Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame

 

Lansing’s Everett High School has a Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.  As of February 2, 2016, there are twelve individuals inducted into this program.  The information below was provided to me by one of Everett’s teachers, John Zielinski who is responsible for keeping the program going throughout the years.

 

Everett High School

Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame

As of the above date, twelve individuals have been inducted into the Everett High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. This Hall was first developed in year 2000. I have been the person keeping this program going throughout the years. Yes, it has been subjective, and we will need to modify the induction process in the coming years. However, all persons inducted were very deserving.

I utilized this system to enhance my Everett traditional programs; and I fit these inductions into the preexisting ceremonies I was producing. I worked within the infrastructure of Everett. There were always hundreds of Everett students present, and we were able to present our inductees with a plaque which they took with them. We currently do not have anything on the Everett walls regarding this Hall of Fame. By writing this narrative, I seek to establish a cyber- baseline so we can flourish in the future, as others begin to input their ideas; and make their nominations.

These persons were inducted because I wanted them in this Hall of Fame, I was willing to do all of the work to make these inductions happen, and I intertwined them within the fabric of our school. I served as the faculty representative for this program. All of my nominations were approved by the Everett building principals.

Edwin Smith, ’63. (2000) Edwin was inducted by building principal Dale Glynn. This was shortly after I submitted a proposal to him about this creation, which I felt could supplement our Everett High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Edwin was a four-star General in the United States Army. He spoke to Everett students at a ceremony dedicated just to him. He had arranged a visit to Everett out of his busy schedule. He toured the building with about four other field grade officers in tow. He also spoke to one of our seniors about West Point, for she had been appointed for that next incoming class.

Robert Taylor, ’66. (2002) Robert was a Brigadier General in the Michigan Army National Guard. We inducted him during our 9-11 Remembrance Ceremony at the Archie Ross Stadium. He related to us that he had been in the Pentagon with hundreds of other one star Army generals on 10 September 2001. They were in the exact spot where the plane impacted. Bob arranged for two A10 Warthogs to fly over us during the ceremony. Archie Ross Stadium and Spartan Stadium were the only two venues which I remember to have received flyovers at that time.

Paul Powers, ’52. (2003 or 2004) Paul is an Everett legend, with his own monument outside the Main Office of the school. He is the only posthumous inductee thus far. I contacted his wife, Sandy; and his family attended our 9-11 Ceremony. If you read my article, “Retrieving Lansing (MI) Everett High School’s Vietnam War,” Paul is the focus at the beginning. He is responsible for the monument in the front walkway of the school which lists the 23 Everett Alumni who have died or been killed during our wars. Twelve of those men have earned their place on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Paul dedicated our memorial in the Fall, 1971. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington DC on 11 November 1982. Three men on our memorial died during the Vietnam era, but are not on the Wall, and at least two others on our memorial died in the Second World War (within one week of each other in 1944). I would have never known about those Everett military veterans, whom all gave their last measure of devotion to our country, without that memorial. It was the starting point of my research, and the boost I needed for my ceremonies to continue thriving.

Melissa White, ’02. (2007) Melissa is a world-class musician whom attended Everett her first two years before transferring to the Music Academy. She was in my 9th grade World Geography class for one semester. We inducted her as part of the Women’s History Month Ceremony we did that year. That prior summer, I attended a week-long Women’s History Conference at the Michigan Women’s History Museum at what is now Malcolm X Road. To get my teacher credit and to get paid for that conference I put together this ceremony for my project.

Tom Cochran, ’71. (2008) Tom was the Lansing Fire Department Chief at the time of his induction, and currently serves mostly Ingham County as a Democrat State Representative. Tom was inducted during our 9-11 Ceremony at Archie Ross Stadium, in front of his parents (both Everett graduates), and many of his firefighters. They had two fire engines in the stadium parking lot off Holmes Road. They sounded the horns of these rigs after we finished the National Anthem. Luckily, the firefighters were not called away for any emergencies during the ceremony; but they were prepared. Tom also spoke at one of our ceremonies a few years earlier. Mayor Virg Bernero also spoke at a number of ceremonies at Everett throughout the years; including that one. We took a picture of the speakers and performers standing together for the Everett Archives.

Dave Schaberg, ’68. (2009) Dave has owned a number of communications companies over his professional life. He has also performed thousands of hours of volunteer services for Everett; before, during and after his three sons graduated from our school. Dave is the announcer for Everett athletics, particularly during football seasons. He is also an assistant chairman for my programs. We inducted him during the 9-11 Ceremony at Archie Ross Stadium. That year before, as we inducted Tom into the Hall of Fame, I told Dave to be prepared for the next year, and his induction. Dave has been the producer of the graduation ceremonies the past few years for all Lansing School District high schools.

Alexa Canady, ’67. (2010) Alexa is a world renowned pediatric surgeon. She was one of the first students to integrate Everett. Sue Land, a former Everett Administrator, nominated Alexa for induction years earlier, but the process was on hold. One night I read in the paper that Alexa would be in Lansing on other business, and I was able to establish contact with her. We put together a small ceremony devoted just to her. Alexa brought her mother to the program, and spoke to hundreds of Everett students about life.

Delbert Husband, ’74. (2010) I read in the paper that Delbert was about to attain the rank of Command Sergeant Major of the Michigan Army National Guard, and it got me to thinking. About two months later we contacted each other about his induction. We did this as part of the Memorial Day Ceremony at Archie Ross Stadium. Delbert’s mother and son attended, as well as many Army personnel. I remember it was very hot outside, and because we were on the home side bleachers, we had the morning sun shining down through us; yet, the 700 Everett students attending were very appropriate. That is why I know do outdoor ceremonies during 6th hour, when the sun is at our backs. For the 20 years I have been conducting Everett Memorial Day ceremonies, we always have students read the 24 names of the “Roll Call of Everett’s Fallen Warriors.”

Desmond Ferguson, ’95. (2011) Desmond had just been hired as the Varsity boys basketball coach, taking over for Johnny Jones after his 33 year tenure as coach. I was the yearbook advisor at that time, and I asked Desmond to speak at the senior class meeting that June. This was one day after the graduation ceremony for the old seniors, when we prepared the new group for some of the responsibilities they faced over the summer (including arranging for their senior pictures). I told Desmond I would induct him into the Hall of Fame, but I had no money to buy him a plaque. I told him I could get him one, but he would have to pay for it himself. He agreed. We had this meeting in the cafeteria, and the students responded very well to what he had to say to them. He has done very well in his Everett position. Since 1953, Everett has had four boys basketball coaches (Ted Bauer, George Fox, Johnny and Desmond) over that 63 year period. That is the epitome of stability. I am friends with Ted. We dedicated two of our Veterans Day ceremonies to him, as a representative of the World War Two veterans. He turned 91 years of age on 7 December 2015.

Eric Hartley, ’80. (2012) Eric has been a teacher at Everett for his entire career, beginning in 1985. Like Desmond the year before, I asked Eric to speak to the new group of seniors about making it through Everett in appropriate fashion. Eric is very well respected by the staff and students at Everett, so his words resonated well to those in attendance at our meeting in the cafeteria. That year, I was just as broke as before, so Eric had to pay for his own plaque.

Jeremy Ramirez, ’03. (2014) Jeremy was a soldier in the United States Army who served in the Iraq War. He was partially paralyzed when his armored vehicle hit a land mine. The other two soldiers in that vehicle were killed at that spot. We recognized Jeremy’s service through his induction during the 9-11 Ceremony at Archie Ross Stadium. He had previously participated in some of my programs. His two small children were present at a couple of our ceremonies, including this one.

Ricardo Villarreal (aka Ricky Valenz), ’99. (2014) Ricky is a well-recognized Tejano singer. He was able to come to Everett in December, and we created a school-wide assembly around his induction. He performed a concert in the Earvin Johnson Gymnasium, and later that day sang the National Anthem at the basketball game. This was a great cultural experience for Everett students.

I did not take very good notes as we were going through the years connected to my ceremonies and programs, as I connected them with the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. These two aspects of Everett came to intertwine within my imagination. We just continued forward. Through these projects, we reached an entire generation of Everett students regarding our history and traditions.

There are literally hundreds of Everett alumni whom are deserving of this honor. I had to work with people whom I knew; who were able to participate within the Everett spirit of my vision.

I never received anything in return from any of these inductees. However, I do now believe that these individuals owe something back to Everett; even though I never clarified anything like that to them during their induction processes.

If we can ever get the Everett High School Alumni Association moving forward, perhaps that group can take over this Hall of Fame. I leave that to others to decide.

Thank you for your careful consideration. I speak only for myself and my Everett committee. I do not speak for Everett High School or the Lansing School District.