Committment to Education Awards

On March 29, 2007 Ivy Tech Community College and the Richmond Chapter of the NAACP announced the annual “Commitment to Education” awards. The award is based upon a demonstrated commitment to education by their achievements and is given to students and community members. Three area high school students and an Ivy Tech Community College faculty member received the awards.

Bill Graesser is the recipient of the commitment for education award for a community member.  Bill is currently the division chair for the General Education program at Ivy Tech Community College, where he is also a professor of math and college algebra.  He has taught various math and college algebra courses for twenty-nine years.  He received his bachelor’s degree from Otterbein College and his master’s degree from Webster University.

Bill’s dedication to students is second to none.  He takes the time to make sure that no one passes through his class without having a full grasp of the mathematical process.  He has worked tirelessly staying after classes to help those who are struggling.  He schedules appointments with students who cannot meet during his normal work hours to assist them.  He takes the time to understand and be flexible about the best way to reach each student and work with them in a manner that they are comfortable.  Bill has been known to teach a morning class in Richmond, an afternoon class in Connersville and then teach that evening in Rushville. 

Geoffrey Michael Carter, Richmond, received an award for his commitment to education.  He is a senior at Richmond High School where he has been on the honor roll every semester.  He has been a member of the high school marching band since his freshman year as well as being a member of the Winter Drum Line for three years.  He is also a member of the Independent Drum Line in Indianapolis. He has played piano, organ, keyboard and drums for Mount Olive Baptist Church since he was nine years old, where he is a member, and he has played keyboard for the Gospel Revelations of Earlham for three years.

Along with his musical talent, Geoff has been a member of the Richmond High School track team for three years and played basketball his freshman year. Geoff has been accepted to Purdue University in the School of Electrical Engineering Technology for fall 2007.  Geoff is the son of Donald and Debra Carter, Richmond.

Blaek Isom Combs, Rushville, received the Commitment to Education award also.  Blaek is a freshman at Rushville Consolidated High School where he is an honor roll and 21st Century Scholar student enrolled in college prep and foreign language courses.  Blaek also plays basketball, enjoys baseball and is a member of cheer block.  He was nominated by his teachers to attend three conferences based upon his academic and leadership skills and was recently notified that he was chosen to be on the staff of the Rush Light (school newspaper) and Rushville TV.

Blaek developed his academic and leadership traits in elementary school and middle school by serving on the student council, serving as a student tutor and mentor and participating in ALPHA—an Accelerated Learning Program for High Achievers.  He was in the top ten of his middle school class.

Along with his academic achievements, Blaek has participated in youth athletic programs for baseball, basketball, football, and track and was a member of his 8th grade undefeated, all-conference track relay team.  He has aspirations of either becoming a teacher or an entrepreneur.  He is the son of Tonya Combs.

The third commitment to education award for a student went to Jonice Rent, Connersville.  She is a senior at Connersville High School.  She is currently studying toward an Academic Honors diploma and is college bound to IUPUI next year.  She is a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the honor roll every semester during her high school career.  Through her involvement with the National Honor Society, she participated in volunteer work for several organizations.

Jonice has been active in several academic camps.  Last summer she attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on medicine and is a member of this organization.  Her sophomore year, Jonice was part of a minority student camp at Ball State University designed to give students a glimpse of college life.

Although academics have been her major focus of high school, Jonice also participated in sports.  She was a member of Spartanettes all four years of high school and was in gymnastics for two years.  Jonice is the daughter of Andrea Rent and Greg Strons.