Kelly, Marquis named Highland Pride Award recipients

The Highland Local School District has announced that Bob Kelly and Suzy Marquis have been selected as the recipients of the 2024 Highland Pride Awards. They will be recognized at the Highland Board of Education meeting on Monday, May 20, at 6 p.m., in the Highland High School Media Center. A reception will follow immediately after the meeting.

Kelly and Marquis were chosen by an ad-hoc committee of Highland staff and community members who were tasked with evaluating community-submitted nominations and identifying extraordinary individuals whose work within and for the district exemplifies a true spirit of Highland Pride.

“Bob Kelly and Suzy Marquis epitomize Highland Pride through their selfless service and unwavering dedication to the Highland Local School District and community at large,” said Superintendent Catherine Aukerman. “Both continue to give of their time and talents to help ensure that our students continue to have access to top-notch opportunities and experiences that help them excel academically, athletically and artistically, and we are grateful for their contributions.”

Kelly, a 1964 Highland High School graduate and native of Granger Township, is a Highland Board of Education Member serving in his seventh term. A lifelong community servant, he was elected to the Highland Board of Education in 1998, and in 2022, he received the Ohio School Board Association’s Veteran Board Member Award, recognizing 25 years of exceptional service.

Prior to his time on the board, Kelly served the Highland community as a Granger Township trustee for 16 years and a Medina County Board of Education member for 14 years.

“Throughout his tenure on the board, Bob worked in conjunction with district leadership to enrich academic offerings, increase extracurricular opportunities and improve the overall landscape of the community, including leading through the planning and construction of our new school buildings and athletic facilities,” his nomination form states. “Bob is a tremendous friend and champion for our students and for the district’s staff and is among the most knowledgeable and committed leaders in public education.”

Kelly and his entire family have long supported the district, the Highland Foundation for Educational Excellence and the community as a whole. He staunchly supports Highland academics, athletics, and the arts and continues to invest in the forward movement of the Highland community by giving of his time, talents and philanthropic efforts.

Marquis, a 1992 Highland High School graduate, has been actively involved in the Highland community for the better part of the last decade. As a parent, alumna and volunteer, she has dedicated countless volunteer hours to the Highland Athletic Boosters, Highland Football Club, the Highland Foundation and more.

Her nominator explains, “Suzy is a dedicated Highland parent, alumna, and community member who exemplifies selfless service to Highland. We are blessed to have community members, neighbors, and friends like [her] who truly make our schools and community amazing and she is truly deserving of this award.”

There are few athletic events that community members will not see Suzy managing operations and organizing volunteers for the concession stands to benefit the Highland Athletic Boosters. Those efforts help directly benefit athletic programs for student athletes.

Marquis helps raise funding and encourages community and student engagement with the Boosters. Through the Highland Foundation, she has helped raise funds for scholarships and learning enrichment programs to benefit Highland students. She continues to donate her time to fundraising efforts and events.

Beyond the schools, Suzy is instrumental in fundraising for Ears to You, a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing monetary support for research and lifting the spirits of cancer patients by providing moments of joy and hope. ∞

Bob Kelly

Suzy Marquis