CONGRATULATIONS TO PRINCIPAL SHANE O'DAY!
Principal O'Day was one of four IPS educators to win the Hubbard Life-Changing School Leadership Award announced in May. Along with this honor comes a $25,000 financial award.
According to the recent announcement, it was said, "O'Day is an advocate for the dreams and goals of his students and relentless in his pursuit of providing the best opportunities for everyone in his school. He was hired to help develop and lead a new school with a rigorous curriculum. According to a community partner, "Shane handled a challenging transition of programs and schools with diplomacy, transparency and an ethic of care at every stage."
Although the financial award can be used by O'Day in any way he chooses, he announced previously and at the SAA Annual Meeting (June 3, 2017) that he will share this award with many of his professional staff for whom he said made this award possible. "
This award isn't about Shane, it's about the staff and community of Shortridge High School," said Principal O'Day. "I'm going to take my entire winnings and divide it among the staff because it's for them, it's not for me." "...Just because I have the title doesn't mean I have the greatest effect. It's really the teachers in my building that do the work every day in the classroom."
Refer to the IPS website,
myIPS.org ,for more information about this announcement and/or other topicsrelating to Indianapolis Public Schools.
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RACE DAY, MAY 28, 2017:
A first for any IPS high school, the Shortridge Alumni Association's logo was proudly affixed to the race car of driver Buddy Lazier for this year's '500' Mile Race. Thanks to Board member, Bruce Bohlander, for making this happen.
Note the blue and white logo in front of the left rear wheel.
Photos courtesy of B. Bohlander and Team Lazier
*****
Dinner with Dan Wakefield, June 2, 2017
Dan Wakefield, Shortridge Class of 1950, is "Vonnegut's Oldest Living Friend," so he's recently admitted as he shared a delightful evening for a casual dinner and meeting with approximately 20+ Shortridge alumni and guests as a preamble to the SAA All-Classes Reunion events. As you likely know, Wakefield, (who recently celebrated his 85th birthday)
, is a novelist, journalist, and screenwriter whose best-selling novels,
Going all the Way
and
Starting Over,
were produced as feature films. He also created the NBC prime-time TV series
James at 15
,
and was a close friend of alumnus Kirt Vonnegut.
A highly active octogenarian, Wakefield hosts a local radio call-in show, "Uncle Dan's Story Hour," and story-telling events at the Red Key bar and/or the Jazz Kitchen on the Indianapolis northside. As well, he's accepting subscriptions to his blog writings, periodically posted via DanWakefield.com. Contact him at [email protected] for subscription information.
Wakefield continues to write and teach writing courses at colleges and universities across the United States.
Photos courtesy of David Shank, Shank PR
********
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2017
* SAA ANNUAL MEETING
Regular annual meeting of the Shortridge Alumni Association and business/financial reports. Election/re-election of officers to the Executive Board and Members-at-Large for two-year terms as follows:
- Keith Rand ('70) - President
- Bruce Bohlander ('75) - VP of Public Relations
- Teresa (Vertner) Brown ('64) - Recording Secretary
- Jarnell (Burks) Craig ('63) - Decade of the '60s Rep
- Wanda (Burks) Bell - Decade of the '70s Rep
See below for all members of the SAA Board of Directors.
* HALL OF FAME & ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
2017
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Pharez Whitted ('78) Cari (Alley) Kluger ('78 classmate @ SHS and DePauw U) introduced Whitted during induction ceremony.
Pharez Whitted, a 1978 graduate of Shortridge, is an American jazz trumpeter,composer, educator, recording artist and producer.
Since 1982, Whitted has performed throughout the U.S. and overseas, including shows at the 1988 Presidential Inauguration,
The Arsenio Hall Show, The Billboard Music Awards,
Carnegie Hall, and the Motown Music Showcase.
Pharez grew up in a family of musicians in Indianapolis, studied music at DePauw University, and earned a master's degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He is the son of singer and bassist Virtue Hampton Whitted and Thomas Whitted, Sr., who played drums with Freddie Hubbard and West Montgomery, and the nephew of trombonist and National Endowment of the Arts jazz master Slide Hampton. He was recently named
Chicagoian of the Year in Jazz for 2016.
He has taught at prestigious colleges and universities such as Wabash College, The Ohio State University, and most recently Chicago State University. Currently, he is the Director of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) Jazz Orchestra. He's performed with such notable musicians such as Branford Marsalis, George Duke, John Mellencamp, Nancy Wilson, Chaka Khan to name only a few.
Whitted is the coordinator of the Chicago division of the J@LC Jazz in Schools program; Clinician for the J@LC Essentially Ellington Program; Jazz Mentor of the Revinia Jazz Scholar Program,and Jazz Mentor of the Timeless Gifts Program.
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Nominations for the SHS Hall of Fame are now being accepted until December 31, 2017, for 2018 HoF inductees. Click here for the nomination form. Nominator must provide completed form and biography; names only of prospective nominees will not be accepted.
Other classmates reconnected at the ceremony:
Classmates from '60s Sandy (Read) Reiberg & Pharez
*****
* ALL-CLASSES REUNION LUNCHEON, June 3, 2017
Classmates from classes in the 1950s - 1980s were on hand to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the alumni association and hall of fame honoree. A lively group enjoyed a delicious catered luncheon and renewed friendships with former classmates or met new alumni friends. Specifically, these two 1973 classmates had an enjoyable time reconnecting; namely, Carol (Morgan) Gog and Sharon Martin. Alumni from the decade of the '50s, Donald Johnson ('59) and Clarence White ('54) along with "youngster," Todd Gardner ('81) and Velmar Clark ('54), enjoyed the luncheon as well.
(Photos courtesy of Scott Romer Photography)
******
FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 2017
2016-2017 Commencement
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2017
Alumni Association scholarship recipients:
Senior Achievement Scholars (sponsored by class of 1960):
* Jerome Zirnheld and * Monica Vilma - @ $500 each
Legacy Scholars (sponsored by SAA):
* Kayla Smith ($1,000) * Liwam Gebreslassie ($1,000) * Opeolua Obajolu ($1,500)
2017 Spirit Leader recipient (sponsored by SAA):
* Kayla Smith ($500)
