Five Maple Hts.
HS alumni win recognition
Event celebrates Black History Month
Five accomplished
graduates of Maple Heights High School are being recognized this week at the school's 16th annual Pathfinders Assembly for their
success in the areas of education, humanitarianism, citizenship/government,
business, and the arts and sciences.
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Marcyline L. Bailey, LCSW
Maple Hts. HS '78
|
The Humanitarianism Award
recipient is Marcyline L. Bailey, LCSW [Class of 1978]. The Pathfinders Humanitarianism Award honors
those in the fields of social and community service who dedicate themselves to
the betterment of others and to helping others to reach their happiest,
greatest potential.
Bailey attended
Northwestern University where she earned a B. A. in Linguistics. She later earned a Master’s of Social Science
Administration from the Mandel School of Social Work at Case Western Reserve University. Currently Bailey is a certified social worker
at Glynn County Schools in Brunswick, Georgia, providing assessments,
interventions, and coordination of community support services to students,
families, and school staff. In addition
she is the owner of M.L. Bailey Consulting, Inc. where she provides
psychotherapy and therapeutic interventions to individuals, couples, families
and group. She is a member of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority.
Citizenship and
Government
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| Phillip E. Beasley Maple Hts. HS '01 |
Phillip E. Beasley is the recipient of this
year’s Citizenship and Government Award. Beasley received his B. S. in technology
from Kent State University and went on to earn a M. S. in management from
Indiana Wesleyan University.
Beasley serves as
Logistics Readiness Officer with the United States Air Force – Air National
Guard, as well as a Lead IT Acquisition Specialist for the Department of
Defense, Office of Inspector General. Beasley specializes in helping people to maximize
their potential and thereby increase organizational effectiveness through the use
of strategic leadership principles, effective communication skills, and
management of organizational resources.
Beasley’s work experience
has included being an Investigator for the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, an IT Manager for General Service Administration Federal Acquisition
Service, and an IT Project Manager for the United States Department of Agriculture,
Foreign Agricultural Service.
Education
 |
| Jalen M. Brown Maple Hts. HS '13 |
Jalen M. Brown, valedictorian of the
Class of 2013, is winner of this year’s Education Award. Brown is presently an assistant principal at
Lander Elementary in Mayfield. He began his teaching career in his hometown as
a social studies teacher at Milkovich Middle School, after receiving his B.A.
degree from Miami University. He has gone on to earn his master’s in education
administration, teach abroad in Luxembourg,
and start a nonprofit mentoring group, Unleashing Black Minds. He joined the Maple
Heights school board last month, after winning election by a landslide in
November.
While in high school,
Jason was a member of the National Honor Society, president of the student council,
and served as Vice President of Future Educators of America at both the State
and National levels. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.
Business
 |
| Purnell Sweeney Maple Hts. HS '03 |
Purnell Sweeney, currently a Vice President/Project Manager, Sr. for JPMorgan Chase in Columbus, is the recipient of this year’s Business Award. He earned
his B.A. in business administration from Urbana University before going on to earn
his master’s in management from Ohio Dominican University.
Sweeney oversees collaborative
teams that develop and implement client focused strategies aimed at building strong
client relationships with business partners. His career highlights include being
named as one of 60 branch managers in the Nation selected for an executive
management program specializing in high complex branches and winning
recognition as the top banker in the region while at Woodforest National Bank,
where he began his career as a personal banker.
Cochair and co-founder of Mid-Ohio Central District Diversity Council, Sweeney
also takes time to mentors new associates. Sweeney is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity and the founding president of Urbana University’s black student
union.
Arts
and Sciences
 |
| Leon Turner |
Leon Turner, currently music director
for R&B superstar, Gladys Knight is this year’s Arts and Science Awards
recipient. Turner travels with Gladys Knight’s R&B Shows, Piano Duo Shows,
as well as her Grammy-winning gospel choir shows. He produced and played on
Gladys Knight’s gospel album, “Where My
Heart Belongs,” which won an NAACP Image Award. Last year, he had the honor
of arranging the National Anthem for SuperBowl LIII.
Music has always been a
part of Turner’s life. Born and raised
into a musical family in Cleveland, he performed with the family ensemble, the
Turner Singers from grade school into high school. In 2006, Turner began his
professional career with gospel sensation J. Moss, specializing in keyboards. He has gone on to work with such illustrious
acts as Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Yolanda Adams, Eddie Levert of the
O’Jays, Donnie McClurkin, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill. No music genre seems foreign to him — whether
jazz, R&B, gospel, classical or country. He is also the owner of Turner
Productions, LLC.
The Pathfinders Program
was created to recognize individuals who have found or created a path of
success for students to follow. In
addition to recognizing outstanding graduates, the annual assembly, coinciding
with Black History Month, is designed to inspire students to achieve goals they
set for themselves throughout their lives.
This year’s assembly is being held today from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the school
district’s Wylie Athletic Complex, One Mustang Way [44137].
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