Alumni Spotlight: Hannah Gaskins

The amazing work of our students doesn’t just end at graduation. Our alumni go on to excel in a variety of fields, including athletics.

In this alumni spotlight, you’ll learn more about Hannah Gaskins and her dream of becoming an Olympian.

After graduating from Reynoldsburg High School in 2017, Hannah attended Cleveland State University before transferring to the University of Hawai'i to complete her bachelor's degree in sociology. She then moved back to Ohio and earned her masters from The Ohio State University. She uses her degrees in her role as a clinical mental health therapist. However, supporting the health of others isn’t her only passion.

Hannah has always been involved in athletics. Her favorite memory from her time in the District was attending the Final Four with the 2015-16 girls' basketball team. After graduation, she gained a huge passion for track and field. For two years, Hannah competed successfully before the COVID-19 pandemic.

She was unable to compete during the pandemic and graduated from college feeling like she wasn’t able to get all the “athlete” out of her system. So, she tried to continue doing track post-graduation, however she found a new passion — bobsled and skeleton. Hannah had seen some big-name track athletes make that switch and, after trying it, she was hooked.

Skeleton is a winter sliding sport where athletes ride a small sled down an icy track, head-first, at high speeds. It’s a very fast, adrenaline-filled sport. Many people have asked Hannah if she is crazy. She says, “I must have a little bit of it, because I am going 80mph headfirst down an ice track.” In her first season, 2024-25, she had success on the North American Cup Circuit. Now, she will be competing in the Europa Cup and couldn’t be more excited.

We asked her what advice she would have given herself back in high school. She said,

Stop waiting for other people to approve of you- God already does. The dreams and gifts that God has given you are there for a reason. Chase them down relentlessly and fearlessly because He has already given you the tools to do so.

This Team USA athlete has excelled in both academics and athletics. She shows that dedication to your passion, no matter what that may be, can show incredible results. We are incredibly #REYNProud of this alum and wish her luck in achieving her dream of becoming an Olympian.

If you are interested in supporting Hannah in her journey, she is always looking for sponsors and donors. You can find more information on her GoFundMe.*

*Reynoldsburg City Schools does not have a role in the GoFundMe or Hannah’s sponsorships