Congratulations to Breece Gullett, who will attend Otterbein University to major in Nursing! 🩺
During her time at West Liberty-Salem, Breece was involved in golf, Link Crew, Key Club, and National Honor Society, demonstrating leadership, service, and dedication both in and out of the classroom.
We are proud of Breece and excited to see all she accomplishes in this next chapter. We know she has a bright future ahead! 🧡🐾
West Liberty-Salem Schools anticipates the following position opening for the 2026-2027 school year:
📚 High School Social Studies Teacher
(Main teaching assignment: High School U.S. Government & Economics, including College Credit Plus U.S. Government & Economics in conjunction with Edison State Community College.)
Preference will be given to candidates who are able to meet College Credit Plus credentialing requirements.
Interested candidates holding the proper credentials should contact High School Principal Greg Johnson as soon as possible, either in person or by email at:
📧 gjohnson@wlstigers.org
📅 Deadline to Apply: May 27, 2026
Please note: Teachers hired after July 1, 2024, will be paid their full number of years of experience, up to a maximum of twenty (20) years.
🧡🐾 Join the Tiger Family!
🎓🧡 West Liberty-Salem Celebrates the Class of 2026 🧡🎓
Last Thursday, West Liberty-Salem proudly celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 during Senior Awards Night. The evening honored the hard work, dedication, leadership, and achievements of a class that has made a lasting impact on our school and community.
The Class of 2026 includes 91 graduating seniors. Of those students, 46% will attend a four-year college, 13% will continue at a community college or trade school, 36% will enter the workforce, and 5% will serve our country through the armed forces.
Academically, this class earned an impressive 1,577 College Credit Plus semester hours, equating to more than $551,000 in free college tuition savings. Fifty-five seniors earned college credit while still in high school, averaging 28 semester hours each.
The academic leaders of the Class of 2026 were recognized as:
🎓 Co-Valedictorians: Dylan King and Geneva Estep
🎓 Salutatorian: Emma Smith
Additional top ten students included Emery Longaberger, Lyndee Harrison, Elijah Christison, Levi Miller, Victoria Douthwaite, Caleb Ling, and Brevin Louden.
Students were awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships throughout the evening. Among the largest awards presented were:
💰 Governor’s Merit Scholarships – $20,000 each
Recipients: Geneva Estep, Dylan King, Emma Smith, Emery Longaberger, and Lyndee Harrison
💰 Champaign Logan Education Foundation Scholarship – $16,000
Recipient: Alayna Hackley
💰 Columbus Foundation/Mary “Betsy” E. Rueb Memorial Scholarship – $26,000
Recipient: Cooper Titus
💰 Rotary Club of Urbana Scholarship – $2,000
Recipient: Addison Hutton
💰 Springfield Foundation/John Dale Urbana Firefighter Scholarship – $3,469
Recipient: Brock Burgel
💰 Grimes Foundation Scholarships – $2,500 each
Recipients: Ava Astorino and Lyndee Harrison
The evening also recognized students committing to military service. Sam Strapp was honored for joining the Ohio Air National Guard, while Tevis Cox and Bradley Petry were recognized for joining the U.S. Army Reserves.
Several prestigious athletic awards were also presented during the evening:
🏅 OHSAA Scholarship Nominees: Brevin Louden and Victoria Douthwaite
🏅 OHSAA Scholar Athlete Awards: Geneva Estep and Dylan King
🏅 Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Awards: Garrett Wallen and Emery Longaberger
🏅 Iron Tiger Award: Brevin Louden
West Liberty-Salem also celebrated an outstanding group of student-athletes continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level:
⚾ Naomi Cole – Volleyball – Queens University of Charlotte
🏃 Chloe Griffith – Track & Field – Tiffin University
⚾ JJ Johnson – Baseball – Southern Maine Community College
🏃 Dylan King – Cross Country & Track – Ohio Northern University
🏃 Caleb Larson – Cross Country – Ohio University
⚽ Wyatt Longaberger – Soccer – University of Findlay
🏃 Elise Longshore – Track & Field – University of North Carolina Pembroke
🏀🏃 Brevin Louden – Basketball & Track – Heidelberg University
🎳 Sadie Paul – Bowling – Muskingum University
🏈 Carson Poppe – Football – Ohio Northern University
🏳️ Lydia Schmidt – Color Guard – Wingate University
⚾ Isaac Sertell – Baseball – Mount Vernon Nazarene University
⚽ Abbie Thoman – Soccer – Huntington University
🎳 Ellie Ullery – Bowling – Edison State Community College
🏈 Corbin Wallace – Football – Marietta College
🏃 Garrett Wallen – Cross Country & Track – Muskingum University
Senior Awards Night serves as a reminder that student success is made possible through the support of families, staff, coaches, mentors, and this entire community. As Teacher Appreciation Week comes to a close, we especially thank the educators who have poured into this class throughout the last 13 years.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Your future is bright, and we cannot wait to see all you accomplish. For the complete list of all scholarships visit: West Liberty-Salem Celebrates the Class of 2026 at Senior Awards Night | West Liberty-Salem Local School District. 🧡🐾
Join the Bellefontaine Joint Recreation District on Sunday, May 17th (3–5 PM) at Rutan Park for a free, hands-on look at amazing birds of prey!
See them up close and learn how they thrive in the wild.
📍 Rutan Park Shelters #1 & #2
📓 Free nature journals while supplies last
A great event for the whole family! 🧡🐾
Congratulations to Kaylee Powell, who will attend Kent State University to major in Architecture! 🏛️
During her time at West Liberty-Salem, Kaylee was involved in soccer for four years, basketball for two years, FFA for four years, musical for three years, National Honor Society, Link Crew, and Student Council. Her involvement across academics, athletics, leadership, and the arts reflects her dedication and well-rounded impact on our school community.
We are proud of Kaylee and excited to see all she accomplishes in this next chapter. We know she has a bright future ahead! 🧡🐾
Congratulations to Olivia Reichardt, who will attend The University of Toledo to major in Pharmacy! 💊
During her time at West Liberty-Salem, Olivia was involved in softball, golf, Key Club, and National Honor Society, demonstrating leadership, dedication, and a commitment to excellence both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities.
We are proud of Olivia and excited to see all she accomplishes in this next chapter. We know she has a bright future ahead! 🧡🐾
The Varsity and JV baseball games scheduled for tomorrow with the Tigers hosting Indian Lake have been canceled.
At this time, there is no makeup date scheduled. 🧡🐾
Our West Liberty-Salem community has a wonderful opportunity to come together and support an important cause in the coming days, benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
🍽️ Tuesday, May 12 - Subway Community Day
Thanks to the generosity of Mike and Traci Ritter, Subway is hosting a Community Day where a portion of all proceeds for the entire day will be donated to the CF Foundation.
➡️ Consider grabbing dinner for your family or picking up a meal on your way home. It’s an easy way to make a difference!
🚶♀️ Sunday, May 17 - Great Strides Walk
Join the Champaign & Logan Counties Great Strides Walk at Lions Park in West Liberty.
🕐 Activities begin at 1:00 PM
🚶 Walk begins at 2:00 PM
This annual event supports the mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, working to improve the lives of those with CF and to find a cure. It’s always a fun, family-friendly afternoon filled with activities, community spirit, and purpose.
At WL-S, these efforts are especially meaningful as we support students and alumni like fourth grader Jameson Johnson (the extra-strong guy pictured with Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Dallas) and alumni Addy Cole and Ava Johnson. Your support helps bring hope and progress closer each year—until CF stands for Cure Found. 🧡
🔗 Learn more or donate here: https://m.cff.org/gwbpf
Let’s come together, show our support, and make an impact! 🧡🐾
#TigerPride #CommunityStrong #GreatStrides
Designed for students ages 12–16, this hands-on camp gives students the opportunity to explore manufacturing careers while learning skills like welding, 3D printing, SolidWorks design, soldering, and more. Students will also tour local manufacturing facilities and participate in team-based activities.
📅 June 1–4, 2026
📍 Edison State Community College – Piqua
⏰ 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
See the attached flyer for registration information and additional details! 🧡🐾
Congratulations to Dylan King, Co-Valedictorian of the Class of 2026, who will attend Ohio Northern University where he will compete in cross country and track while majoring in Civil Engineering! 🏃♂️📐
During his time at West Liberty-Salem, Dylan was involved in cross country, track, Student Council, National Honor Society, Link Crew, Key Club, Physics Club, and Youth United Way. His leadership, academic excellence, and dedication to serving others have made a lasting impact on our school community.
We are proud of Dylan and excited to see all he accomplishes at the next level both academically and athletically. Congratulations! 🧡🐾
One of the most interesting parts of this lab has been exploring the crayfish’s exoskeleton and comparing it to the structures seen in previous dissections. While some students found it fascinating… others may not have found it quite as appealing! 😅
Experiences like these help students better understand anatomy, body systems, and how different organisms are uniquely designed. Great job to our students for stepping outside their comfort zones and embracing real-world science learning! 🧡🐾
#TigerPride #STEMinAction
Please join us in celebrating our Seniors of the Month, Addison Hutton and Lance Campbell. These two seniors truly exemplify what it means to be a Tiger, and we are proud to recognize them for their impact on our school community.
Addison and Lance are respected by their peers and staff for their kindness, leadership, and commitment to doing things the right way. They consistently demonstrate strong character, a positive attitude, and a willingness to support others, both inside and outside the classroom.
👏 Let’s give a big Tiger congratulations to our Seniors of the Month! To learn more about our seniors of the month, visit https://www.wlstigers.org/page/seniors-of-the-month 🧡🐾
From learning about Spanish culture and cuisine to working together in the kitchen, students got a hands-on experience that brought language learning to life. And judging by the smiles (and empty plates 😋), the paella was a success!
What a fun way to combine culture, creativity, and cooking while practicing Spanish skills along the way. Great job, students, and thank you to Señora McDole for creating such an engaging experience! 🧡🐾
#TigerPride #LearningBeyondTheClassroom
Congratulations to Marisa Smith, who will attend Wright State University to major in Nursing! 🩺
During her time at West Liberty-Salem, Marisa was involved in golf, volleyball, prom committee, Key Club, and Link Crew, making a positive impact both in athletics and throughout the school community.
We are proud of Marisa and excited to see all she accomplishes in this next chapter. We know she has a bright future ahead! 🧡🐾
Our kindergarten students once again filled the room with music, smiles, and lots of energy as they performed for family and friends under the direction of Mrs. Smucker. From seasonal songs to musical fundamentals, these students showed just how much they’ve learned this year!
What a sweet way to celebrate a year full of growth, learning, and memories. We are so proud of our youngest Tigers and all the hard work they put into these performances! 🧡🖤
A huge thank you once again to our PTO for providing breakfast for our students and families following the program. Your support helps make special moments like these possible! 🐾
