The Oley Valley Community Education Foundation held its annual Alumni Recognition Program on Friday, Sept. 29.
The 2017 Distinguished Oley Valley Alumni and Distinguished Service to the Oley Valley School District Award recipients were recognized at the annual program held in conjunction with Oley Valley High School Homecoming activities.
Marsha J. (Robertson) Bartholomew, a 1970 graduate of OVSD and English teacher at Oley Valley School District for 38 years, was named the 2017 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Bartholomew passed away in July 2017.
Several alumnus were named Distinguished Alumni Award recipients including – Jennifer L. Goss (Class of 1998), Kylene R. Laity (Class of 1990), Kyle P. Moore (Class of 2005), Lauren N. Moore (Class of 2005), Brian D. Schaeffer (Class of 1981), Barry W. Seidel (Class 0f 1964) and Timothy R. Smith (Class of 1999).
Accepting the award on behalf of Marsha Bartholomew was her husband John and her daughter Kim Altstaetter.
Altstaetter talked about how excited her mother was about being a teacher at Oley. “Being a teacher meant more than being in a classroom, she wanted to see her students succeed in and out of the classroom. As former students became colleagues, she embraced them as coworkers.”
In addition to teaching, Bartholomew was a scorekeeper for the Oley field hockey team for over 14 years
“Teaching to her meant paying it forward and becoming involved. She’d want you to be noisemakers for your community,” said Altstaetter to the auditorium full of high school students. “Be successful.”
Goss, upon receiving her award, spoke about how went on to study Holocaust and Genocide Studies following her time in Oley. She is now a history teacher and the creator of the Holocaust documentary “Misa’s Fugue.”
“The four years that I spent here shaped my life in a profound way,” Goss told the students. She explained how she took a history class about Germany and it completely changed her life. “I encourage you to take each and every opportunity this school has to offer. Oley may be little but it’s mighty. You never know what may change your life.”
