Watchung Hills Regional High School’s fifth annual Hall of Fame event will take place on April 20, starting at 7 p.m. in the performing arts center of the school, 108 Stirling Road, Warren. The public is cordially invited to attend the induction ceremony and the reception that follows.
Hall of Fame inductees, selected from nominations made by members of the community at large, represent a variety of professions—education, journalism, music, public service, athletics, for example. Some of the honorees will have graduated from Watchung Hills Regional High School and attained distinction in their fields. Others will have served the school with dedication as teachers, coaches, Board of Education members. Others will have given extraordinary talent and time to their communities.
The 2012 selections to the Hall of Fame are:
- A. Kimberlin Blackburn (Class of 1971), bead/fiber artist, author, museum exhibitor;
- Andrew Cohen (Class of ’75 ) award-winning film-maker, teacher, founder of Bridge Film Festival;
- Angela deBerjois (physical education teacher, championship field hockey coach, 1986 Teacher of the Year; Beverly Di Geronimo , teacher of English, Testing Coordinator, Vice-Principal, Director of Curriculum & Instruction ;
- Michael Natiello (Class of ’92), illustrator, teacher, TV guest star;
- Carl Riccio ( Class of 2004) baseball, wrestling star, lawyer, advocate for stem cell research, spinal cord-injured persons;
- Peter Shive (Class of 1959) geophysicist, researcher in continental drift, worked with NSF, NASA, professor at U. of Wyoming, world champion in disc golf;
- Alison Wright (Class of 1979) prize-winning photo-journalist and documentary photographer, author, founder of “Faces of Hope”;
- Paula Jolly Zusi (Class of 1978) Executive vice-president and Chief Supply Chain Officer for Global Sourcing & Manufacturing at Liz Claiborne, heads humanitarian efforts to renovate and support an orphanage in Saigon, Vietnam, Be Thao.
- Beverly Di Geronimo, teacher of English, Testing Coordinator for statewide and national testing at Hills, Vice-Principal, Director of Curriculum and Instruction.
The Hall of Fame was initiated in 2008 as part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the opening of Watchung Hills Regional High School. It was viewed as a timely way to celebrate those who have served or brought honor to the school through their efforts and achievements. Hall of Fame members are selected from among nominations made by the public. The names of nominees not selected for a specified year are retained for future consideration.
Community members are encouraged to forward nominations for the 2013 Hall of Fame. Nomination forms will be available at the induction event and also at the Main Office of the high school.
The Hall of Fame committee is seeking donations to cover the cost of individual plaques for the 2012 honorees. The plaques, which bear a brief biography and a photo of the honoree, will be placed on permanent display in the school’s main lobby. Friends, employers, family members or alumni may wish to contribute to the plaque-funding.
A souvenir book containing information and photos about the 2012 inductees is also in the process of preparation.
Individuals and businesses wishing to express their congratulations may do so. (Full page, $200; half-page, $100, quarter-page, $50.) The deadline for printing is April 13.
Tickets for the Hall of Fame Induction cover the ceremony and the reception which follows and defray part of the cost of the permanent plaques. Tickets are $25 and they may be purchased in the Main Office of the high school or at the door on the day of the event.
All questions relating to the event—tickets, financial contributions, ads for the booklet, etc.—may be addressed to Vice Principal Terrence MacConnell, at 908-647-4800, ext. 6975.
This article was edited to reflect a change in the date and time of the event.
