The Edgewater High School Foundation will induct our fifth class of The Edgewater High School Hall of Fame on April 14, 2018. Click Here for more information and to purchase tickets and to sponsor this event.
The Edgewater High School Hall of Fame was established in 2010 by the Edgewater High School Foundation to honor EHS alumni and supporters who have accomplished excellence in high school and who have distinguished themselves through virtue and integrity in at least one of six categories: Arts, Academics, Athletics, Professional, Community and Eagle Spirit.
Also honored are the new inductees to the Quarter Century Club, members of the Faculty and Staff of EHS who have dedicated over 25 years of service. Click Here for a full listing of Quarter Century Club inductees.
2018 Inductees
Dr. Michael Blasewitz: EHS Principal 1993-2004
Dr. Michael Blasewitz served as the second longest EHS Principal from 1993-2004. All three of his children graduated from EHS. He increased enrollment in the Engineering, Science and Technology Magnet Program by more than triple the amount of students. Enrollment peaked at more than 3300 students during his tenure. In addition he continued to increase the Advanced Placement program from 100 to over 1000 students.
Ritsy Carpenter: Community Involvement – Class of 1972
Ritsy Carpenter has been a strong force in the formation of the EHS Foundation. She has also served on the EHS PTSA for over 10 years – with terms as both VP and president for two years. She was involved on the EHS Task Force that helped with the construction of the new campus. While at EHS, Ritsy participated on the swim team, Young Life and the JV/Varsity Cheerleading Squad, where she was captain from 1971 to 1972. She was crowned Homecoming Queen in 1971-1972. She has also been active with Leadership Orlando and served as president of the Orange County Bar Auxiliary in addition to her Weekday School Board position attached to First Presbyterian Church of Orlando.
Dr. Marvin Hardy: Professional – Class of 1987
Dr. Marvin Hardy is an Edgewater High School Graduate of 1987. He started his medical career as a Private Practice Pediatric Physician with Interlachen Pediatrics in Maitland. He then became the Founder of Grace Medical Home in Downtown Orlando in 2009. Hardy was an Eagle Scout, the 1987 EHS Homecoming King, and a member of the Football, Soccer and Baseball teams at EHS.
Rick Jaffe: Professional – Class of 1975
Rick Jaffe is currently the Executive Producer at the Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN), the first sports gambling news network. He was named “most maluable staffer” of Eagle Eye, the Edgewater High School newspaper, in 1975. Prior to his work at VSiN, he was Senior Vice President for Fox Sports, and he received an Emmy Award for producers.
Leanne Jakubowski O’Regan: Professional – Class of 1980
While at Edgewater High School, Leanne Jakubowski O’Regan was Civilian Club President, EHS drum major and homecoming queen. She holds one of the top leadership roles with Walt Disney World Company as Director of Public Relations for Disney Parks in Orlando. Since her start at Disney, she has been a driving force to move Disney’s use of communication strategy to launch the company’s first ever social media channels.
Dennis Kamrad: Athletics
As a Social Studies teacher, Dennis Kamrad was part of the Edgewater High School Faculty from 1962-1969. He started the first high school rowing team in the State of Florida in 1963 using borrowed equipment. Dennis formed the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association in 1966 with three other schools and took the EHS alumni boat to 1968 Olympic Trials.
Tina McCall: Athletics – Class of 1976
Tina McCall was the first tennis prodigy developed by local tennis pro Denton Johnson. Her determination quickly zoomed her to the top of the State and National rankings. At Edgewater High School, she led the team to States every year and finished her tenure at EHS with a three-year undefeated match winning streak. She received a full Division I scholarship to Indiana University, led the team to four Big Ten championships and was a two-time All American. After her college career, she played on the Virginia Slims and Nike Circuits. She is the founder of the Denton Johnson Tennis Corp., a non-profit that continues the work of her mentor and coach to help develop young junior tennis players. Tina currently teaches mentally and physically impaired students at the Magnolia School in Orlando.
Joe & Janice Nisbett: Eagle Spirit
For over 11 years, the Joe and Janice Nisbett have relentlessly supported Edgewater High School, EHS events and the College Park community. Joe was part of the Edgewater High School Task Force in the development of the new EHS renovation/expansion. Janice created events such as the Eagle Flight 5K (with co-chair Jan Cox) and served as PTA president and secretary, along with numerous other activities.
Ernest Palmer: Professional – Class of 1956
While Ernest Palmer was at Edgewater High School from 195356, he was President of the Edgewater Civilian Club and given the Citizenship Award. Ernest was also Board President of the Edgewater Crew Team in 1985-1986 and funded and built the team’s first floating dock on Lake Fairview. He also built an addition to the Edgewater Boathouse to accommodate the growing crew team. He is the son of Paul Carr Palmer, Sr., who founded the locally owned Palmer Feed Store in Orlando. Ernest ran the store and has given many EHS students after school employment.
Sharon Vaughn: Artistic/Creative – Class of 1965
Sharon Vaughn started her career in music as a recording artist. Discovered by the late Mel Tillis, Sharon moved to Nashville. Vaughn has composed several musicals including SWEET POTATO QUEENS, THE MUSICAL with Grammy Award winner, Melissa Manchester and Tony Award winner, Rupert Holmes. Sharon was recently honored for her contribution to music by the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville as a Poets and Prophets, Legendary Songwriter.
Arthur Willett: Academic
Arthur Willet attended Edgewater High School in 1963 and entered the US Navy IM A School from 1965-1969. Art is a US Navy Veteran from the Vietnam War and is now retired from NASA as a Quality Assurance Supervisor. He has had extensive experience throughout his career and has received numerous special honors. In 2002 he was honored with NASA’s Prestigious Silver Snoopy Award for service to the space shuttle astronauts and his role in guaranteeing that all Launch Pad personnel have the proper training and necessary certifications to effectively carry out their assignments.
2018 Inductees to Quarter Century Club
Donna Davis: 25 Years at Edgewater High School
Donna Davis moved to College Park from Georgia 25 years ago and immediately fell in love with the community. After setting her goal to teach at Edgewater High School and being a very persistent job seeker, she finally convinced Dr. Blasewitz to give her a teaching position. She had the honor of teaching Health to many incredible young men and women in College Park. After the rebuild of EHS was completed, she started a dance program in which Yoga was eventually incorporated. She is now a certified Yoga instructor and has 250 EHS students enrolled in Kinesiology. Donna was named EHS Teacher of the Year for 2016-2017. She resides in College Park with her husband Dan, a Boone graduate, and her German shepherd, Captain America.
Sherlyn Minton: 31 Years at Edgewater High School
Sheryn (Sherry) Minton has a long history with Edgewater High School. She graduated from EHS in 1963. Returning five years later in 1968, she taught English until she became a guidance counselor and continued as such for the last fifteen years of her career, retiring in 1999. Not only is Sherry an Edgewater Eagle through and through, her family are Eagles as well! Her daughter graduated from EHS in 1984 and her two grandsons graduated from EHS in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Sherry was instrumental in implementing the Tech Prep Program at EHS. Today, Sherry is a property appraiser and a member of the American Society of Appraisers and the United Federation of Doll Clubs.
We Extend Special Thanks to Our Sponsors and Donors
Hall of Fame Event Sponsor
Joe and Janice Nisbett
Hall of Fame Table Sponsors
Bill & Nancy Robbinson, Classes of 1980 & 1982 • Summit Wealth Partners, LLC • Palmer Feed Store • deBeaubien Knight Simmons Mantzaris & Neal, LLP, Tom Neal Class of 1978 • Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, Nina Neal Kirchhoefer, Class of 1973 • Carol McAlpin, Honoring Ritsy Pierson Carpenter • United Legacy Bank • Peggy Shilling, Honoring Dennis Kamrad & in Memory of Steve Shilling, Class of 1972 • Orlando Rowing Association, Honoring Dennis Kamrad • Palmer Feed Store , Honoring Dennis Kamrad • The Nisbett Family • The Hardy Family • The Carpenter Family • Apenberry’s, Eric & Lisa Apen • Eben Self Law Firm • R. Nichols Stationery and Gifts, Anda Lucia Ariail
Donors and In-Kind Contributors
Amanda Ober, WESH Channel 2
Cleeve Cooney,Florida Film & Tape
Laurence Vexler, LHV Audio Services
Mark Losh, Mark Losh Photography
Jill and Giovanni Vianello, Let Us Frame It
Lisa Bywater, Velvet & Twine Patti Meade,
Balloons ‘n’ More Debbie Goetz, College Park Community Paper
Eric & Lisa Apen, Apenberry’s
David and Vonda Fields
All Saints Episcopal Church, Winter Park
4 Rivers Catering
EHS Band, Dr. Bruce Green
EHS Drama and Chorus, Alex Glover
EHS Orchestra, Osvaldo Quezada
EHS Students
EHS JMC ROTC, Lt. Col. Bryan Lucas & Sgt. Ray Fullard