NEW ALBANY, OHIO (December 9, 2025) – The New Albany Community Foundation’s 23rd annual Remarkable Evening benefit, celebrating 30 years of impact, was held December 3 and featured Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, interviewed by Ari Shapiro. The event also included the announcement of the 2025 Jeanne & John G. McCoy Community Service Award recipient, Michael Sawyers. More than 700 people attended the Remarkable Evening benefit, which was held in The New Albany International Business Park.
The Jeanne and John G.
McCoy Community Service Award was established by the Foundation in 2004 to recognize citizens who have made a significant impact in the community through their leadership, generosity and volunteerism. Through their philanthropy and significant community service throughout their lives in both New Albany and central Ohio, Jeanne and John G. McCoy embodied the spirit of this award and were the first to be honored with the distinction in 2004 when it was established in their name.
As New Albany-Plain Local School District Superintendent, Michael embodies the values held so dear by Jeanne and John G. McCoy, who Michael Sawyers believed every student deserves an education that prepares them for future success.
“Thank you to The New Albany Community Foundation for believing in the power of service and the promise of this place we call home,” said Sawyers when receiving the award. “Everything I am, and everything I hope to be is because I stand on the foundation of my family. For nearly 35 years, I have served in public education, not because it is a career, but because it is a calling. I believe, with every fiber of my being, that every child deserves the chance to rise – no matter their zip code, their home life or the barriers they face. Every child deserves dignity, respect and opportunity and a village that believes in them. Our community has built that village with intention.”
Serving as Superintendent since 2016, Michael has led the district to top statehonors, while raising academic outcomes and the prospects of every student and protecting the fiscal stability of the school district. But it’s more than what Michael does, it’s how he does it. Those who work with Michael will tell you he leads with compassion and upholds the district values of fostering an environment of kindness, dignity and respect. Michael is quick to credit the community, the school board and his faculty and staff for the district’s success, noting his pride in the achievements of the school district and the united front he feels from the community.
“I’m very proud of everything that we’ve achieved, but there’s more to be done. Tomorrow provides new possibilities and new opportunities for our schools. There is an expectation for continuous improvement, and I think the community should expect that of us every day,” said Sawyers. “We are here in service to children and our incredible team is grateful for the support we receive that allows us to focus on achieving the best academic and developmental outcomes for students.”
Sawyers’s leadership and service have been recognized through multiple honors, including the 2024 Exemplary Leadership Award and the 2013 Distinguished Service Award from the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA), as well as the New Albany Chamber of Commerce Delta Award for Outstanding Business Leader.
The Foundation selected Sawyers not only for the positive impact he’s had on thousands of students, but also because of his engagement in the broader community. Widely viewed as a valued collaborator, passionate advocate and visionary leader, Michael works closely with the City of New Albany and Plain Township and serves in other roles such as an ex-officio member of the New Albany Chamber of Commerce, McCoy board and the Foundation’s board of trustees. He actively
represents the district through service with the Ohio School Plan, BASA Communications Committee, and as a member and past President of the Central Ohio Superintendents’ Association. Sawyers also participates at the State and National levels to advocate for public education and leadership advocacy.
In celebration of Sawyers, the Foundation’s Board voted unanimously to name The New Albany Schools Extra-Curricular Activities Scholarship Fund in honor of Michael.
The fund was established to support students in need so that every student could participate in extra-curricular activities. It will now be called the Michael Sawyers’ Extra-Curricular Activities Scholarship Fund, reflecting Michael’s belief that all students should have the opportunity to benefit from participation in Academic Clubs, the Arts and Athletics, and Field Trips.
Additionally, three grants will be made in Sawyers’s honor to support mental wellbeing. The programs include Ruling our Experiences for middle and high school aged girls, the PREPaRE program for crisis prevention and intervention training for staff and for the establishment of the Teen Mental Health First Aid program for High School students.
REMARKABLE EVENING, THE NEW ALBANY LECTURE SERIES
Funds raised from Remarkable Evening support the Foundation’s annual grantmaking to area notfor-profit organizations and other community projects and initiatives. Funds raised also support The New Albany Lecture Series, a leading lecture series presented by the Foundation that features distinguished diplomats, experts on foreign policy, national security, health, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning authors, journalists and historians. In addition to community lectures, speakers have interacted with more than 36,500 students representing school districts across central Ohio.
Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded nearly $25 million in grants to advance lifelong learning, the arts, health and wellness and environmental sustainability. These grants are made possible through the support of generous donors and sponsors who contribute annually through Remarkable Evening or who have established endowment funds at the Foundation. Contributions have also helped make possible transformational projects like the New Albany Branch Library, the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts, and the Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater.
Lead sponsors for this year’s Remarkable Evening included Gold Sponsors: American Electric Power Foundation, Meta and Turner; Presenting Sponsors: Huntington, Mershad Family Foundation, Mershad Development, The New Albany Company, Savko and VanTrust.
More information can be found at newalbanyfoundation.org.