The Crawford College Connection had its beginning in October 2000 when Barbara Holden, Margaret Thornton, and Joy Kaser of the Ohio College Access Network met with members of the Bucyrus and Wynford school communities to see if there was support for starting such an organization. The organization also received support from administrators and guidance personnel in both districts. In November, a planning team was formed to determine the short term and long term goals for the organization. The Crawford College Connection has been recognized by the Secretary of State as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the Ohio College Access Network awarded the organization a planning grant.
The Planning Team began meeting monthly in January 2001. The Executive Committee met more frequently to discuss business matters, program ideas and event planning. They initiated both programs, events and developed long and short term goals. By considering all of the programming thus far, and during the first full academic year, to be pilot programs that will be evaluated and refined as they implemented a three to five year long range plan.
Members of the Planning Team: Margaret Thornton (educator), George Thornton (educator), Barbara Holden (Holden Associates & BHS academic boosters), G.W. Holden (President of Farmers Citizens Bank), Donna Laipply (Owner of WBCO/WQEL radio station), Robert Neff (Attorney at Neff Law Firm & president BHS Education Foundation), Terry Gernert (Attorney at Kennedy, Purdy, Hoeffel, Gernert, Leuthold & Leuthold), Thomas Kalb (CPA & president Wynford Education Foundation), Andrea Schimpf (Asst. director and young adult library at BPL), Lynda Fowler (Family & Consumer Sciences OSU extension service), Alita Phillips (Director of computer operations at Marion Technical College), Rev. Sue Chidley (Epworth UMC), Pam Holtshouse (educator), Kay Weisenauer (Wynford parent) and Jan Paulus (educator).
May 13, 2001 the first scholarships were awarded at a reception at Epworth UMC. There was a speaker and the students shared their plans with the group. $5000 was awarded to 8 students from Bucyrus High School and Wynford High School. $1000 was awarded to Mike Teague and Sarah Rossman from BHS and Jo Pulcini and Sara Teets from WHS. Four other students were given grants of $250: BHS students Josh Cramer and Adrienne Spaid and WHS students Kirk Ransom and Tara Bishop.
