Newspaper carrier's dedication delivers big

Findlay High School junior Tyler Horstman was recently named "2020 Carrier of the Year" in the 10,000 to 25,000 newspaper circulation category by the Ohio News Media Association and its circulation committee. Tyler was nominated by Rob Jenney, circulation manager for The Courier, and the newspaper's circulation district managers. He and his mom, Jennifer Horstman, deliver about 100 papers six days a week on two routes on the east side of the city. Jennifer is office manager at The Courier. Tyler has been delivering the newspaper for four years and is also active at the high school and throughout the community. He is an honor student, a varsity swimmer and a member of Findlay First Edition show choir. He is a Boy Scout working on his Eagle Scout rank, a member of Junior Statesman and Junior Achievers, and a lifeguard at the Findlay Family YMCA. In a video included with the news release about the honor, Tyler is humble about the award: "Thank you so much for selecting me for the Carrier of the Year award. It was exciting to be nominated and an honor to be chosen. I'm super-excited to use my award money to help pay for college. It's been a pleasure serving my community as a newspaper carrier." "I'm excited to see what's in store for me," Tyler said. Jennifer said she encouraged her son to get a newspaper route as an eighth-grader, because she "wanted him to learn a good work ethic." Since then, customers in the Wilson Vance school neighborhood have benefitted from Tyler's dedication and time management. Clients showed their appreciation for Tyler's dedicated service by writing 60-65 letters of recommendation. Jennifer said she and Tyler write their clients letters on a regular basis to keep them updated and informed, and had asked the customers to consider writing letters supporting Tyler. The Carrier of the Year Achievement Awards Program was established in 1952 to honor youth newspaper carriers throughout Ohio. Over the years, a number of changes have been made to enhance the program that is now known as the Ohio News Media Carrier of the Year Award, with no separate award for youth, adult and senior carriers. The program and annual awards banquet were originally named for the founder, Glenn L. Cox, former circulation manager of the Dayton Daily News. Winners will receive $1,000 along with an award.