Each year, the Hicksville Rotary Club recognizes an individual who has made a difference in the local community. At the June 4 luncheon meeting, the award was given to Hicksville Exempted Village School’s educator, Nathan Ferrell. A very surprised Ferrell was honored by family, friends, and school administrators, plus members of the local Rotary Club.
Hicksville School Superintendent, Keith Countryman, said it best: “Nathan, your contributions to our community are immeasurable, and your influence will be felt for generations to come. You are not just an educator; you are a beacon of hope, a source of inspiration and a true testament to the power of one individual to make a profound difference.”
A Grover Hill native, Ferrell graduated from Wayne Trace in 1997 and continued his education at Defiance College with a service scholarship. He was also a Pilgrim Award honoree, the most prestigious award offered by the college. From high school on, Ferrell was involved in his community, Youth for Christ, and his church. After college, he taught at Wayne Trace for several years before beginning his Hicksville teaching career. He also served as pastor of Hicksville Presbyterian Church and is currently preaching at Grover Hill Zion Community Church and Roselms Church, also near Grover Hill.
Nathan was first hired in Hicksville as a sixth-grade science teacher, but soon expanded his science teaching to multiple grades. Over ten years ago, he began a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program that later transformed into a STEAM (plus Arts) program, involving many grade levels. Most recently, he has been instrumental in beginning an Agricultural program at the local school. Whether in the classroom, in youth groups that he organized, or through his work with Youth for Christ, his caring demeanor, interest in the individual, and strong faith has been felt by all.
