2025 Scholarship Contest Winners

Many members of participating chapters entered the 2025 Essay Scholarship Contest, answering the following question:

How has Drug Free Clubs of America affected or changed your:

1. Family
2. School
3. Community
4. Friends and yourself

 – OR – (for multi-year members only):

How do you view the club differently from the beginning to now?

We would like to congratulate the following students on their placements in the 2025 Drug Free Clubs of America Scholarship Contest!

Winner – Presley A., Ludlow High School

Runner Up – James S., South Gallia High School

Finalist – Gianna B., Wheeling Central Catholic

Finalist – Isabella L., Oak Hill High School

Finalist – Kelsey E., Buckeye Career Center

Finalist – Paige L., Conner High School

Semi Finalist – Brooklyn B., McClain High School

Semi Finalist – Jaelyn P., Westfall High School

Semi Finalist – Jameson M., Wheeling Park High School

Semi Finalist – Margaret G., Beechwood High School

We would like to extend a grateful “Thank You” to the judges who helped choose this year’s winners:

Adam Hertz, Executive at Apple (retired)

Andrew McGowan, Friend of DFCA

Cassie Kilgore, Principal of Franklin Elementary School

Charles Johnson, Special Educator and Advocate

Corinne Shea, Executive Director of the Institute for Behavioral Health

Darcy Patterson, SafeLaunch Board of Directors

Darrell Bramer, Executive Director of Operation Parent

David Mackey, Data Bloom

Deb Handley, Medicount Management

Ed Patak, Senior VP of Operations at Cotrac Services (retired)

Heather McKamey, Owner of Open Air Partners, Drug Free Clubs of America Board of Directors

Janet Rowse, Founder of SafeLaunch

Jeff Wahl, Co-Founder and General Counsel at MIDAS Healthcare Solutions, Drug Free Clubs of America Board of Directors

Jim Williams, Cincinnati Fire Department Firefighter (retired)

Joe Ventre, Vice President of LCNB National Bank

Joey Newcomb, President of Medicount Management, Drug Free Clubs of America Board of Directors

Joseph Newcomb, CEO of Medicount Management, Drug Free Clubs of America Board of Directors

Kathy Dudley, Medicount Management

Kelly Lawrence and the staff of Public Safety Innovations

Kim Newcomb, Friend of DFCA

Kimberly Mages, President and CEO of Central Clinic Behavioral Health

Kurt Dubost, Superintendent (retired)

Kyle Stevens, President/CEO of ODACS , Drug Free Clubs of America Board of Directors

Mark McKamey, President of McKamey LLC

Maureen McGowan, Friend of DFCA

Nancy Pasquale, RyeACT Coalition Coordinator

Ralph Ferguson, State Organizer at Ohio Pipe Trades

Randy Poe, Ed. D., Executive Director, Northern Kentucky Education Council

Rocky Fitzsimmons, Partner at Fitzsimmons Law Firm, Drug Free Clubs of America Board of Directors

Ron Cuff, Founder of SafeLaunch and US Navy Commander (retired)

Ronald Newcomb, Friend of DFCA

Sara Asic, Chief Operating Officer at Domain

Steve Passik, VP, Scientific Affairs & Head of Clinical Data Programs of Millenium Health, DFCA Board of Directors

Tim Newcomb, Medicount Management