Paige Harsman receives Chaminade Julienne Trainor Award

Congratulations to Vandalia resident Paige Harsman for receiving one of Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School’s highest honors for the Class of 2026: The Trainor Award. Established in honor of Mike Trainor, CJ’s principal from 1999-2004, the award exemplifies intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning, service, compassion, integrity, and faith.

Harsman distinguished herself through exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and service. She earned honor roll recognition for 15 consecutive quarters, received the Presidential Award for Educational Excellence along with the math and social studies departments’ Excellence Awards, and was inducted into the National Honor Society, where she served as president. 

“Paige has been a leader at CJ since her freshman year,” said Greg Mueller, CJ’s principal. “Between involvement in service activities, athletics, and leadership groups, Paige has demonstrated the all-around skills needed to excel in CJ's mission of educating the whole person.”

Committed to making both CJ and the Dayton community stronger, Harsman served in school government for all four years of high school, participated in numerous school organizations, and dedicated herself to community service initiatives. Each year at CJ, she received CJ’s Gold Award for volunteering more than 100 hours beyond the requirement, having completed 824 hours throughout her high school career. 

Her commitment to volunteering earned her two honors from outside organizations for her service and leadership. She received the Dayton La Sertoma Youth Service Award in recognition of her commitment to service, leadership, and involvement at CJ. She also earned Helper Helper’s National Service Honor (Gold Level) for completing 289 volunteer hours between September 2024 and September 2025. The award is modeled after the retired Presidential Volunteer Service Award and recognizes impactful volunteer service completed within 12 months. 

An accomplished student-athlete, Harsman competed on the varsity tennis team, serving as captain during her senior year, while also playing on the varsity golf team. Her achievements earned her the 2026 Sister Damienne Grismer Scholarship, the Mark Andrew Kreusch Memorial Fund Community Service Scholarship, and the OHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award. 

“Receiving the Trainor award means a lot to me,” said Harsman. “It is such an honorable recognition for all my hard work these past four years. It is also an inspiration and a motivation to work hard during college.”

This fall, Harsman plans to study aerospace engineering at The Ohio State University.

Background information for the Mike Trainor Book Award
This award is named in honor of CJ’s principal from 1999 to 2004 and is given to a senior who has demonstrated intellectual curiosity coupled with the pursuit of knowledge throughout his or her career at CJ.

Chaminade Julienne is a private, co-educational Catholic high school in Dayton. The downtown high school was founded in 1850 and has operated at its current location on Franklin and Ludlow Streets in Dayton, Ohio, since 1886 with the establishment of Notre Dame Academy by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The school is proud of its cosmopolitan composition, with a population of approximately 700 students in grades 9-12 representing 50 different zip codes from around the region—and nearly 50 students in grades 7-8 for the first year of operating a middle school during the 2025-2026 school year. Chaminade Julienne is owned and operated by the Marianists and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, in conjunction with lay persons.