Mary Conkle
Your Job at Eastwood: Third Grade Teacher
Years at Eastwood: 23
Hobbies: spending time with my family, hiking, learning, creating
Family: I have three sons, three daughter-in-laws and a granddaughter: Jacob and Sara, Zachary
and Sarah and Hazel, and Isaiah and Brooke.
Pets: I have a dog named Atlas.
Favorite Vacations: Pacific Northwest
Smoky Mountains, Colorado
Favorite Meal: Salads
Favorite Dessert: Cookies
Favorite Sports Teams: Eastwood Eagles, Ohio State
Best Thing About Eastwood: The students and staff in our school!
Quote to Live By: “You’re braver than you think, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you
think.”
Name: Melissa Sandberg
Your Job at Eastwood: Third Grade Teacher
Years at Eastwood: 8
Hobbies: Reading, traveling, spending time with family and friends, watching my kids play sports
Family: My husband, JJ, and daughters Audrey and Mallory
Pets: Two labradoodles, Ruby and Laney, and two cats, Josie and Opal
Favorite Vacation: Anywhere in Europe! I’ve been to Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, Germany, France,
Italy, and Greece
Favorite Meal: Fettuccine Alfredo
Favorite Dessert: Ice Cream Cake
Favorite TV Show: Friends
Favorite Sports Teams: Ohio State Buckeyes and Eastwood Eagles
Best Thing About Eastwood: the Kids!
Quote to Live By: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” -William
Shakespeare
Name: Lisa Wank
Your Job at Eastwood: 3rd Grade Teacher
Years at Eastwood: This is my 28th year!
Hobbies: I love to read. I am in a couple of book clubs. I also love watching OSU
football. Mr. Wank and I like to ride our bikes in the summer.
Family: Mr. Wank and I have three children. Allie (27) lives in Columbus and works at the
James Medical Center on campus. Derek (24) lives in Cleveland and works at Cleveland
Cliffs as a chemical engineer. Sidney is a sophomore at BGSU.
Favorite Vacation: One of my favorite family vacations was when we went to Arizona and
also visited the Grand Canyon.
Favorite Meal: My favorite “fancy” meal involves scallops. I am also in a French Onion
soup phase.
Favorite Dessert: I like pie and cheesecake.
Favorite TV Show: Call The Midwife
Favorite Sports Teams: OSU Buckeyes…. Go Bucks!
Best Thing About Eastwood: The best thing about Eastwood is the sense of community. The students and families genuinely care about each other. When someone needs help, the Eastwood community rises to the occasion.
Name: Katie Vaughn
Your Job at Eastwood: Student Teacher
Years at Eastwood: First year
Hobbies: Swimming, reading, making things on my Cricut
Family: My parents (Kevin and Cindy), little sister (Lauren), and older sister (Kelsey)
Pets: My 10 year old Shih Zu, Sadie
Favorite Vacation: A cruise to Alaska
Favorite Meal: Salmon or pasta
Favorite Dessert: Cheesecake
Favorite TV Show: Friends
Favorite Sports Teams: Ohio State
Best Thing About Eastwood: Everyone is so welcoming!
Quote to Live By: “When you focus on the good, the good gets better.”
Name: Marnie Hartman
Your Job at Eastwood: 3rd grade language arts teacher
Years at Eastwood: 16 years
Hobbies: sports, movies, swimming
Family: I am married to Andy. We have two children, Maddie who is 15 and a freshman in high
school; and Cooper who is 13 and in 7th grade at the middle school.
Pets: We consider our house to be a zoo. We have two springer spaniel dogs named Tillie and
Gus. We also have three cats named Curtice, Oliver and Rufus.
Favorite Vacation: My favorite vacation includes a beach with white sand and clear water. We
absolutely loved Destin, Florida.
Favorite Meal: If I could eat any meal, I love spaghetti with breadsticks and a salad.
Favorite Dessert: I LOVE ice cream!
Favorite TV Show: My new favorite show is Suites.
Favorite Sports Teams: I enjoy watching all sports as long as it is a good game.
Best Thing About Eastwood: I enjoy working with my colleagues.
Quote to Live By: Everyday is a great day!
Name: Courtney Eckel
Your Job at Eastwood: Third Grade Teacher
Years at Eastwood: 8
Hobbies: Spending time with my family, watching my kids in sports, watching movies
Family: Husband: Nolan Daughters: Riley and Reagan
Pets: 2 cats
Favorite Vacation: Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
Favorite Meal: Steak and cheesy potatoes
Favorite Dessert: Strawberry Cheesecake
Favorite TV Show: The Incredible Doctor Pol
Favorite Sports Teams: Ohio State, Eastwood Eagles
Best Thing About Eastwood: Supportive staff and community
Quote to Live By: “Just one small positive thought in the morning can change
your whole day.” — Dalai Lama
Name: Amanda Partin
Your Job at Eastwood: Student Teacher
Years at Eastwood: First-Year
Hobbies: Taking my dogs on walks, bonfires with family and friends, and camping!
Family: I have one younger sister attending Owens for nursing and is graduating in May! My
parents Kim and Jeff support me no matter what! Also, my high school sweetheart Tyler is
always by my side!
Pets: 2 dogs (Bentley and Zoey), 3 cats (Milo, Melvin, and Maggie), and 5 cows
Favorite Vacation: Cruise to Bahamas and CoCo Cay
Favorite Meal: Pizza!
Favorite Dessert: Texas Sheet Cake
Favorite TV Show: Gilmore Girls
Favorite Sports Teams: Ohio State
Best Thing About Eastwood: Having such amazing people who are so willing to teach and want
to share their knowledge! Also, having such a supporting group of people who have brought me
into their “family” for my last year of school!
Quote to Live By: “You were born with the ability to change someone’s life…don’t ever waste it!”
or “Why fit in when you are born to stand out!”
Name: Audrey Bostdorff
Your Job at Eastwood: I am a student teacher for Mrs. Eckel’s 3rd grade intervention room.
Hobbies: My hobbies include reading, cooking, and cheerleading.
Family: I have two siblings, one brother and one sister. I also have an adorable 7-month-old
niece.
Pets: I have a red Beta fish named Calvin.
Favorite Vacation: My favorite vacation was traveling all around Spain and spending some time
in Paris, France.
Favorite Meal: I love to eat any kind of pasta!
Favorite Dessert: My favorite dessert is either chocolate ice cream or any type of cookie.
Favorite TV Show: I have really enjoyed the show The 100.
Favorite Sports Teams: I am a huge Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns fan!
Best Thing About Eastwood: I love the school environment and the support I have seen and
been given from the staff and administration.
Quote to Live By: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people
will never forget how you made them feel” -Maya Angelou
Name: Adam Hoffmann
Your Job at Eastwood: Elementary Physical Education Teacher
Years at Eastwood: 10
Hobbies: Golf, Friends, Video Games
Family: Chelsea, Bowen, Cora, Hayes
Pets: 2 pigs, Hank and Christoff
Favorite Vacation: Caribbean Cruise with my family
Favorite Meal: Fettuccine Alfredo
Favorite Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Favorite TV Show: NFL and College Football
Favorite Sports Teams: Ohio State, Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings
Best Thing About Eastwood: Passionate Community
Quote to Live By: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” -Wayne Gretzky
Name: Leslie Myers
Your Job at Eastwood: Librarian
Years at Eastwood:19
Hobbies: singing, directing musicals, flowers arranging
Family: husband Brian (Eastwood Band Director!) Melody Age 13 7th grader at Eastwood,
Jameson Age 11 6th grader at Eastwood
Pets: Goldendoodle named Clover!
Favorite Vacation: The Aulani Resort in Hawaii!
Favorite Meal: Tony Packos! I'm Hungarian!
Favorite Dessert: cheesecake
Favorite TV Show: Big Bang Theory
Favorite Sports Teams: Eastwood Eagles!
Best Thing About Eastwood: 3rd generation to teach here!
Quote to Live By: “All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to
pursue them”- Walt Disney
Name: Valerie Sponaugle
Your Job at Eastwood: Paraprofessional-Technology for grades K-4th
Years at Eastwood:8 years
Hobbies: BIking, Hiking and Flower Gardening
Family: John-Spouse, daughters-Hannah-24 yrs old and Haley-17 yrs old
Pets: Cats-Minnie & Mollie, Bunnies-Barry and LaurIe
Favorite Vacation: Family vacations where we enjoy hiking and exploring in the National Parks
& State Parks, each one is unique and beautiful
Favorite Meal: Chicken Parmesan
Favorite Dessert: Ice Cream
Favorite TV Show: That 70’s Show
Favorite Sports Teams: Cleveland Browns
Best Thing About Eastwood: The closeness of the community
Quote to Live By: Each challenge brings forth new opportunities
Name: Heather Meter
Job at Eastwood: Paraprofessional with the 3 rd Grade team
Hobbies/Family: I enjoy watching my two girls play a LARGE variety of sports. My oldest
daughter is a sophomore at Eastwood High School. Grace currently is a starter on the Varsity
soccer team. My youngest daughter is in 8th grade at Eastwood Middle School. Lyla is currently
on the volleyball team.
Pets: We have 2 dogs and 1 cat.
Favorite Vacation: When I get the chance to take a vacation, my favorite place is Treasure
Island, Florida.
Favorite Food: I enjoy Inky’s pizza, great Italian food!
Favorite Sports Team: I’m a BIG Buckeye fan, I love watching college football on Saturday
afternoons.
Quote to Live By: “Not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do is the secret of
happiness.”
J.M. Barrie
Name: Karen Walters
Your Job at Eastwood: Music Teacher for grades Kindergarten through 4th grade
Years at Eastwood: 25th Year
Hobbies: Scrapbooking & watching my kids perform in plays and musicals!
Family: Married to Mike (31 years), Bob (21 at OU), Rose (18, senior BGHS), Alice (15,
freshman BGHS)
Pets: Dojo - 7 ½ (rescue pup - 3 parts Beagle, 1 part Long-haired Chihuahua)
Favorite Vacation: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Favorite Meal: Grilled Chicken Fajitas
Favorite Dessert: Peanut Butter Pie
Favorite TV Show: Friends
Favorite Sports Teams: BGSU, BGHS & Eastwood
Best Thing About Eastwood: We get to spend our days surrounded by people who really care
about us and each other!
Quote to Live By: “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to
what lies inside of you.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Other topics/questions you would like to answer/add to your spotlight:
On September 23rd I had the opportunity to march and play a mellophone again with 459 other
graduates of Bowling Green State University as part of the Falcon Alumni Marching Band and
we joined the current 300 members of the Falcon Marching Band! It was amazing! I love that all
ages came together that day to make music together again!
Name: Hannah Wren
Your Job at Eastwood: Student Teacher for Music Class
Years at Eastwood: This is my first! I will be here until December 15th.
Hobbies: Baking and going to antique stores.
Family: My parents live in Lima, I have a sister in Columbus, and another in Ashtabula. Also, I
am newly engaged to my fiance, Jackson, who is at University of Illinois for Grad School.
Pets: I have two cats, Milo and Echo.
Favorite Meal: Thanksgiving dinner! Cheesy mashed potatoes, noodles, turkey… I can’t wait.
Favorite Dessert: Baked Apples, almost like an apple pie but without the crust.
Favorite TV Show: I have seen Friends too many times.
Best Thing About Eastwood: Everyone is so friendly!
