Grafton grad, educator nominated for national teaching award

If anyone changes lives, it is a teacher. And Lois DiVencenzo Stoll has been an educator for more than 30 years. During that time, the 1974 Midview High School graduate, who also is the sister of Grafton Mayor David DiVencenzo, has taught, nurtured, championed and supported her students. So, it's not surprising the now-retired Stoll was nominated by a colleague for the LifeChanger of the Year award, sponsored by the National Life Group. LifeChanger of the Year is an annual program recognizing K-12 educators and school employees across the country. The program celebrates those who are making a significant difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership. Since 2011, more than 5,000 school employees from more than 2,000 school districts have been recognized with $650,000 being awarded to schools and school employees. The LifeChanger of the Year program was created as a way "to shine a light on the field of education, celebrate school employees, and provide them with the resources they need to succeed while they're in the classroom and beyond," according to National Life Group's website. "This is completely new to me," Stoll said. "I was very honored to be nominated by Sally (Stolly). Coming from the family I came from, I believe in giving back to the community 110 percent." Stoll, who retired at the end of May, has taught family and consumer science at Benjamin Logan High School in Bellafontaine for 29 years. Because of Stoll, every junior at Benjamin Logan is required to take a one-semester personal finance course before graduating from high school. "I have a passion for personal finance," she said. "I truly enjoy sharing that knowledge and I feel it is very important that every student graduates with that knowledge in the State of Ohio."Stoll also has served as an FCCLA adviser and volunteers with the United Way of Logan County, the Logan County Cattle Association and Saint Patrick's Catholic Church. For nearly two decades, Stoll also has volunteered as the co-chair for her school district's Relay for Life chapter, after cancer touched her family. "Everyone has someone in their family or someone close to them who has been affected," she said of her decision to get involved. "It's a universal topic for my students. The goal has always been to find a cure in their lifetime." The first year, the school raised $2,000. "We thought we were pretty hot stuff," Stoll said, laughing. "But it grew from there and before you knew it, we were raising $30,000 per year." The district hosts two relays per year, one at the high school, which is predominantly student-led and one at the middle school. The latest Relay broke the school record, raising $43,500. During the last 18 years, more than $393,000 has been raised by the district. Stolly, who nominated Stoll, said the fundraising and volunteering are part of the reason she nominated her, but there is so much more. "She is just amazing," Stolly said. "She is a role model to staff and students and a great mentor. She prepares students for the future, for real life. And she relates very well to the students. She is driven, motivated, organized, diligent, caring, passionate — is that enough, because I could go on." While the LifeChanger of the Year competition is still accepting nominations, it's pretty clear to those at Benjamin Logan High School that Stoll should win. Of course, she feels they deserve all of the praise. "I'm very fortunate in my life to have worked for a school district that allowed me to take my passion and share it with the student body," Stoll said. "The administration is strongly supportive. It was with mixed feelings that I retired, but now I will have time to pursue other interests and spend time with my grandchildren." Stoll earned her bachelor's degree from The University of Akron and her master's from Wright State University. She is married to Bob Stoll with whom she shares a son, daughter and five grandchildren.