Stemen named speaker at awards banquet

VW independent staff/submitted information

The Thompson family and Van Wert Service Club are pleased to announce that Derek Stemen will be the speaker for this year’s awards banquet.

Derek Stemen is the Vice President of Advancement for LifeWise Academy. In this role, he is helping organize and mobilize a national effort to bring Bible-based character education to public school students during the school day.

He grew up in Van Wert and is a graduate of Van Wert High School and former winner of the R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Award. Throughout his career he has had the opportunity to bring people and organizations together to accomplish ambitious goals.

Before joining LifeWise Academy, Derek served in a variety of nonprofit community roles. He has been a pastor in the United Methodist Church, served as the Director of Admissions at Bluffton University, and for the past 10 years has served in nonprofit leadership at the American Red Cross and United Way.

Stemen is heavily engaged in community service, serving as president of the Lima Rotary Club. Derek is also the Board Chair of the Spencerville LifeWise Academy and serves as a small group leader at Lima Community Church. In addition, he also coaches multiple youth soccer teams each fall.

This year’s awards banquet will be held Wednesday, May 3. The R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Award Program was initiated 53 years ago by R.K. Thompson, Jr. in honor of his father the late R.K. Thompson, Sr. Both men had worked closely with young people and encouraged them to set high, but attainable goals and then apply themselves to obtain those goals.

The program provides cash awards for high school seniors in Van Wert County who best exhibit that character trait. The award is designed to seek out and honor a senior who does the best with what he or she has, whether he or she is a scholar, an athlete, a student leader or someone who must seek employment to help their family meet expenses.

The R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Award is sponsored by the Thompson Family Trust, through the Van Wert County Foundation, and administered by the Van Wert Service Club.