R.K. Thompson top winners announced

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

It’s a night that celebrates young people who overcome challenges and obstacles to become the best they can be. The 2016 R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Awards Tuesday night honored 10 high school seniors who exhibit that trait — the 46th consecutive year for the award.

While the five young men and women honored Tuesday are all proven winners, Van Wert’s Domonique Grothause and Lincolnview’s Josh Leiter took top honors and received an extra $500 from the Thompson Family Trust, sponsors of the event, along with the Van Wert Service Club.

Grothause, daughter of Maria Grothause and the late Duane Grothause, had to overcome the death of her father in July 2013, which came just after her freshman year of high school.

“My father was the most important person in my life and we had a very strong bond,” Grothause wrote in an essay that is part of the Self-Reliance Award application. “Many of the decisions I’ve made are influenced by my father.”

While the VWHS senior, a talented athlete who is captain of the Cougar volleyball and track and field teams, could have been crushed by her father’s death, she became stronger instead, finding inner strength that allowed her to survive and prosper.

“Dealing with my challenges has forced me to be responsible for myself,” Grothause wrote. “I feel like, as long as I can keep an optimistic outlook, that I can overcome anything that life puts in my path.”

In addition to athletic achievements, the VWHS senior is also a member of Beta Club, the National Honor Society, and Service Pack, and is a Junior Rotarian. She works at Brewed Expressions and also is a childcare provider.

Grothause plans to earn a degree in biology at The Ohio State University, and then pursue a career in orthopedics.

The other 2016 girl finalists, who all earn $500 scholarships, include Samantha Brooks, daughter of Chris and Kathy Brooks; Anna Gorman, daughter of Troy Gorman and Kris Crosby; Caitlin Wilder, daughter of Ray Sudduth and Jennifer Wilder; and Claire Zaleski, daughter of Richard and Julie Zaleski.

Leiter, the son of Jeremy Leiter and Joette Coon, is also a talented athlete and a member of the Lincolnview Lancers’ state runner-up boys’ basketball team, but he nearly didn’t get the chance to contribute to the team’s success.

Leiter’s family had moved several times when he was young, and was preparing for yet another move while Leiter was an eighth-grader. Leiter, who said self-reliance was his strongest character trait, decided to live with his grandparents and remain at Lincolnview.

In addition to an active school and social life, which includes being a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Leiter also works approximately 20 hours a week at the Van Wert Dairy Queen.

“I’ve never seen Josh let anything keep him from what he wanted,” a personal reference wrote. “I’ve never seen or heard him use any of his challenges as excuses.”

Leiter plans to pursue a degree in sports management and marketing at the University of Northwest Ohio.

The other four 2016 boy finalists were Kaleb Cantrell, son of Jill Cantrell; Christian Lintermoot, son of Brad Lintermoot and Shawna Hahn; Isaiah Oliver, son of Karl and Stacey Oliver; and Ryan Stoller, son of Tom and Lori Stoller.

The business and community leaders who attended Tuesday night’s Self-Reliance banquet also heard keynote speaker Bob Brubaker, who is an expert on overcoming obstacles, as he survived a stroke in 2005, bladder cancer in 2012, prostate cancer in 2013, and a return of bladder cancer in 2014, and worked through some significant physical challenges to complete the first 1,000 miles of a transcontinental bicycle trip this past summer with his wife, Susan.