2025 Legacy NAFC Royal Court

My story with NAFC Schools began at Grantline Elementary, continued through Scribner Middle School, and led me to New Albany High School, where I graduated in 1975. I was fortunate to be part of one of NAHS’s very first gymnastics teams and even competed in the state championships. Those years taught me dedication, perseverance, and the confidence to lead, especially through organizations like FBLA. The friendships I built in high school have lasted a lifetime, and I still cherish the support of my close-knit group of friends from those days.

Mentors like Mrs. Gerry Austin, my first tumbling coach, and Mrs. Barbara Thrasher, my gymnastics coach, had an enormous influence on me. Mrs. Thrasher once asked me, at age sixteen, to teach a clinic. That moment gave me the confidence to step into coaching and discover how much I loved helping others. Over the years, I was also guided by Becky Seiler of Becky Seiler Dance Studio, whose encouragement and leadership have been a constant source of inspiration.

In 1982, I founded The Tumbler’s Club, and by 1984, I opened my own facility on Mt. Tabor Road. What began as a small program has grown into All Starz Gymnastics, a thriving acro, tumbling, and gymnastics training center where generations of students have found confidence, strength, and community with National Championships. Today, I focus on helping athletes overcome mental roadblocks to achieve new skills, because I know firsthand that success comes from believing in yourself and persevering through challenges.

Family and community are the heart of my life. My parents, Jim and Gayla Akers, both attended NAHS, and my brother Jim graduated from NAHS in 1971. I love spending time with my daughters, Alexandria (Christian Academy, '09) and Demi (NAHS, ’14), as well as my seven-year-old grandson, who enjoyed being part of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. 

I value the ways the NAFC Education Foundation supports programs like Blessings in a Backpack, classroom innovation, and mental health initiatives. These efforts align closely with what I strive to do at All Starz: provide young people with the tools, encouragement, and safe spaces they need to succeed. I am honored to be part of the Royal Court as a way to give back to the community that has always given so much to me. Supporting the Foundation is another step in ensuring that children across Floyd County continue to thrive with opportunities, resources, and encouragement to reach their full potential.

–Karen (Akers) McKinley-Boyd, New Albany High School ’75