Our own Dennis Drullinger,
Class of '64, will be inducted into the Oklahoma Military
Hall of Fame this year!! Dennis was one of only six
inductees selected from 75 nominees.
Dennis
served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam, as a member of the 196th Light Infantry
Brigade. He was awarded the Oklahoma Cross of Valor, and the Silver Star, which is the
nation's third highest combat award, for "gallantry in action against an
enemy of the United States", when his Brigade unit was attacked in
January, 1968. The citation said Drullinger refused to leave his
position and opened fire on the enemy with his rifle and grenades, giving
his fellow soldiers time to regroup and counterattack. He was
wounded, captured and later escaped during this attack. CLICK HEREto read his account
of what happened.
The induction ceremony will be
held Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond, OK, on Wednesday,
November 11th.
An Original Disney Movie
written by PAUL COOPER, Class of '65
airs Friday, April 24th on the Disney
Channel
Paul is also in pre-production on another movie,
The Glass Eye, starring Sean Faris.
WRESTLING IS
BACK @ HALE !
Wrestling at
Nathan Hale is back!
Chris VanLandingham,
Class of '81, is Hale's new head wrestling coach. Tulsa
Public Schools has purchased new wrestling and throwing mats for the
school this year.
The team has about
30 wrestlers, many of them wrestling for the first time, though
a few have several years experience.
The new
wrestling room is located on the 1st floor, near the East
entrance. It will be named in honor of 1964 alumnus, RAY
MURPHY.
Ray was the State Wrestling
Champion at Hale and an All-American at OSU before an
injury occurred in 1971 during a national freestyle
championship, which left him a quadriplegic.
Click here to read
more about Ray's inspiring life.
Hale's athletic operating
budget is very limited this year, so they still need numerous
items to get the new program off the ground - including
UNIFORMS.
If you are a former Hale wrestler
or athlete,
please consider making a donation to help them purchase uniforms
and other necessities for the team.
Also, if anyone is interested
in coaching for an elementary/middle school wrestling program
several nights a week, using Hale's new wrestling room, please
contact Head Coach, Chris
VanLandingham.
New Hale Art
Teacher needs supplies
We have received a list of mostly common household
& throw away items that are needed for the art classes at Hale.
Follow this link
and please help where you can.
May 12, 2008
RANGERS GET A NEW GYM FLOOR
Our sincere thanks to Jim Bunnell and his
crew from Tri-State Floors. They have helped us
save some important pieces of our history.
We asked them to try and save the lettering from
the old floor for us, as they removed it.
We plan to auction off the pieces or find some
other way to raise money with it, to benefit Hale athletics
during the school's 50th Anniversary.
and many other current & former Ranger event photos now on
check back often... video clips coming soon
We just received a box full of
the old Ranger basketball game scorebooks from Coach Wally Knapp. We're in the process of scanning them to add
to the new
Ranger Sports Archive section of the web site.
The 1962-63 Hale Invitational
Basketball Tournament is the first one that is available.
We have plans to eventually add a forum
or bulletin board to the alumni web site, but until that happens,
you can visit with other Hale Rangers on the Nathan Hale HS Yahoo
Group.
The group was started by Ralph Seegren, Class of '93 and is open to all Hale alumni.
It is currently experiencing rapid membership growth. Join us,
and see what everyone's chatting about.
ALL PROCEEDS from the sale of these DVDs directly
benefits Hale's Athletic Dept.
September 2007: This
Fall we were able to contribute another
$350 to Hale's athletic dept.
This money came from the sale of football game DVDs over the past
year.
The check was presented to Hale's Athletic Director, Tony Peters.
He was grateful to receive this support from Hale alumni.
Their budget was cut again this year because they are no longer
getting pop money that they counted on for a variety of team needs.
Tony Peters
Hale Athletic Director former Sooner & NFL Safety
Kevin Busch
Head Football Coach
Fall 2006: The day after Hale beat the Edison Eagles and
advanced to the semi-finals in the All-City Tournament, the Alumni
Foundation was very pleased to present a check for almost
$540 to Hale's head football coach,
Kevin Busch. This money came from the sale of vintage Hale
football film DVDs, over the summer.
He was very grateful to receive this unexpected support. They
have a constant need for additional financial support for uniforms
and other essentials for the team.
Coach Busch says the the Rangers have a serious chance of having a
winning season this year, and would love to see more Hale alumni
come out to the games.
The Alumni
Foundation would like to encourage additional direct financial
support of the Hale Athletic Department from any alumnus who has the
means help out the sports programs at the school.
You can make a
tax-deductible
donation, in any amount, through the Alumni Foundation, and specify
ANY school program that you would like to direct those funds to.
For more information, contact us at
info@nathanhalealumni.org.
Posted 8/27/06
NATHAN HALE
YEARBOOKS FOR SALE
There are a
limited number of old yearbooks available to purchase from the 1970's
through the 2006-07 school year.
If you
are interested in purchasing one, please contact
the Nathan Hale Alumni Foundation at info@nathanhalealumni.org
ALL PROCEEDS from the sale of
yearbooks goes
directly back to Hale's current yearbook program.
Each class
year also has it's own
"News & Announcements" page.
Use the
Directory to visit
them.
Featured in Spin Magazine's April 2008 issue as a
local hero, Davit Souders, Class of '81, was also voted one
of Urban Tulsa Weekly Magazine’s “Hot 100 Movers & Shakers and
people to watch in 2007 and again in 2008”.
It also marks year 18 for his company Diabolical Productions LLC.
That includes his broadcasting experience with the radio show
Technopolis 1990-1994 and eight years featuring local and regional
music on Z-104.5 KMYZ The Edge’s Home Groan 1996-2004. Running
concurrently with Home Groan, Home Groan Live featured live
performances from local artists recorded at Cain’s Ballroom
1998-1999.
Since 2006, Davit hosts This 70’s Show and the
local music show, Local Flavors both on KRSC RSU Radio
91.3FM. Also in 2006, he and producer Dustin Parkhurst introduced
their internet broadcast/podcast featuring Tulsa area music,
Hometown Heroes.
In 2007, Souders was named program director and
host and Parkhurst producer of the newly re-launched iROK Radio
(Independent Radio Oklahoma) featuring music and musicians from
throughout Oklahoma.
Read more of his amazing bio on the Diabolical
Productions
MySpace page.
Todd Wade, Class of '81,
was born in L.A. but grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He graduated from
Nathan Hale and then Oklahoma State University where he majored in
both TV/Film Production and Theatre. He was also president of the
University Theatre Guild for two years.
After college, Todd directed his
first feature film, Slaughterville, and then moved to Dallas,
where he worked as a PGA Assistant Golf Pro. Todd
wrote/produced/directed the award winning film-noir, The
Appointment, produced The Mailman and More
Married People, Single Sex films and produced/ directed Look
@ Me. All of these films can currently be found in
international distribution.
Todd's latest feature, The
Wedding Video, will be distributed in the near future. For more
information on the work of Todd Wade or to see his other projects
please visit
www.toddwadefilms.com.
The Awww... of the day:
8/19/08
We received a note & photos this morning from Lanette Giese '74.
Her brother, Jesse Brown, Class of '69, had an unusual patient at his animal
clinic in North Carolina yesterday.
A Bengal tiger at
Tiger World
Conservation had given birth to two cubs. She killed one
of them and dropped the other in the water.
The conservation facility's regular
veterinarian was not available so they rushed the two day old cub to
Cabarrus Emergency Clinic where Jesse practices.
Our latest report is that, thanks to
Dr. Jesse, the cub was stable and should survive the ordeal. She was
picked up by Tiger World's vet staff today.
Note Jesse's hand-made "Caution" sign.
Be sure to pick up the Aug '08 issue of Oklahoma
Magazine. There's a 2-page feature article about Steve
Pryor, Class of '74 and his great new blues CD, Cardboard
Luck.
photos from '71 Patriot
yearbook
Familiar Figure Back As Area IV Superintendent
7/28/2008 TPS Press
Release: Veteran educator H.J. Green has
been named the Area IV Superintendent at Tulsa Public Schools,
returning to the district he began his career in over a half-century
ago.
“It feels good to be back,” Green said. “I’ve spent
a lot of years with the district —’57 to ’87 — and I have a lot of
fond memories.” Green recalls that when he started at TPS “the
district was very segregated. Central was somewhat integrated and
certainly so was Webster, but the rest of the schools were
segregated. It was also a time of very rapid growth. The schools
were much larger than they are now.”
Green is a Tulsa mainstay, beginning his career at
TPS as a teacher and coach before moving on to the role of
principal at Hale High School. In 1973 he began what would be
eight years at the helm of a newly-desegregated Booker T. Washington
High School, a stint that won him kudos for his handling of a
potentially volatile situation.
"TPS is fortunate to have enticed one of Booker T.
Washington's magnet program founders back to the district. Mr.
Green's experience and integrity will be valuable tools on TPS'
journey to performance excellence,” said TPS Superintendent Dr.
Michael Zolkoski.
Lt Col
Doug Stall,
Class of '81,
"retired" from his law firm last year and is back with the Marines.
LTC Stall is currently serving in
Iraq, but began sending updates to his classmates while he was still
training for his current mission.
Doug writes: "As part of the
largest mobilized force from Oklahoma since the Korean War, I count
myself fortunate to take part in this deployment and historical
event".
7/28/08 Straight from
the Ranger's Mouth... There's an article, written by Doug, in
today's Tulsa World titled
"A leader's open letter from Iraq"
WELCOME HOME, BILLY!
6/19/08
www.NewsOn6.com A Tulsa soldier returned home Thursday
after a tour in Iraq.
It was a picture perfect homecoming for Staff Sergeant William
Ree, Class of '94. His mother, his wife and three little girls
greeted him at the airport.
Sergeant Ree spent a year in Iraq with the 325th Medical Unit.
He says that experience changed his outlook on life. "Everyday
things you take for granted. From seeing real grass and real trees
to driving your own car. Having a family to come home to everyday.
Things like that," said Staff Sergeant William Ree.
Now that Sergeant Ree is home for good, he and his family are
planning a well deserved vacation.
VIDEO CLIP:
Commissioner Steve Shelton is appointed by the
Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
August,
2007: Steve Shelton, Class of '73, is a
new member of the state
Commission for Rehabilitation Services.
He's only the second disabled commission member
since it was established in 1993.
The commission is the governing board for the
Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services,
which annually serves more than 190,000 Oklahomans
with vocational rehabilitation, employment and
educational programs. It also helps determine
medical eligibility for Social Security disability
benefits.
A senior application programmer and consultant with
Fidelity National Information Services, Steve has never allowed
blindness to become a barrier to achieving his goals.
Commissioner Shelton began his career in 1977
after graduating from East Central University with a bachelor’s of
science degree in mathematics.
He was a client of the Department of
Rehabilitation Services’ Visual Services/Vocational Rehabilitation
program, which assisted him with his education and job placement.
This assistance was a key factor in building the foundation for a
successful information technology career.
Commissioner Shelton has devoted countless hours
and resources to help people with disabilities achieve their full
potential and improve their quality of life. He was elected to four
terms as president of the Oklahoma affiliate of the National
Federation of the Blind and currently serves as treasurer.
Additionally, he served 11 years on that national
organization’s scholarship committee, during which time over $1
million was awarded to deserving students with visual disabilities.
The commissioner completed two appointments to the Oklahoma
Rehabilitation Council, was a long term volunteer with Boy Scout
Troop 479 and currently serves as a deacon at First Presbyterian
Church of Edmond. Shelton and his wife Barbara have three adult sons
and now reside in Edmond.
ANOTHER AMAZING
RANGER
In January, 2008
we posted the obituary of Mike Chittom to the Class of '69 Memorials
page, noting that he was an active volunteer at Celia Clinton Middle
School, through Tulsa's Rotary Club and their Adopt-a-School
program.
The following
press release was issued by Tulsa Public Schools on April 8, 2008.
School
Library Renamed in Honor of Volunteer
A man that
dedicated his life to an area elementary school is now
forever immortalized in that school’s library. A committee
appointed by Board of Education president Gary Percefull
approved creating the Mike Chittom Library
at Celia Clinton Elementary. Chittom was chairman of the
Rotary Club of Tulsa’s Adopt-A-School committee for Celia
Clinton. The club adopted the school in 1993 and spent the
next decade-and-a-half donating office furniture, clothes,
landscaping and mentoring readers.
Chittom
passed away Jan. 17 at the age of 56, the day after
attending a pizza party at the school. Administrators
brought in grief counselors to help students cope with his
death.
“Mike was
an incredible volunteer,” said Celia Clinton Principal Cindy
Taylor. “He worked here for ten years, every day.”
In 2003
Chittom spoke about his relationship with the school:
“This summer, with school out, a little girl started calling
me every week to go to church with her. That church, which
is a poor one, ministers to all the poor people in the
neighborhood where our adopted school is located. I finally
went and, much to my surprise, there were at least 10
children from our adopted school there. They all ran to me
and hugged me,” he said. “…I have six sacks of love notes
and letters of appreciation from children who I was lucky
enough to help. There is no greater reward on this Earth
that I know of.”
4/5/08 For those of you who
caught KU's win over North Carolina tonight... did you happen to
notice Win Case's (c/o '81) son, Jeremy (#10), playing at the
end of a very important game? Keep your eyes open for him
Monday night.
Eugene Field Elementary Principal, Cindi Arnett-Hemm,
Class of 1973, has been named the TPS District Administrator
of the Year by the Oklahoma Association of Elementary School
Principals.
The annual award lauds administrators that maintain
high expectations for their students and staff and show evidence of
outstanding contributions to their school and community.
Hemm will be honored during a luncheon this summer.
She’s also in the running for Oklahoma Administrator of the Year,
with the winner attending a recognition ceremony in Washington, DC.
Nathan
Hale Alumni Foundation has donated funds to start an
indoor herb garden at Hale.
The school
received a $10,000 grant to make improvements to the outdoor Nature
Center (aka Pride Ctr) next year. They have plans for some new
raised beds that will be used for vegetables and herbs.
HARDSCAPE MATERIALS in Bixby has
offered to donate pond supplies to renew the water feature in the
Center.
The indoor herb garden will
give students the opportunity to have a trial run before going on to
large-scale gardening next year.
The harvest from the herb
garden, and outdoor Nature Center, will be used in the new Culinary
Arts magnet program. Botany, Biology and Special Education
students will contribute to the gardening efforts.
Stephen
Kearney, Class of '67 has been teaching/coaching at
the Oklahoma School for the Blind in Muskogee, OK for 33 years.
UPDATE:
KOTV-Channel 6 News did a great story about
Stephen's wrestling team on Jan 24, 2008.
