MS OHIO SENIOR AMERICA 2013,
MARTI SKARUPA

CONGRATULATIONS to MARTI SKARUPA, Ms. Ohio Senior America 2013!

Marti Skarupa grew up in Northeast Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie and presently resides in the lovely city of Macedonia with her husband of 42 years. Marti earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Kent State University with certification in elementary education and Spanish. Also at Kent State she earned a Masters in Educational Psychology and has had television workshop training. As an undergraduate she was an active member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and served as a secretary to the Women’s Association. She also served as a dorm officer, counselor to new freshman in her dorm and was selected to Angel Flight, the women’s volunteer auxiliary to the Air Force ROTC. Her senior year she was selected as a Military Ball Queen 1st runner-up.

When her son was growing up, she was active as an officer of the then Northeast Ohio Cooperative Preschool Association and as an adult catechesis instructor at her parish, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Later she was active as a PTA officer and served on various school board committees. However, she is most proud of the several years she taught Spanish as a volunteer to the gifted children of Nordonia Hills. For her efforts she was awarded a Commendation for Outstanding Service. Marti was an educator for over 25 years. Her teaching experience included preschool, elementary, Montessori, and high school Spanish, as well as, English as a second language.

During her high school tenure she served on various volunteer committees to improve the learning environment through the Bill Gates Small School Initiative. Several times she was nominated to the Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. When not teaching, she was a freelance interpreter for American businessmen traveling to Latin America. Retirement opened a new chapter in her life. She now spends her winters in sunny South Carolina and returns to Ohio for the cool summers and brilliant autumn foliage.

Since retiring Marti has published an illustrative bilingual children’s book titled, "Look How Lovely! ¡Mira qué lindo!" as well as several magazine articles.

In addition Marti has pursued her life long dream of acting and dancing on stage. She has received awards for lead role performances as a community theatre actress in both states. Marti has participated in the National Senior Theatre convention recreating various old time radio shows. She appeared as an extra in the recently released Alex Cross movie, and for a short time conducted historical tours in full antebellum attire.

Presently Marti is a standardized patient for the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner School of Medicine where she acts as a patient in the education of our future doctors. She volunteers for Heroes on Horseback and is a simultaneous medical interpreter for the Volunteers in Medicine. Marti received an outstanding service award for her volunteer work in her local South Carolina community. She hopes to develop a Spanish for seniors program that she plans to use in area senior facilities. Marti has traveled extensively to over 30 countries and 5 continents. She continues her love of learning by taking university classes through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She loves to jazzercise and lives by the motto, "Nothing is impossible unless you believe it is impossible."