“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.”- Brad Henry
Elizabeth “Tibbie” Leslie dedicated her entire life to enriching the lives of her students. Tibbie was born in Zanesville and was a 1950 graduate of Newark High School. After high school, Ms. Leslie pursued a degree in education from Miami University. She joined the staff of Withrow High School in Cincinnati as a student teacher and spent the next 30 years of her career teaching physical education and swimming to the students of Withrow. After a long career dedicated to the service and inspiration of her students, she retired in 1984.
Tibbie may have taught others in career but she was a student of the world. She was a globetrotter whose travels took her Africa, Australia, Russia, Japan, and to China three times. Tibbie loved to take in new scenery, meet new people, and be at the epicenter of the action.
After Tibbie passed away in 1995, the Tibbie Leslie Endowment Fund was established at the Licking County Foundation through a bequest of her estate. The money that she left to foundation was to be used for a grant. Tibbie established this award in order to make it possible for educators to broaden their knowledge, experience and understanding in the subjects which they teach. This grant could be distributed to any deserving person for the purpose of travel outside of the continental United States who meets the following requirements:
• Any teacher at Newark High School
• Any teacher/instructor/professor in any school or institution of learning, public, private or parochial, at whatever level of instruction or grade or rank in the teaching profession that is serving in Licking County
• Any student of Newark High School who shall graduate from such school in the year in which the award shall be made
Tibbie Leslie was a lifelong educator, influencer and world traveler. She devoted her life to enriching the lives of her students and giving to others. Tibbie’s legacy as a world traveler lives on through the opportunity that she provides other educators through the Tibbie Leslie Travel Grant.
For more information about the Tibbie Leslie Travel Grant or to apply, please visit: http://www.thelcfoundation.org/grants/travel/
