Rockwood Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees Include Cardinals World Series MVP

To honor the 100th anniversary of the first graduating class, Rockwood Schools Foundation board members decided to produce an inaugural Rockwood Alumni Hall of Fame. 

The following inductees, and the high school and year of their graduation, are listed below in alphabetical order, They will be honored for outstanding accomplishments in their fields during an alumni celebration gala at the Magic House on Jan. 28: 

• Craig Caddigan, underwater explorer (Lafayette 1972)
• Cristopher Cristea, businessman and philanthropist (Lafayette 1989)
• Clifford Frazier, Former NFL athlete and actor (Lafayette 1972)
• David Freese, MLB NLCS MVP, World Series MVP and World Series Champion (Lafayette 2001)
• Larry Jensen, president of Leprino Foods (Lafayette 1967)
• Matt Helbig, co-owner of Big River Running Company (Rockwood Summit 1998)
• Ryan Howard, MLB Rookie of the Year, NLCS MVP and World Series Champion (Lafayette 1998)
• Art McCoy, Ph.D., educator and superintendent of Ferguson-Florissant School District (Lafayette 1995)
• Charlotte Miller, lawyer and senior vice president at O. C. Tanner Company (Lafayette 1975)
• Travis Mossotti, poet (Marquette 1998)
• Kelly Stables Patino, actress (Lafayette 1996)
• Brent Underwood, Ed.D., educator and former superintendent of Webster Groves School District (Lafayette 1976)
• Rick Viehland, entrepreneur (Eureka 1969)

“To select 13 individuals for the inaugural Rockwood Alumni Hall of Fame was a difficult task, as more than 40,000 students have graduated from the district since 1912,” said Debbie Fluchel, executive director of the Rockwood Schools Foundation in a Rockwood communication.

“Each of these graduates received a strong educational foundation in Rockwood, which helped contribute to their success,” said Rockwood School District Superintendent Bruce Borchers in the same Rockwood announcement. “Many of the graduates expressed appreciation to a special Rockwood teacher, coach or administrator for the guidance and encouragement they received as a student.”

Tickets for the gala are available for $75 through Jan. 16.  Download the ticket reservation for by clicking here. 

For the full biographies of each inductee, click on the Rockwood Alumni Hall of Fame website.