Next Class of Distinguished Alumni Named
The Highland Park High School Alumni Association has announced the three graduates who will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards next April.
Two of them are members of the Class of 1953, and I recognized their names right off the bat: Mary Frances McClure Burleson is the president and CEO of the Ebby Halliday Companies, and James “Blackie” Holmes is a former mayor of University Park.
The name of the other honoree, 1957 graduate Barbara Lehde deRubertis, was not familiar to me, but she appears to be an author of children’s books.
The Distinguished Service Award will go to David “D” Smith. The Highlander Award will go to former Superintendent Cathy Bryce.
D Smith was the best History teacher I had in at HP or college. It was honor to be in his class. The way he started each session with a story that captured the entire class’s attention and then went into his lesson made it feel like you were not in a classroom setting and created an atmosphere were you found yourself wanting to hear/learn more and the class not to end. Well deserved award for one of the best teachers to walk the halls of HP!