CHS grads to be inducted into Carrollton HOF May 1

Four Carrollton High School graduates who have distinguished themselves in their professions have been selected for induction into the 2026 Carrollton High School Alumni Hall of Fame.

They include Fred Barnett Jr., Class of 1969, recognized for community service and nominated by Steven Barnett; Amy Curry Sturm, Class of 1994, honored for her work in health, science, medical education and research and nominated by Ellyn Dunlap; Ronald Stewart, Class of 1983, recognized as a humanitarian, advocate and philanthropic leader and nominated by Tammy Bryan; and Craig Winters, Class of 1965, honored for his contributions to education and nominated by Jackie DeWitt.

Induction

The induction will be held Friday, May 1, at Carrollton High/Middle School, 205 Scio Road SW. Social time and tours begin at 5 p.m., dinner will be served at 6 p.m., and the program will begin at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets

Adult tickets are available through April 14 for $35 per person and $20 for those age 18 and under. Prepayment by cash or check payable to CSAF is preferred. Cash or check payment may be made at the door if tickets are preordered.

Tickets are available locally from board member Marcy Borland at Fusion Ceramics, 160 Scio Road. SW, Carrollton, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Susan Cogan at 330-627-2804; or Carrollton School Alumni Foundation board members Ellyn Dunlap, John Davis, Courtney Rinehart, Pam Busby, Sarah Stoffer, Jackie DeWitt, Emilie Ayers, Tammy Ohler, Sandy Newbold, Tarah Gonda, Mikayla Hinerman, Laiton Carter and John Clark.

2026 HOF inductees

Following are nomination summaries for each inductee.

Fred H. Barnett Jr.

Carrollton High School Class of 1969

Fred H. Barnett Jr. began serving his community even before graduating from CHS in 1969, joining the Fox Township Volunteer Fire Department. He has continued that service for more than 50 years as a firefighter, assistant chief and fire chief from 2009 to 2025.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served from 1971 to 1973 as a military police specialist 4. He received the Soldier’s Medal of Heroism, the military’s highest noncombat heroism award, for rescuing a 10-year-old boy from drowning at Fort Monroe, Virginia.

Barnett worked as a railroad tower block operator with the Pennsylvania Railroad and Conrail Corp. from 1969 to 1983 before joining the Ohio Department of Transportation as a highway maintenance worker. He served with ODOT from 1983 to 2012 and received the ODOT Director’s Award for Community Service. His nominator noted he rarely missed snow callouts or emergency maintenance duties.

Throughout his decades of service with the Fox Township Fire Department, Barnett responded to fires, crashes, weather emergencies and medical calls while also maintaining equipment, securing grants and helping build a new fire station. He was named Carroll County Firefighter of the Year in 2008.

He has also served as an American Legion commander and officer and has spent more than 15 years organizing and supporting CHS student participation in Buckeye Boys State and Buckeye Girls State. He is a charter member of the Great Divide Ruritan Club and a member of Corinth Presbyterian Church.

Since retiring from ODOT, Barnett has worked as a janitor for Carrollton Schools while continuing his fire service and community involvement.

He and his wife, Dena, have a son, attorney Steven D. Barnett, and a stepdaughter, Denae L. Batty, along with multiple grandchildren. His son nominated him, stating Barnett exemplifies Carrollton High School’s values through his lifelong service to others.

Amy Curry Sturm

Carrollton High School Class of 1994

Amy Curry Sturm, a 1994 graduate of Carrollton High School, has distinguished herself in health, science, medical education and research through her career as a genetic counselor and leader in genomic healthcare. She is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, an organization dedicated to advancing innovative and equitable genomic healthcare to improve patient outcomes.

After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1998, Sturm earned a master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2000 and a second master’s degree from the University of Michigan in 2001. She began her career as a genetic counselor at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. Since 2005, she has served as executive director of Ohio State Genomic Health at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Sturm has received numerous honors, including the Columbus Business First Forty Under 40 Award in 2016, which recognizes emerging leaders for professional achievement and community involvement. She was selected as one of 40 recipients from more than 240 applicants.

Professional presentations have been a significant part of her career, with at least 54 national and international presentations. She has also served on 10 national advisory boards, including the University of Pennsylvania Genetic Counseling Graduate Program Advisory Board.

Her professional involvement includes leadership and service roles with the National Society of Genetic Counselors, American Heart Association, National Lipid Association, American Society of Human Genetics, Society for Behavioral Medicine and various training program committees.

Sturm has contributed extensively to course and curriculum development, including programs through the American College of Cardiology and The Ohio State University’s Connor Sent Memorial Symposium on Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes.

She has also served as a consultant for organizations including Nest Genomics, 23andMe, Population Health Genomics and Invitae’s cardiovascular genetics chatbot initiative. She currently consults on identification methods, patient activation and cascade testing for IMPACT-FH, which addresses familial hypercholesterolemia, a common inherited cardiovascular disorder linked to premature heart disease.

Sturm has authored 124 scientific publications, along with two editorials and three book chapters.

She and her husband, Jeffrey Sturm, have two children, Jackson, 17, and Stella, 14, and reside in Lewis Center, Ohio. In addition to her professional work, she has remained active in community service, volunteering for more than 20 years in school programs, including field day, theater and choir parent organizations.

Her nominator, Ellyn Dunlap, noted that Sturm’s many additional accomplishments in genomic health could not all be included in the nomination.

Ronald Alvin Stewart, Ph.D.

Carrollton High School Class of 1983

Dr. Ronald Alvin Stewart, a 1983 graduate of Carrollton High School, has built a distinguished career as an educator, consultant and advocate focused on health, aging and inclusion in nonprofit and public sectors. Raised in Perry Township, Stewart attended Carrollton Schools from 1971 to 1983 before earning a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University in 1987, a master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1996 and a doctorate in philosophy from Union Institute & University.

In 1993, Stewart founded Tailored Solutions Consultancy, which he led through 2025. Through the firm, he provided training, board development, planning, evaluation and fundraising support to nonprofit organizations, helping strengthen leadership and expand services. He is also an experienced grant writer whose work with nonprofit boards and foundations across the United States and Mexico has helped improve healthcare access, support children with disabilities and strengthen nonprofit programs.

Stewart’s contributions have earned numerous honors, including designation of Ronald A. Stewart Day by the city of Cleveland and recognition as Most Influential Person in Pasadena, California. He has also received the Extra Mile Award from the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, the Young Alumni Achievement Award from Kent State University and the Favorite Employer Award from Pacific Clinics.

He has served on numerous nonprofit and professional boards in Ohio, California and Mexico from 1988 through 2024, including the California Disabilities Services Association from 2021 to 2024. He has also contributed to higher education as a guest lecturer at Case Western Reserve University’s Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences in 2015 and as an adjunct professor at the University of La Verne from 2004 to 2006. He also served on the Desert Hot Springs Planning Commission from 2006 to 2008.

Stewart established the Ronald A. Stewart Scholarship Fund for International Study and Service at Case Western Reserve University in 2010 to support students pursuing global service and learning opportunities. As part of the scholarship’s creation, he sponsored a logo design competition among Carrollton High School art students.

He currently serves on several boards, including the Ohio History Connection and the Carroll County Historical Society, and is a life member of the Carrollton Schools Alumni Foundation.

Stewart is married to Carlos Sosa Ruiz and resides in Mexico. Now semi-retired, he continues to volunteer with organizations in California and Ohio to strengthen communities and improve lives.

His nominator, Tamara Henry-Bryan, cited Stewart’s distinguished career, lifelong service and continued commitment to helping others as reasons for his selection to the Carrollton High School Alumni Hall of Fame.

Craig L. Winters

Carrollton High School Class of 1965

Craig L. Winters, a 1965 graduate of Carrollton High School, devoted his career to education and student development, serving as a teacher, principal and coach for Carrollton Schools. He attended Carrollton schools from kindergarten through 12th grade and earned the rank of Eagle Scout as a teenager.

While pursuing his Bachelor of Science in education at Kent State University, Winters began his career in 1968 as a special education teacher under a temporary certificate. The following year, he was promoted to elementary assistant principal while continuing his studies. He completed his bachelor’s degree in 1970.

In 1977, Winters became principal of Carrollton Elementary School. He earned a Master of Science in education from the University of Dayton in 1978 and later completed additional credentials as a local superintendent and elementary supervisor. In 1980, he was named Outstanding Principal by the TusCaHo Council of Exceptional Children.

During his more than 24 years as an administrator, Winters played an important role in Carrollton Schools’ participation in Ohio’s Classroom of the Future program in the 1990s. Due to health issues, he later stepped away from administration and returned to the classroom, finishing his career as a sixth grade teacher at Dellroy Elementary before retiring in 1998.

Winters also made lasting contributions to Carrollton athletics. In 1969, he founded the Carrollton High School cross country program and coached numerous state and regional qualifiers. His teams qualified for the state meet in 1975 and 1976, marking Carrollton’s first state cross country appearances since 1942. He also coached Carrollton track teams and the Little Warriors basketball program. In recognition of his contributions, Winters was inducted into the Carrollton Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

Following retirement from education, Winters obtained his insurance license and worked for the Allstate offices of Tom White and the late Tom Turnipseed. He is a lifetime member of the Ohio Education Association and a member of the Carroll County Retired Teachers. He has also been active in his church throughout his life and is currently a member of Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church.

Winters and his wife, Kaye, also an educator, have two daughters, Mandy Myers and Megan Coons. Their son, Christian, died in 1975. Winters enjoys spending time with his 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

His nominator, Jackie DeWitt, said Winters made a lasting impression as a teacher, principal and coach. She recalled how he greeted students each morning and afternoon, demonstrating the kindness and dedication that defined his career and influence on generations of Carrollton students.