Northwest Region

Includes Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Fulton, Hardin, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Mercer, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Shelby, Williams, Wood, Wyandot, and Van Wert Counties   

Regional Director: 
Karaline Grubaugh
karaline.grubaugh@powerofthepen.org

Registration is open to the first 20 schools that register. Register for one District event only.

Northwest District 1
Saturday, January 20, 2024
The Ohio State University at Lima
4240 Campus Dr., Lima, OH 45804
Coordinator: Bryan Albright

Or

Northwest District 2
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Tiffin Middle School
103 Shepherd Dr., Tiffin, OH 44883
Coordinator: Sara Conner   

Qualifiers from both events will advance to:

Northwest Regional Tournament
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Lourdes University
6832 Convent Blvd.
Sylvania, OH 43560
Coordinator: TBD

Who’s Going

Northwest District 1:
The Ohio State University at Lima

Houston Junior High

St. Marys Middle School

Wapakoneta Junior High

17 Positions Available

Northwest District 2:
Tiffin Middle School

Arbor Hills Junior High School Perrysburg Junior High School

Springfield Middle School

St. Joseph Central Catholic Junior High Academy

Timberstone Junior High

Woodmore Middle School

14 Positions Available

Karaline Grubaugh

Karaline first became involved with Power of the Pen in 1998 when she was on the 7th grade writing team at St. Marys Memorial Middle School. She attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio where she received a Bachelors in Retail Merchandising. After spending three years in Hilton Head, South Carolina as an Assistant Retail Merchant, she, and her now husband moved to Grove City, Ohio where they live with their daughter and rescue dog.

Karaline has worked for Big Lots Corporate for more than 11 years. At Big Lots, she is a Senior Space Planning Analyst, where she creates visual presentations, assists with assortment optimization, and issues weekly communications to all 1400+ stores. During her time at Big Lots, she has been able to participate in a variety of philanthropic efforts that support organizations such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and Pelotonia, where she served as a 2023 Team Captain for The Big Lots Peloton.

Power of the Pen played a large part in developing Karaline’s confidence as a middle schooler. Feeling like part of a team and being able to pour words onto paper gave her the creative outlet she needed. She is passionate about the importance of creative arts in schools and is thrilled to be working with her hometown region to continue the program.