The Dublin City Schools Alumni Association is proud to announce that eight individuals have been selected for induction into the Dublin City Schools Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

This year marks the first time Dublin Jerome graduates and others associated with Jerome have been inducted into the District’s Hall of Fame. Jerome opened in the fall of 2004.

Joining the Hall of Fame this year are four Distinguished Alumni Award winners, a Young Alumni Achievement Award winner and three who are being recognized for outstanding service.

Ian Burkhart, Jerome Class of 2009, is a Distinguished Alumni Award winner. He is the founder of the Ian Burkhart Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that supports and promotes independence for individuals living with spinal cord injuries. In addition to his foundation, Burkhart is involved in charity work and he has contributed to science in studies around spinal injuries.

Peter Coratola, Jr., Jerome Class of 2007, established and launched EASE Logistics, a multi-operational supply chain and transportation solution to earn his Distinguished Alumni Award. The Jerome Class of 2007 graduate has been named to the 40 Under 40 list by Columbus Business First among many other awards. He also has remained in Dublin and continues to give back to the community in multiple ways.

Chris Wood, Jerome Class of 2006, is a television and movie actor, writer and producer, but he also founded IDONTMIND in 2017, which has raised more than $600,000 for Mental Health America. IDONTMIND is a mental health awareness campaign and lifestyle brand that works to defeat the stigma around mental illness. Wood’s body of work has earned him the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Alex Van Krevel is also being awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award. Van Krevel, Jerome Class of 2008, served in Afghanistan as the Senior Manager of Fire Support Operations, where he logged over 144 combat patrols. He is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy, where he held various positions and also was a three-year starter for the Army Black Knights lacrosse team.

Tanner Barton graduated from Jerome in 2013 and has built a career as a college swimming and diving coach. He is already the head coach at John Carroll University. Additionally, Barton is an advocate for those with diabetes. He is vital to the outreach and fundraising of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and he also engages in diabetes research. Barton is this year’s recipient of the Young Alumni Achievement Award.

Stephen and Carolyn Francis have been instrumental in developing the conversation around diversity, equity and inclusion in the Dublin area, specifically at Jerome during the school’s early years. The pair hosted meetings for parents of black and multiracial students who were attending Jerome and spearheaded a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion that brought a long term positive impact. Mr. and Mrs. Francis are being honored with the Outstanding Service Award.

Cathy Sankey is also being recognized with the Outstanding Service Award. She was on the administrative team at Jerome when the building opened and became principal after two years, a position she held for nine years. With Sankey at the helm, Jerome quickly elevated to a premiere high school. Several of her team members at Jerome also went on to hold leadership positions in the District or elsewhere.

“It is wonderful to be able to honor so many high-quality alumni and community members with this year’s Hall of Fame induction,” Superintendent Dr. John Marschhausen said. “These inductees are great examples for our current students to look up to.”

This year’s Hall of Fame class will be inducted on Sept. 17 at Jerome High School. They will be a part of the homecoming parade, before the induction ceremony and then recognized at the football game. You can read more about this year’s class of inductees at this link.  We look forward to welcoming the Hall of Fame Class of 2022 in a ceremony to be celebrated at Dublin Coffman High School next year.