Knight taught Sunday School for many years and served as lay reader for several area churches. Mrs. Knight taught Sunday School for 27 years at the DeGraff United Methodist Church and chaired various committees. She is credited with many spearheading numerous programs that benefited the children of her church and community.
Mrs. Knight has served on numerous influential boards and committees, including: chairman of The Ohio State University Lima Board of Trustees; Green Hills Community Board of Trustees and Foundation; Logan County Republican Party; Logan County Cancer Society; long time member of the Mary Rutan Hospital Board and subcommittees; Logan County Farm Bureau; Indian Lake Watershed Association; Hilliker YMCA Board; and Logan County Art League.
In his report, Superintendent Underwood recognized the State Champion Esports Fortnite team members and sophomore basketball player Brodey Reisinger for being named Third Team All Ohio.
In other action, the board approved, accepted or extended:
• the advertisement of bids for the potential High School Wrestling Room Project based on the Contract Documents prepared by Garmann Miller & Associates;
• the retirement resignation of Barbara Scherer, bus driver, effective July 1;
• the resignations of Delani Harter, effective March 24; and Lauren Hilty, effective at the end of her 2024-25 contract year;
• a one-year limited teacher contract for: Riley Myers, third-grade;
• Lindsay Imm for a stipend of $6,000 to provide visually impaired services for the 2025-26 school year;
• the ELA Core Curriculum and Instructional Materials Aligned with the Science of Reading and Effective Literacy Strategies and approve the purchase of Amplify CKLA K-5 and ELA 6-8, with an approximate cost is $260,000 for six years of curriculum and instructional materials; the district will use $70,469.27 received through the High Quality Instructional Materials Subsidy Allocation from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce toward the total cost;
• the resolution to adopt the Special Education Model Policies and Procedures that were released by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce with slight modifications;
• ELA Core Curriculum Summer Stipend – $200 for a full day of professional development in August 2025 to be paid by the Performance Based Pay Fund and the Title II Fund for the following individuals: Kindergarten – Amber Barnett, Kate Beam, Sarah Elliott, Jamie McClelland, Tracy Whitlow; First Grade – Sarah Beres, Lisa Codora, Emali Davidson, Jennifer Downing, Raelynn Parsell; Second Grade – Sheri Abbott, Melanie Asman, Kate Beacraft, Holly Powers, Jenna Speelman; Third Grade – Hannah Kilgore, Elaine Keller; Fourth Grade – Lisa Hurley, Kelly LeVan, Avery Shirk; ES Intervention – McKenzie Thorpe, Holly Faler, Bailey Robison, Kristen Glink, Liz Wolf, Stacey Everhart, Robin Boots; Fifth Grade – Fawn Schulz, Kelly Wagner; Sixth Grade – Dana Clune, Alicia Pickering; Seventh Grade – Valarie Rapp, Kay Schulze; Eighth Grade – Amanda Fulkerson, Sarah Kinsey; MS Intervention – Cassandra Sullivan, Katy Taylor, Amanda Strayer, Lindsay Imm, Amber Newkirk;
• Robin Boots for an English Language Learner Stipend up to 2 hours per week at $25 per hour for April and May 2025 paid by the Title I Fund;
• Richard Yocum for drivers’ education administrator summer stipend (June – August 2025): up to three hours per week at $25 per hour; and
• a number of athletic supplemental contracts for the 2025-26 school year.
The next meeting is 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, in the board office.