​King, Horning Recognized as Pathfinders

Alliance High School hosted the final Pathfinder awards assembly on Friday with Gary King and Matthew Horning being named the final two Pathfinders of 2020.

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Each year, Alliance City Schools hosts a series of Pathfinder Awards assemblies to recognize individuals who have been trailblazers for success. The recipients are recognized in five areas: arts and science, education, humanitarianism, citizenship/government and business. All individuals recognized as Pathfinders are either alumni who have been an inspiration to minorities in one of the above areas recognized either locally or out of the area or a non-ACS alumni who has been an inspiration to the local area.

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Horning and King are both AHS graduates who have had a resounding impact on the youth in Alliance. Because of their dedication to helping the community, King was recognized with the Education and Art/Athletics Pathfinder and Horning was received the Education and Humanitarianism Pathfinder award.

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King graduated from AHS in 1973, after which he continued his education at Ohio University, Kent State University and the University of Mount Union. He began working in the maintenance department at ACS. He later worked in the district’s attendance office and as a climate specialist. 

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King has had a positive impact on a number of students as both an educator and as a coach. His coaching career at ACS has been extensive and spans 26 years. He has coached the Alliance Aviators football team, boys and girls basketball, track and golf.

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King spoke to the students at AHS about the importance of thinking before acting. He told a story about the time he got into a fight in high school and ended up being suspended for three days. He was upset because he missed out on school and a game and he wasn’t able to take part in activities that he enjoyed.

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“The lesson that I learned from that situation was before you get into a situation that you will regret, you’ve always got to think before something you truly love will be taken away from you,” King said.

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Horning is a 1995 graduate of Alliance High School. In 1999, he returned to Alliance City Schools as the director of the Morgan Family Center. He has had quite an impact on the students at ACS by coaching, teaching at AMS, establishing the 99th Squadron leadership program and even writing the original grant for the AMS Navigators Program. 

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He chose to speak to the students about the importance of treating people with kindness at all times. How you treat someone has an impact on them. He gave the example of being a child and playing basketball with King who worked at the same school as Horning’s mother. King had always been kind to Horning and that left a lasting impression on him and allowed Horning to always think highly of King.

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“How you treat people now matters because one day, you want them, when they come across you, to remember that was somebody that was kind to me,” Horning encouraged all the students to be kind.

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Maurice Hatcher, a 2007 AHS graduate and former Pathfinder recipient, presented the keynote address for the assembly. Hatcher is a life-long resident of Alliance. He attended Kent State University and is currently the director of operations at Sommerville Funeral Services.

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Hatcher began his musical career as a child by performing at the New Zion Baptist Church, where he sang in and directed the youth choir. He wanted to spread his passion for music and did so by creating the Alliance Community Youth Choir. The choir gave its members a constructive outlet and helped them to become leaders in their school and community.

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“I’m here because it’s Black History Month,” Hatcher said. “And if you haven’t noticed, I’m black, but- and this is the thing- I try hard to make a difference in my community like the African Americans who paved the way- my forefathers- who paved the way for other African American people and other people of different ethnic groups to have the same freedom that everyone else has.”

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Hatcher spoke on the importance of Black History and the reason it is recognized by all. 

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“African Americans contribute so much to America as we know it. We weren’t always free, once freedom was found, it wasn’t accepted by all. We come through very dark and trying times, but we were determined people to march on until everyone had freedom and not just ourselves,” Hatcher said.

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Throughout his speech, Hatcher led the AHS choirs in performing gospel songs, a few of which included Horning, Hatcher’s former mentor. The two had bonded over gospel music when Hatcher was young and took part in activities at the Morgan Family Center. They continued to be friends over the years.

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He encouraged the students at AHS to strive to make a positive impact and to make a difference in the lives of those around them.

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“You’ve heard the phrase get rich or die trying,” he said. “Well I say make a difference or die trying.”

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Hatcher encouraged the students to press on, to work for their dreams and to not let anyone stop them or keep them from going after what they want.

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The assembly at AHS was the last to take place. The following individuals were recognized throughout the month with Pathfinder Awards for being trailblazers for success: Horning, King, John “Buddy” Gasparik, Julie Poyser, Gloria Magrath, Sarah Brown and Bishop Nick and Dyanna Myers.