Overland Park — St. Thomas Aquinas High School here has announced the establishment of the Saints Hall of Fame awards program to formally recognize alumni, parents and friends who help define and advance the institution and its mission.
The Saints Hall of Fame program celebrates the four-year coeducational high school’s 25th year and its alumni and supporters. To date, 5,889 alumni have graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas since the school opened at 114th & Pflumm in 1988.
Nominations for the annual award are based on exceptional professional or personal achievement in areas of profession, vocation or avocation that may include, but not are not limited to, fields of religion, arts, athletics, business, human services, industry, medicine, military, science or volunteerism.
Award categories are Alumni and Distinguished Service. Additional awards that may be bestowed in any given year include the Legacy Award, for longtime exceptional service to the institution by members of the community, and the Marian Award, for longtime exceptional service by retired faculty and staff. All nominees must demonstrate Catholic values that represent St. Thomas Aquinas High School and its mission within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.
The 2013 inaugural Saints Hall of Fame Alumni Award recipients are: Brigid Molen Sullivan, class of 1995; Benjamin Schloegel, class of 1996; Erica Thesing Kratofil, class of 1997; Father Vince Huber, class of 2000; and Mikey Needleman, class of 2002. Alumni Award nominees must be graduates of 10 years or more.
The 2013 inaugural Saints Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award recipients are: Mac Ayer, Robert and Gail Foote, Robert Frankovic, Dave Goebel, and John and Barb O’Donnell.
Recipients of the 2013 inaugural Saints Hall of Fame Legacy Award, honoring persons or organizations who have been instrumental in helping to build the Saints community over a number of years, will be announced at a later time.
Faculty and staff members who are past recipients of the Marian Award will be grandfathered into the Saints Hall of Fame. They are: Gennaro Mirocke, 1992; Richard Scott, 1995; Blake Mulvany, 1996; Janiece Dye, 1996; Sister Kathleen Condry, OSU, 1998; Evelyn Boutte, 1999; Gail Prieb, 2002; Archbishop James P. Keleher, 2005; Dennis and Geri Hord, 2005; James Enneking, 2008; Bonnie Patrick, 2009; and Bob Aley, 2010.
Honorees are chosen by an appointed Hall of Fame selection committee consisting of diverse representation of the St. Thomas Aquinas community. Recipients will be honored in the St. Thomas Aquinas High School Saints Spirit annual report and at the 2013 Hall of Fame induction tribute.
The inaugural event will be held on March 2, 2013, at the Regnier Center at Johnson County Community College in conjunction with the Saints 25th year gala celebration.
