2013 Program
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Walter E. Stebbins Outstanding Alumnus Awards Each year, Stebbins High School graduates hundreds of outstanding students. As years go by, many of these students go on to make better names for themselves. Stebbins High School Through hard work our alumni change the world, mentor the next generation of Riverside, Ohio leaders, and embody what it means to be a Stebbins graduate. October 25, 2013 The Outstanding Alumnus Award’s purpose is to recognize and reward alumni of Stebbins High School for their success and influence as leaders, for significant ca- reer achievements and for being outstanding role models for current students. To date, we have honored over 50 former students for their educational excellence. Honored graduates will be recognized publicly and have his or her name placed on the Outstanding Alumnus Wall on permanent exhibit outside Stebbins High School. Welcome to our 14th annual Walter E. Stebbins Outstanding Alumnus Awards cer- emony. In 1999, the Mad River School District established its Outstanding Alum- ni Award. The award’s purpose is to recognize and reward alumni of Stebbins High School for their success and influence as leaders, for significant career achievements and for being outstanding role models for current students. To date, we have honored over 50 former students for their educational excellence. This year, we will add seven more names to this exceptional list. We are delighted with both the talent and diversity of the 2013 nominees. This year’s honorees span from the Class of 1968 to 1992. These individuals rep- resent integrity, commitment, and dedication to their careers and their communi- ties. Collectively, they are a powerful team of alumni who are modeling the value of a Mad River education. They offer positive proof that our graduates are chang- ing the world. Please join our Board of Education in congratulating and honoring our inductees. Through their extraordinary service, they exemplify the very best traditions of this high school and serve as the memory of the best we have been and as the hope for the best we can be. Special thanks to our alumni awards committee members. Without these dedicated volunteers, we would not be able to provide these award opportunities. We also thank the Stebbins Student Senate for graciously donating funds for this year’s Wall of Fame etchings. Thanks for joining us tonight; we hope that you will enjoy this remarkable and in- spiring program. Necia Nicholas Superintendent 2013 Recipients Walter E. Stebbins High School Outstanding Alumnus Award Kyle Zaidain — Class of 1968 (posthumous) Software Development; Half Moon Bay, CA Dr. Laura Hebert — Class of 1975 Principal, Lloyd C. Bird High School; Richmond, VA Major David Hale — Class of 1981 Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Dayton, OH Matt Teleha — Class of 1982 Executive Director for Physician Services, Kettering Health Network; Kettering, OH Mary Cole Mertz — Class of 1983 First Assistant Attorney General under Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine; Columbus, OH Jessie Prewitt — Class of 1991 Special Agent/Criminal Investigator, United States Secret Service; Dallas, TX Dr. Michele Torres — Class of 1992 Director of the Hospitalist Group at St. Joseph Medical Center; Yonkers NY As you exit the building, you are encouraged to view the stone monument at the south front of the high school (auditorium entrance). The names of all inductees of the Walter E. Stebbins Outstanding Alumnus Award are engraved on this wall. We are grateful to the Stebbins High School Student Senate for donating this beautiful tribute to these excellent role models and for providing funds for the engraving each year. cÜxáxÇàtà|ÉÇ VxÜxÅÉÇç Friday, October 25, 2013 Master of Ceremonies Necia Nicholas, Superintendent Mad River Local Schools Dinner 4:30 PM Photos 4:45 PM Welcome and Introduction of Special Guests Presentation and Remarks Induction of the Class of 2013 in order of presentation Kyle Zaidain Dr. Laura Hebert Major David Hale Matt Teleha Mary Cole Mertz Jessie Prewitt Dr. Michele Torres Inductees and their immediate families will head to the Wall of Fame at 4:45 PM for the un- veiling of their names and photos. They are then welcome to head back to the rotunda for the reception and induction. Kyle Zaidain Kyle Zaidain graduated in 1968. Kyle was extremely gifted and knowledgeable. Every endeavor which he undertook was with a zeal that was truly exceptional and excellent. He was a top scholar finishing high school as the Salutatorian of his class and a member and Presi- dent of the National Honor Society his senior year. He was a member of the choir and orchestra and had the lead in the school musicals. He was a Varsity Football Team member and Captain and a Wrestling Team member and Captain. He was named Most Valuable Player on the football team his senior year and was a National Merit Winner. Loved and respected by his peers, they named him Most Likely to Succeed and Most All Around Student at the conclusion of his senior year. In addition, he was President of the Student Senate. As a result of being a National Merit Winner, Kyle was recruited by Harvard to attend their university and given a Full Honors Scholarship. While there, he was so successful, that he was given the opportunity to study at the Chapman Col- lege World Campus Afloat for one semester. He did such a great job, that he was able to study a second semester there. He graduated Cum Laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts, Physical Anthropology. From 1979 to 1980 Kyle served as a Convention Planning Specialist at JLM, Company where he wrote marketing copy, sales presentation scripts and copy for special projects. He also designed and produced multimedia presentations for JLM sales force and client copies. In 1981, Kyle moved into the technical world when he obtained a position at Peat, Marwick, which is now KPMG as the technical lead on one of the first significant software development projects for the IBM PC. While making a presentation of the software at the annual Guide Conference (the national IBM software users organiza- tion), he was approached by several individuals to speak to their conference working group. That group consisted of MIS managers from a number of the largest financial institutions, all of whom had a major concern. In an industry where QA is often considered a stepping stone to development, Kyle began as a programmer and, as he likes to put it, "evolved" into a Quality Engineer. After that, his career progressed from testing software ranging from early spreadsheets and word processors to implement- ing quality methodologies and building Quality Assurance teams at a number of companies. Kyle became a major Silicon Valley Consultant and worked as a trouble shooter for Apple and Hewlett Packard. He was selected as a lecturer for the IEEE and conducted their Software Testing seminars in various European and US locations. In 1999-2000, as Director of Quality Assurance for LoanCity.com, he was responsible for all QA and documentation activities required during the cre- ation of their premier internet-based mortgage loan system. In 2004, at the age of 54, Kyle suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died suddenly on January 24th. The thought of what Kyle could have accomplished had he lived is mind boggling and his loss was tremendous to his wife and children, as well as his family and many friends. Today, Kyle’s wife Kim has continued the business they established in computer consulting. Their two children are Har- ry, age 17, who will be a senior in high school next year and who has just finished a seven week summer precollege pro- gram at Harvard and Genevieve (Genny) age 11 who will be in sixth grade in middle school this fall. Laura Hebert Described by her classmate as a terrific student and role model, Dr. Laura Hebert was involved in many programs while at Stebbins. A graduate of Stebbins High School in 1975, Laura was in all three musicals: Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, and A Funny Thing Happened. She was a member of the Field Hockey Team, Great Books Club, and helped decorate Homecom- ing Floats. She was also a gifted singer and was very active in the Symphon- ic Concert Choir. After graduating from Stebbins, Laura attended The Ohio State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education. From 1980-2006 she was a teacher of social studies at various schools in Ohio and Virginia. In 1994, she earned a Master’s degree from Ashland University in Curriculum and Instruction. She taught for 19 years, including six as a government teacher at Manchester High School in Virginia, be- fore moving into administration. During her tenure as dean of students at Manchester, she participated in a number of leadership training programs offered by Chesterfield County Public Schools. In 2006, Laura re- ceived her Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from Virginia Tech. Teaching isn’t Laura’s only passion; for the past four decades, she has been deeply involved in the game of lacrosse. So much so that in 2008 she was named President of the US Lacrosse Women’s Division and in 2013 she was named chair of the board of directors for the sport’s national governing organization. Laura will serve as chair of the all-volunteer U.S. Lacrosse board of directors through July 31, 2014. Be- tween now and then, she’ll oversee several initiatives, including the men’s 2014 world championship (equivalent to soccer’s World Cup) in Denver and a $12 million capital campaign to build a national head- quarters in Baltimore. In addition to her involvement with U.S.