(8-18-26) The Marion Local High School Class of 1964 is pleased to announce that Trey Goettemoeller is the 2026 winner of the college scholarship funded by classmembers. The scholarship, which is awarded annually to a MLHS graduating senior, affirms the Class of ‘64’s belief that providing access to broad-based higher education forMLHS graduates is one strategy to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of the Marion Community.

The son of Kurt and Amy Goettemoeller of Maria Stein, Trey will attend the Ohio State University, where he will major in supply chain management. Trey intends to return to the Marion Community when he completes his degree, with the goal of supporting the success of local businesses. His ambition was shaped in part by a project he completed in a college-level writing class taught by one of his favorite teachers, Lynne Yates…

Trey explained-

“She assigned a semester-long project that required us to research a real-life subject.I wanted to write about the challenges faced by small businesses.”

An important part of his research was interviewing local business owners.

“I learned that one thing that keeps the little guys alive is how they differentiate themselves from large businesses, by being interactive and focusing on the customer.”

In announcing the award, Thomas Bills, co-chair of the Class of 64 Scholarship committee, said-

“Trey’s post-graduate plans are in keeping with the purpose of this scholarship. He is a scholar-athlete who was a four-year participant in cross country & track, going to state in both sports.  He was a class officer all four years of high school and served as vice president of the senior class. Trey was a member of the Spanish Club, FCA (Fellowship ofChristian Athletes), and Varsity M. He was also a four-year member of the Hope Squad, a suicide awareness prevention group. And he is pursuing skills needed in the Marion Local agricultural and manufacturing community.”

Asked what he learned about leadership through his studies and extracurricular activities, Trey said—

“The most important quality of being a leader is knowing when you need to take charge and when you need to listen. So many leaders think that it’s all about having power, and that’s not necessarily true. You need to listen to the people you work with. That’s how you build good relationships.”

More about the Class of 64 Scholarship: 

Contributions to date from members of the Class of 1964 ensure that the scholarship—initially valued at $1,000–will be awarded annually for the long term. The dollar amount of the scholarship will increase over time as contributions are received and the fund balance grows. The scholarship will be awarded each year to a graduating senior who will enroll in a post-secondary education program to pursue a bachelor’s degree, associate degree, or a technical/professional/vocational certification. The recipient is chosen by an MLHS faculty committee. The scholarship is administered by the Marion Community Scholarship Foundation. Funds are held and invested by the Mercer County Civic Foundation. 

Robert Gagel, co-chair of the Class of 64 Scholarship committee said: 

“We encourage our fellow Marion Local alums to consider creating class scholarships. It’s a great way to give back to the community that supported usthrough our crucial high school years.”

For information on how to launch a scholarship fund, contact either Thomas Bills (thomasbills@comcast.net) or Robert Gagel(rfgagel@gmail.com).