ASHLAND — Grace Bryant has spent plenty of time on the Miss Ohio stage, but this will be her first year competing for a crown. 

Bryant, 23, has been a vocalist at the program for the past several years. She has entertained crowds at the opening of each show and between phases of the competition. 

This year, she’ll be representing her hometown as Miss Ashland.

“My goal is to win Miss Ohio, but my mission is to win my experience,” Bryant said. “I think that’s what really kept me grounded and not putting too much pressure on myself.”

Bryant graduated from Bowling Green State University, where she studied communications and media production. She’s currently pursuing a master’s in sports administration from BGSU.

Bryant said she’s been interested in competing on the Miss Ohio stage for a while, but she wasn’t sure what her community service initiative would be.

“I wanted to do this with very pure intentions,” she said. “Yes it’s so fun, but I wanted to find, ‘What is my purpose? What do I want to represent?’”

Bryant said her graduate studies gave her a clear vision for her platform.

“I have been advocating for youth sports participation because not only are sports beneficial physically, but it’s a tool that’s often overlooked to help students grow socially and emotionally,” she said.

“It’s what I want to advocate for, what I want to ground my research in.”

Bryant titled her initiative L.A.C.E.S. – Limitless Accessibility for Children to Experience Sports. She hopes to advocate for eliminating barriers like cost, lack of equipment and limited opportunities that keep kids on the sidelines. 

Bryant also hopes to challenge the “win-at-all-costs” mentality that often exists in sports. 

“Unfortunately, a lot of the programs are focused on building the next pro athlete instead of building a great human (being),” she said.

“My love for softball was ruined after my sophomore year of high school because I realized how political it was.”

Bryant will be showcasing her vocal capabilities once again during the talent completion, singing “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston — a song she’s been performing since her teen years.

“I started in the gymnasium of (Ashland) high school singing this song and now I’m bringing it to the Miss Ohio stage, so I’m really excited about that,” she said.

Bryant said the competition is about much more than gowns and glitter — it’s about service, sisterhood and becoming the best woman one can be.

Even as a performer, Bryant said she looked forward to the annual reminder to reset and be her most authentic self.

“It is such a special organization, it’s so much more than a pageant,” Bryant said. “It helps build character, it helps you grow and it helps you serve for a greater purpose.”

WARSAW — OrthoWorx announced the appointment of Ryan Christner as president and chief executive officer, effective June 9. Christner, a longtime community and orthopedic leader in Kosciusko County, steps into the role following his time as executive director of the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative (OIRI).

“Ryan brings a deep understanding of both the orthopedic industry and the broader needs of our community,” said Terry Schlotterback, OrthoWorx board chair. “He has already demonstrated his commitment to advancing our mission through his leadership of the OIRI project and his many years of service in talent development initiatives. His collaborative style, community focus, and industry insight make him uniquely qualified to lead OrthoWorx into its next chapter.”

A lifelong resident of Kosciusko County, Christner has over 15 years of experience in the orthopedic industry, having held roles in operations management, supply chain, logistics, customer service, and human resources at local orthopedic companies. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Grace College and has been actively involved in community efforts related to education, workforce development, and youth mentorship. Most recently, he played a key role in founding Youth & the Outdoors United, a nonprofit organization committed to connecting local youth with outdoor recreation through hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. In his new role, Christner will focus on growing and sustaining OrthoWorx’s impact as a catalyst for talent attraction, retention, community engagement, and industry relations across the community.

“Stepping into the role of president and CEO at OrthoWorx is a tremendous honor,” Christner said. “Our community has a remarkable legacy of orthopedic innovation, and I am deeply committed to ensuring it continues to be a place where individuals and families choose to live, work, and thrive. We have a wonderful story to tell and I’m excited to build on our strong foundation and advance our mission of connecting industry, education, and community so we can attract and retain the talent which will shape our future for generations to come.”

Christner’s appointment follows his leadership of the OIRI project, a $30 million state-funded initiative focused on enhancing quality of life and solidifying Kosciusko County’s position as a global center of orthopedic excellence. Under his guidance, the initiative has already begun to unite stakeholders around transformative projects supporting long-term community and workforce development.

“Ryan has shown time and again that he can bring people together to solve complex challenges,” said Suzie Light, a founding OrthoWorx board member, “His ability to work across sectors and his deep roots in the community make him exactly the kind of leader OrthoWorx needs to expand its influence and impact.”

As CEO, Christner will continue to strengthen OrthoWorx’s role as a convenor of partners and a driver of strategic initiatives designed to enhance educational opportunities, workforce pathways, quality of place, and cultivate innovation.

“Our mission of Advancing the Orthopedic Capital of the World for generations to come has never been more vital,” Schlotterback said. “With Ryan at the helm, we are confident OrthoWorx will continue to lead boldly, collaborate widely, and innovate meaningfully for the benefit of our industry and community.”

Christner lives in Kosciusko County with his wife and four children. An avid outdoorsmen and dedicated community advocate, he actively volunteers, coaches youth sports, and brings a deep personal passion to OrthoWorx’s mission of impact-driven leadership.

MABLETON, Ga. — For the fourth straight summer, Atlanta-native and Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. inspired youth beyond the basketball court.

The former Pace Academy Knight held his annual youth basketball camp on June 7 at Whitefield Academy through his foundation A Platform Squared.

“I give a lot of credit to my parents,” Carter said. “Growing up, they told me, whatever I did in my life, you never make it until you bring someone along with you, right? So the first thing I thought was like ‘we got to have a basketball camp. All the professional athletes do it, like, why not me?’”

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Carter’s camps typically focus on the game and life outside the sport.

“I saw it as an opportunity to like, not only basketball, but let’s give these kids something that they can use for the rest of their life,” Carter said. “I always start off with teaching on financial literacy my first two years, African-American studies. And then I had to really think about it, you know, these kids just getting out of school, they aren’t trying to send no class all day. Let’s make this more interactive. And we open up bank accounts for them. You know, just kind of help them jumpstart that kind of process.”

Even in its early stages, the foundation continues to search for new ways to grow. Always fascinated by planes, Carter’s next steps are to implement scholarship opportunities towards aviation through the initiative, Flight34.

“Growing up my mom worked for Hartsfield Jackson Airport,” Carter said. “So I was around planes a lot. I fell in love with it. As I got taller, I understood I wouldn’t be able to fly a plane. So that kind of went out the window.”

Carter’s career on the court continues to soar. He guided the Magic to a second consecutive playoff appearance and recently signed an extension keeping him in Orlando for another three years.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

©2025 Cox Media Group

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Round-robin play in the District 24 Little League all-star tournaments will begin Saturday (June 14, 2025) with four games slated.

And more and more games will be contested during the next three weeks leading up to the Island championship games in five divisions — 10s and 12s softball and 10s, 11s and 12s baseball — in late June and early July.

It’s nice when the Advance/SILive.com can cover your games, but unfortunately we can’t get to all of them. That’s why it’s important for the coaches of the winning teams to prepare for a call or a text from one of our sports reporters so we can gather your highlights.

The information we will ask for is easy — the two teams involved in the game and the final score and highlights. The highlights consist of two or three offensive stars and who the top pitchers were. If the game was decided in the last inning, we may ask you to take us through that inning to set the stage.

Also, it’s important to give us your record and mention what team you play next on what day and time.

The rule of thumb should be: If you don’t talk to a reporter from the Advance after your game, you should be getting a call or text from us after the game.

Now, good luck to all the Staten Island teams!

What’s Gavin Brown’s favorite part about having his Dad as his baseball coach?

The Graham Falcons topped the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs 4-1 on Saturday at Canal Park in Akron in the D5 state semifinals game.

The game was postponed after two innings Friday night due to rain, with the Falcons leading the Mustangs 2-0.

Adam Levy singled down the right field line, and Breyton Reisinger grounded into a fielder’s choice, each scoring one run.

Nearly 24 hours later, the boys took the field again to finish what they started.

Adam Levy led the way both on the mound and at the plate, setting the aggressive example the Falcons followed all season long.

Levy pitched five innings in relief for Graham, allowing seven hits and one run while striking out eight and walking three.

The Falcons’ attitude of attacking while running the bases and swinging the bat now has the Falcons poised for their first state championship since 1973.

The Falcons face the Waynedale Golden Bears out of Apple Creek, OH, for the Division 5 state championship in Akron on Sunday,  first pitch is at 7.