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Nathaniel (Nate) Rayle recently earned his Class A CDL (commercial drivers license). Rayle is a senior in the Construction Equipment program at Apollo Career Center.

He is the son of Kaydrie and Eric Rayle of Bluffton.

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Provided by Bluffton High School

Bluffton High School proudly recognizes Aubrey Reiman as the December 2024 Student of the Month. Aubrey is a junior with a 3.809 GPA and is the daughter of Jennifer and James Rieman of Bluffton. 

Aubrey is a member of the National Honor Society and participates in drama club, choir and show choir. 

She is active in her church youth group and helps to lead children’s church services at Bluffton Community. In addition to her work with the church, Rieman volunteers at the area women’s shelter and is an employee at Bluffton Dari Freeze. In her spare time, she enjoys surrounding herself with family and friends. 

After graduation, Aubrey would like to attend Ohio Northern University majoring in nursing or children’s services. Her strong work ethic and commitment to community service are commendable, and we are proud to honor her as the BHS student of the month for December.

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Bluffton author Bur Shilling has been busy in retirement, penning five books that draw from his career of teaching and ministry work. Shilling was the featured speaker at 2024 Memorial Day ceremonies in Bluffton.

Q. What are the "stepping stones" of your adult life in reverse chronological order?

BGSU faculty – taught and online advisor for all online students

Winebrenner Seminary – taught New Testament/evangelism/discipleship, created and first director of Doctor of Ministry degree, began teaching in Israel (have continued that for past 32 years)

Bluffton University – Campus Pastor and Church Relations

Youth for Christ – Director of 12 staff and three ministry divisions

Q. How does the little boy Bur resemble the adult Bur?

As the oldest of five children, I often was “in charge.” I still like to create itineraries for my trips, plan the hotels and restaurants for meals, and teach at the sites we visit. 

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PHOTOS provided by Trevor Bassitt. Click gallery to enlarge and view at your own pace.

Part 2 HERE

By Benji Bergstrand

After Trevor Bassitt failed to advance out of the preliminary heat in the 400m hurdles at the Paris Olympics, there were no alarm bells going off, no panic setting in. He had been there before. The 2024 season had tested and taught him. Adversity didn’t scare him. 

Trevor had experienced a hamstring injury in late March that had nagged at him through the rest of the season. “I had bounced back pretty quickly,” Bassitt said. “But it never really got back to full strength so I was kind of operating with my left leg at 85-90% the rest of the season.”

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Provided by Bluffton High School

Bluffton High School proudly recognizes Liliana Liberato as the November 2024 student of the month. Liliana is a junior with a 4.0 GPA and is the daughter of Gesse and Leslie Liberato of Bluffton. 

Liberato’s array of accomplishments showcase both her diverse talents and commitment to academics. She is heavily involved in the performing arts, participating in show choir, symphonic choir, chamber choir, high school ensemble, marching band, concert band and orchestra. Her passion for music extends beyond the classroom. She earned a one rating at solo and ensemble competition and enjoys writing music in her free time. 

In addition to her musical talents, Liliana is a dedicated student who excels in academics. She received awards in freshman geometry and English as well as the Spanish I honors award, highlighting her versatility across subjects. As a member of the National Honor Society and Student Senate, she demonstrates leadership and commitment to her education, peers and school. She is taking college courses at the University of Findlay and Rhodes State College and plans to attend Rhodes State College, majoring in Occupational Therapy.  CONTINUES ▶︎

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Click photos to enter gallery mode and view at your own pace. PHOTOS provided by Trevor Bassitt.

Olympic athlete Trevor Bassitt, 26, Team USA Track & Field and 5x World Medalist, competed in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in the 2024 summer Olympics. See part 1 HERE.

By Benji Bergstrand

As Trevor Bassitt began to settle into life in the Olympic Village and tune up for his 400m hurdle preliminary race one thing that wasn’t high on his to-do list was sightseeing. “I had been to Paris before for a race in 2023. I had seen the Eiffel Tower,” Bassitt said. Plus, there was all the walking. “If you weren’t going to an Olympic site where they had a shuttle, you would have to walk a good ten minutes out from the village because all the roads were shut down and they wouldn’t let people through without a credential, and there are few things I hate more than unnecessary walking, so I didn’t go sightseeing too much.”

The village itself provided Trevor plenty of opportunities for entertainment and exploration. At over 130 acres and supporting a population of over 14,000 people, it truly was a village within the city of Paris. “The Village itself was massive,” Bassitt said. “I didn’t even see every part of it. There were shuttles that could take you anywhere in the village you wanted. There was a grocery store, a Paris 2024 merchandise store, a Samsung store and there were vending machines all over with free Coca Cola products for the villagers. They also had some interactive games and scavenger hunts athletes could do to try and get pins.” ▶︎

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