At the 2026 Ohio DECA State Career Development Conference, 16 UHS DECA members qualified for the 2026 DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. By placing within the top 5 of their event category, these students competed with the best Ohio DECA students and are now looking forward to competing against the best DECA students in the world.

The American Association of Community Colleges has recognized two Clark State College leaders for their impact on students and higher education.

Matt Franz, Ed.D., senior vice president of enterprise operations, has been named a finalist for the Rising Star Award in the Executive category, while Jessica Adams, associate professor of English, has been selected as a recipient of the Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Award. Both honors highlight promising practices and recognize leaders across the nation’s community colleges who advance student success and institutional innovation.

Franz is one of four finalists nationwide for the 2026 Rising Star Award.​

​At the annual BASA (Buckeye Association of School Administrators) Women in Leadership Conference held March 5-6, 2026, local Superintendent Dr. Danielle Prohaska was officially honored with the Betsy Cowles 2026 Award. Surrounded by her family, team, and peers, Danielle spoke about the conference theme Bold Moves, Brave Hearts, sharing her passion for mentorship and sponsorship to advance the voice of leaders.

This prestigious accolade is reserved for a female administrator who has demonstrated exceptional educational leadership and made significant, lasting contributions to the field of educational administration. Danielle was selected by 

​At a special meeting on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, the Urbana City School District Board of Education appointed Dr. Daniel Kaffenbarger to fill the vacant seat on the Board.

Dr. Kaffenbarger has been a resident of Urbana for 63 years and is a 1975 graduate of Urbana High School.

In his application for the Board, Dr. Kaffenbarger shared, “I care deeply about the community, and this would be my opportunity to give back to the school system that launched my 45+ year career in the field of education.”

​According to the 2024 Search Institute Survey of Champaign County schools, some students are still using tobacco and nicotine products. In the past 30 days, 4% of students said they smoked cigarettes, 4% used smokeless tobacco, and 15% said they vaped. In 2022, 3% smoked cigarettes, 4% used smokeless tobacco, and 17% vaped. Even small numbers are worrying because these products are illegal for kids and can cause serious, long-lasting health problems.

​West Liberty-Salem Elementary students have successfully concluded their annual Kids Heart Challenge in partnership with the American Heart Association, raising an impressive $29,662 to support heart health research and families impacted by heart disease.
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The Kids Heart Challenge is designed to educate students about the importance of

Clark State College is bringing cutting-edge manufacturing technology to the region with Laser Precision: An Industry-Focused Handheld Laser Welding Build Workshop, a hands-on experience designed for business and industry leaders interested in the future of advanced manufacturing.

Students at West Liberty-Salem Elementary School received a special visit this week as part of the school’s Winter Olympics-themed Literacy Week.

Former West Liberty-Salem teacher Jeff Cross returned to the school to share his unique experience carrying the Olympic Torch during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
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Cross explained to students how he was nominated for the honor by his wife, Amy, and how the two were selected to represent their community as part of the Olympic Torch Relay. He described what it felt like to carry the torch and participate in