Margaretta Schools unveils Achievement Hall of Fame

widman@sanduskyregister.comCASTALIAMargaretta Schools will proudly celebrate its most accomplished alumni this spring, by establishing its first-ever Achievement Hall of Fame, with a focus on academics.Today, the district publicly unveiled its eight inaugural inductees.The impressive list spans the nation, from the Castalia area to California, to war zones, research laboratories and the White House. It includes educators, military members, businesspeople, volunteers and more — all linked by their accomplishments as students and local graduates."These eight people are an outstanding group of servant-leaders," Margaretta Schools superintendent Dan Schroer said.The second-year spearheaded a committee of community members who created the honor and vetted candidates.Since 2002, the district has inducted its exceptional athletes into an Athletic Hall of Fame, with its members displayed on plaques near Margaretta High School's entrance. Achievement Hall of Fame members will receive similar recognition in a display case, so athletics and academics can stand side-by-side. "We hope this sends a message to our students about the importance of academics," Schroer said.All Achievement Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized during halftime of Friday night's boys varsity basketball game. They will be formally inducted May 3, during the high school's annual academic achievement awards banquet.Here are the eight members of the Margaretta Achievement Hall of Fame's inaugural class: Charles Adkins, Class of 1993 (deceased)Sgt. 1st Class Charles "Chuck" Adkins was a brave, well-respected member of the U.S. Army for more than 16 years.The career soldier received countless accolades. As a Margaretta student, he is remembered for his infectious personality and love of sports, especially basketball.Adkins was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2011, at age 36. A portion of Ohio 101 was named in his honor in 2014. Jamie Eckert, Class of 2003Jamie Eckert's rewarding career has taken her from small-town Castlia to the nation's capital. For six years, she has been part of the White House Medical Unit, a group of active-duty physicians, nurses, physician assistants and civilian personnel charged with caring for the president, vice president and their families.Most recently, she became the Physician to the President's special advisor.Eckert is a certified EMT and has received many honors. She has also volunteered with the Wounded Warrior Project and competed at the collegiate level in water polo.She will soon obtain a master's degree from George Washington University and is applying to medical schools. She plans to continue her education this fall. Herman Gant, Class of 1966 (deceased)Spc. Herman Gant, a high-achieving Margaretta student and a talented athlete, attended the University of Toledo on a football scholarship until he enlisted in the U.S. Army. His young life ended at age 21, when he was killed in action in Vietnam in 1969.Gant, a medical aid, is a true hero; he sacrificed his life while trying to administer first aid to his wounded comrades.Margaretta honors Gant each year by giving the Herman Gant Award to an exceptional student-athlete. Richard Hogrefe, Class of 1979Richard Hogrefe was a well-rounded, active student who participated in many activities, including Academic Challenge and football at Margaretta and competitive shooting in college. His exceptional grades earned him an academic scholarship. He went on to study chemistry.Hogrefe is now the CEO and president of TriLink BioTechnologies Inc. in San Diego. He founded the company with two other scientists, with a goal of bringing the world the leading technology to modify nucleic acids.His cutting-edge research applies to several important topics, including stem cell reprogramming, genetic therapy and vaccine development. Melvin Miller, Class of 1965Melvin Miller boasts an expansive background: he is a registered professional engineer, he was a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps and he attended the University of Toledo on an athletic scholarship for both football and track.He spent more than 30 years with Janotta and Herner Inc., a Monroeville-based general contractor.Miller's list of community activities is equally impressive.He has served in some capacity with the Bellevue Lions Club, Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio, the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and Lake Erie Chapter of Professional Engineers, to name a few, and has been a member of the Bellevue school board. Rodney Perry, Class of 1950Rodney Perry graduated from the former Townsend School in 1950, 15 years before the school consolidated with the existing Margaretta school district.The lifelong Township Township resident only left the area when he served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957.Perry worked for Shell Oil Co. and Chemical-Trol Chemical Co. until 1997, when he retired as a general manager who oversaw a $16 million division. He was also a volunteer firefighter.Today, he's well-known for his 43 years of volunteering with the Townsend Ruritan Club, which has earned him awards and recognition at the state level. Jean Smith, Class of 1969Jean Smith, a speech and language pathologist, retired after more than 40 years of work in local school districts, including Margaretta, as well as in hospitals and other private settings.She continues to impact children through her volunteer work and as a founding member of Townsend Community School's board of directors.She has received numerous accolades and has also taught as an adjunct professor.Smith is known for spearheading Project Share, a nonprofit organization that assists families in need during Christmastime. Additionally, she has applied for and secured more than $111,000 in grants, to support local development and scholarships. Dora Wilbur, Class of 1981Dora Wilbur, a local teacher, was inspired to pursue an education career by a longtime language arts teacher at Margaretta. Since then, she has earned countless awards at the state and national level.She currently works for Edison Schools.Wilbur is known for her creativity, sense of humor and diligence. She has been evaluated as a highly accomplished teacher, which is the highest performance rating established by the state of Ohio.Wilbur volunteers for many efforts, including Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and the Holly Run and 5k for cancer research. Want to nominate an inductee?• The Margaretta Achievement Hall of Fame is already accepting applications for its 2017 class of inductees.• Inductees must have made significant achievements as a student or employee of Margaretta Schools or the former Townsend School; or made accomplishments after graduation in their career, the military or in community service.• To nominate an individual, go to margaretta.k12.oh.us.• The deadline to submit an application is Oct. 30; call 419-684-5322 with questions or for more information.Charles Adkins, Class of 1993 (deceased) Jamie Eckert, Class of 2003 Herman Gant, Class of 1966 (deceased) Richard Hogrefe, Class of 1979 Melvin Miller, Class of 1965 Rodney Perry, Class of 1950 Jean Smith, Class of 1969 Dora Wilbur, Class of 1981