Alumni Spotlight - Katie Gauntner '14

From a young age, Katie Gauntner knew she was destined to be a Panther. During her high school search, she wanted to attend a school that had a rich tradition and a community that felt more like family. Growing up, she always heard about the impact the Elyria Catholic community had on her mom, Judy Glenn ‘84, and Aunt Cheryl (Glenn) Cramer ‘81. They both had lifelong friends and lessons they passed on to their children. These lessons and experiences helped set a foundation for the values that were instilled at home but also at Elyria Catholic.

“My brother Andrew Gauntner ‘11 and cousin Stephanie Cramer Pitts ‘11 were at the school and when I shadowed or went to events to support both of them, I felt right at home and felt that this place was going to mean the world to me. It was one of the best decisions of my life to follow in my family's footsteps and to get an education at Elyria Catholic with my sister, Tricia Gauntner ‘14.” 

As a student, Katie looked forward to seeing her friends and being part of a community that offered so much support in not only her education, but also socially and emotionally as well. Outside of academics, Katie felt her teachers really challenged students to truly find who they were and what they stood for. 

“The community at Elyria Catholic was like a second family to me. Every time I went to school I would be greeted with a smile and the support of my classmates, the faculty and staff, and even the alumni. Thus, I felt that I found my home away from home.”

After graduating from Elyria Catholic in 2014, Katie went on to John Carroll University and majored in Psychology with concentrations in Forensic Psychology and Child and Family Studies. She returned to John Carroll for her Master of Education in School Counseling. During her time as a Blue Streak, Katie felt the pillars of Elyria Catholic remained with her and are still the foundation of her values today. Her appreciation for the Elyria Catholic community brought her back to her alma mater where she spent the 2021-2022 school year as the Counseling Department Intern. Upon completion of her internship, Katie was offered a full time position as a school counselor for the 2022-2023 school year. In this position, she hopes to truly make a difference for our students and to help them grow to become the people they dream of becoming. Not only has she spent her time in the counseling department, but she’s also remained involved in EC athletics as well. As an assistant softball coach, she has been able to share her passion and knowledge with an amazing group of girls which has been a rewarding experience in and of itself.

Katie hopes her experiences as a student at Elyria Catholic can allow her to meet her students where they are at and give them the support that they need during their high school career. The students like to hear stories about her time at Elyria Catholic because it allows them to build a connection and they know she understands the side of being a student at EC. Katie also prays the school can allow for the students to be prepared academically and emotionally for their future endeavors, as she was. 

For the rest of her 2014 classmates, Katie wants them to continue to be themselves. “Each of us have a great gift to give the world. Use that gift to do something good and together we can make a difference and leave our mark just like we did at Elyria Catholic High School.”