Deena Levey and Jason Tiemeier Are
Recipients of 2009 Erkis/Berliner Award

Deena Levey and Jason Tiemeier were the recipients of the 2009 The Erkis/Berliner Jewish Scholar Athlete Award, which recognizes local senior high school Jewish athletes who have excelled in the classroom and in the athletic arena, at the JCC Annual Meeting on May 26.

The Scholar/Athlete Award has been endowed by the family of Don Erkis in the memory of Don Erkis and Lou Berliner. Both men, members of the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, were active sportsmen their entire lives. This $500 scholarship is awarded each year to one male and one female Jewish athlete who has excelled in the classroom.

All nominees received a gift certificate, fitness evaluation by a JCC personal trainer, and recognition in their local suburban newspapers.

Levey is a graduate of Bexley High School, and was a member of her high school's varsity soccer team for four years. She was 1st Team All-State her sophomore and senior years, and Scholar All-American her senior year. She was a member of the National Honor Society, Cum Laude Society, and a member of the yearbook staff.

Tiemeier, who will be attending Princeton University in the fall, was a three-year varsity starter for the Dublin Scioto High School football team, and was elected as a captain his senior year. He was selected 1st team All-OCC, and received the National Football Foundation Chief Justice William O'Neill Scholar-Athlete Award. He served as the president of the National Honor Society, and as an officer for the Student Senate.

Nominees for the award also included: Sara Fagin, Ellen Fishel, Blake Needleman, Daniel Schwager, Michael Zacks and Lauren Zacks, all from Bexley High School; Kyla Ciranni, Jeremy Schwarz and Ben Winter from Columbus Torah Academy; Michael Verhaeghe from Dublin Scioto; Alexander Ottavio from Olentangy Liberty; Aaron Tallan from St. Charles; Isaac Gold from Wellington; and Jonathan Price from Worthington Kilbourne.