Poway High Kicks Off Nomination Process for Hall of Fame

is in the final months of inducting alumni into its new Hall of Fame, meant to celebrate the school’s 50^th anniversary.

The high school is currently receiving nominations to recognize its graduates and their achievements, and submissions will be accepted until Jan. 27, 2012. The grand opening of the hall is scheduled for the spring. 

Principal Scott Fisher said Poway High is not the first school in the district to create a forum that recognizes students’ accomplishments, but that there are only a few.

“It’s not an idea unique to Poway High, but I really want to share with students the history and some of the success shared by some of our graduates,” Fisher said. “The Hall of Fame is a way to go about doing so, and a way to celebrate who we are as a school.”

PHS Assistant Principal Megan Battle acts as the curator for the Hall of Fame and oversees the production of the forum with assistance from the Friends of Poway High Foundation.

According to Battle, almost 10 nominations have been received thus far, and she is hoping that there will be more to come.

“I just think it is a great way to get alumni involved and to recognize how they are giving back to the community,” Battle said.

Alumni can be recognized for accomplishments in a variety of categories, including exemplary accomplishments in academics, athletics, service to the community and the public, the arts, science and business. Battle said the achievements of inductees “might motivate current students to see what alumni are doing.” 

Those recognized in the hall will be chosen by a selection committee, comprised of staff and administration, a student, parents, alumni and members of the community. The committee has yet to be formed entirely, but David Hughes, chairman of the committee, said, “The goal is to have a group representative of the entire PHS community make the selections.”

Once the Poway High principal in the ’80s and former superintendent of the Escondido Unified School District, Hughes as chairman formed the criteria for the selection process and will be looking for nominees whose accomplishments are in accordance with PHS goals, values and school mission. 

Nomination forms can be found online at the PHS website, where further criteria have been spelled out, such as the nominee must be a PHS graduate of at least 10 years.

To be honored in the Hall of Fame, “a nominee must be named on 75 percent of the ballots to be selected for induction,” Hughes said.

Once the alumni have been selected and the forum is ready for viewing, the Friends of Poway High Foundation will hold a celebration for the inductees and the hall’s grand opening 

The exact location of where the forum will be is still uncertain, but the showcase in the front office of the school has been in consideration. When more artifacts including pictures, newspaper clippings and plaques have been collected for display, the Hall of Fame may be combined to make up a Poway High Museum that would be installed in the former Oasis room on campus. The grand opening of the Hall of Fame is expected to be in April or May.

According to Battle, “a generous donation” from the school’s yearbook staff and yearbook coordinator Rollin Swan will help pay the expenses of putting together awards and plaques for the inductees.

Battle has expressed her hopes that the hall of fame will begin a “nice tradition at Poway,” and Fisher added, “There are so many great alumni to recognize, and this (forum) will help do just that.”