District 27 honors alumni at 2nd annual Alumni Honors Dinner

[April 23, 2013]  Lincoln Elementary School District 27 hosted its second annual Alumni Honors Dinner on Saturday to recognize the individual achievements of its graduates. Approximately 90 Lincoln Junior High School alumni and guests attended the celebration.

Forty-five alumni were selected for recognition by a committee consisting of members of the board of education, teachers and members of the community.

Individuals honored are graduates of Lincoln Elementary School District 27, or its predecessor schools, who have made notable contributions in one of the following areas:

• Business, industry or as an entrepreneur

• Entertainment, arts or sports

• Service professions (education, religion, politics, law, medicine, research, military, etc.)

• Community service

Three graduates were selected to receive special recognition as "Distinguished Alumni" because of their outstanding contributions to the arts, for academic excellence and for leadership in business and the community:

• Roland Ginzel
  Class of 1935
  Artist, teacher, pioneer abstractionist painter

• Dr. D. Leigh Henson
  Class of 1956
  Professor, scholar, author

• William B. Bates
  Class of 1968
  Attorney, civic leader

Honored Alumni for 2013 are:

• Kristina Allen

• Dr. Susan Anderson

• Rev. Gene Appel

• Roger Baldwin

• William C. Bates Jr.

• Carla Henderson Bender

• Claudia Beth Bismark

• Dr. Kent Budd

• Jody Carroll

• Tracy Allen Curry

• Larry Decker

• Laine Dreusicke

• Linda Franz

• Dr. Kevin Funk

• Gerry Brannan Gaedtka

• Paul E. Gleason

• Mary Peters Harmsen

• Cindy Johnson

• William E. Johnson

• Larry Lessen

• Natalie Workman Loeffler

• Maureen Harrison Looney

• Kevin Lynn

• Eric Martin

• Case McGee

• Thomas W. Montgomery

• Dr. Pamela Moriearty

• Dr. Samuel Pooley

• Gail Petro

• Dr. Keith Ray

• Ronald L. Robbins

• Thomas Rowland

• Trudy Leonard Sampson

• Michell Verban Simons

• Don W. Smith

• Brian Stoltzenburg

• Kent W. Sunderland

• Scott Taft

• Noel Thompson

• Bonnie J. Welch

• Kaye Wessbecher

• Cari Keysear Wilmert

• Tina Henderson Workman

Information and pictures about Honored and Distinguished Alumni are incorporated into a media presentation that is part of the LJHS Wall of Honored Alumni. The wall, located in the LJHS commons, recognizes notable District 27 graduates. The media presentation is projected on a large video screen installed in the commons and was created for two purposes. The first purpose is to honor the many and varied accomplishments of alumni. The second is to provide positive role models for current and future students. The Distinguished Alumni are additionally recognized by placing a wall plaque that includes their picture.

Lincoln Elementary School District 27 welcomes and encourages nominations from the public of alumni to honor in future celebrations. Nominations can be made online from the district website, Lincoln27.com. Nomination forms are also available at the district administration building, 304 Eighth St. in Lincoln.