Distinguished Highlander Hall of Fame Gala
At the Distinguished Highlander Hall of Fame Gala, BWEF inducts a new class of Baldwin High School alumni, Champions of Character (exceptional faculty), and Above and Beyond honorees (extraordinary volunteers) into the Distinguished Highlander Hall of Fame. Inductees become part of a permanent exhibit at Baldwin High School, where their professional achievements are on display to inspire future generations of students.
Distinguished Highlanders are graduates from the district who have become leaders in their industries, fields, and communities. The Champions of Character program was created in 2015 to recognize those who contribute to the present-day student experience and make our schools an exceptional place to prepare for the future. Lastly, to make the school district a thriving place to live and learn, you need help from residents and volunteers every day. To commend those who have made volunteerism a way of live, the Above and Beyond award was added in 2017 to thank individuals who have made selfless and extraordinary contributions to the district.
Distinguished Highlanders are graduates from the district who have become leaders in their industries, fields, and communities. The Champions of Character program was created in 2015 to recognize those who contribute to the present-day student experience and make our schools an exceptional place to prepare for the future. Lastly, to make the school district a thriving place to live and learn, you need help from residents and volunteers every day. To commend those who have made volunteerism a way of live, the Above and Beyond award was added in 2017 to thank individuals who have made selfless and extraordinary contributions to the district.
2020 Virtual Ceremony and 80th Anniversary Celebration
Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, BWEF converted the gala to a virtual ceremony that premiered on June 4, 2020. The virtual ceremony allowed us to safely celebrate the honorees in a socially distant environment, while still celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District, and protecting the health and safety of our Baldwin-Whitehall communities. As a result of the ceremony, BWEF was able to provide ~$10,000 toward a COVID-19 relief fund to help students and families in the district who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic, increase student scholarship funding to $6,000 for seniors graduating from Baldwin High School, and expand the exhibit at Baldwin High School.
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2017 Hall of Fame Gala
In our second hall of fame gala, we celebrated our dais on March 11, 2017. We expanded the group of honorees that year through the Above and Beyond program to recognize exceptional community residents who have made volunteerism a way of life. The event resulted in seven student scholarships to be awarded to seniors during the 2017-18 school year, the most ever awarded by BWEF in a single school year. |
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2015 Hall of Fame Gala and 75th Anniversary Celebration
In 2005, we hosted the first-ever Hall of Fame Gala in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District. "We can't think of a better way to celebrate the District's 75th Anniversary than to recognize the contributions of these individuals," said Dr. Randal A. Lutz, Superintendent of Schools. "While their achievements are extremely diverse, our inductees represent one common idea - a future of unlimited potential for each of our current 4,118 students."
Hall of Fame Exhibit Unveiled in 2015, the Distinguished Highlander Hall of Fame Exhibit is a permanent display outside of the Baldwin High School Gymnasium.
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From Kindergarten to Seniors, 25 students gathered under the direction of Baldwin High School teacher Brad Schulte to produce a video, formally announcing the first-ever inductees to the Distinguished Highlander Hall of Fame. Lindsay Bonetti, 6th Grade student at Harrison Middle School, notes in her introduction in the video, "They are people who make the world a better place."
Through the Eyes of a Child As part of the Diamond Anniversary celebration, students were asked to consider their own futures and imagine what they want to be by the time they celebrate their own 75th birthday by creating a poster to illustrate the story of their lives at age 75. One winner from each grade level was selected and each won a $75 gift card to The Mall at Robinson courtesy of our friends at The Mall at Robinson.
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Media Coverage of the Galas