Hall of Fame Inductees
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The Yorktown High School Hall of Fame and Inspiration

Funds for the 2008 inductions into the YHS Hall of Fame and Inspiration came largely through a generous gift from Melody Miller (YHS ‘63), an original supporter and member of the HOF&I founding committee. Her endowment is in honor of the beloved Sara Jane Knight, a remarkable social studies teacher from 1961-92, who mentored, encouraged and inspired YHS students to take an active interest in the civic life of our nation.

The 2008 Induction was reported in the Arlington Connection weekly newspaper and is available here as a PDF file by their kind permission.

The tributes assembled here grew out of a project to honor alumni, teachers and staff whose deeds and lives bring credit to Yorktown High School. The first installment of this expandable exhibit was sponsored in 2003 by the Alumni & Friends of Yorktown High School, Inc., the Yorktown High School PTA, and the Yorktown High School administration led by Principal Raymond Pasi. It was prepared by a volunteer committee of alumni and current students, teachers and parents who considered dozens of nominations received in response to an e-mail survey sent to thousands of alumni. The Hall of Fame and Inspiration plaques were made possible through the generosity of Hubert N. "Jay" Hoffman III, YHS Class of 1962. He made his gift in honor of a beloved Yorktown teacher, Mary Stuart Moseley, who taught business from 1960-78.

Inducted Spring 2008
(click on the Inductee's name to see their plaque)

Daniel Blumenthal

1952-
Classical Pianist
YHS Class of 1970
Inducted 2008

Internationally renowned soloist, concert musician and chamber artist; has released 80 albums; performed at Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center; prize-winner in competitions in Geneva, Leeds, Sydney, Brussels; artist professor at annual chamber music festival Denmark; artistic adviser to Icons of Europe; professor of piano, Royal Conservatory in Brussels; born in Germany, began playing at age 5; B.A. University of Michigan; M.A. and D.M.A. Juilliard School.

Elisa Carbone

1954-
Children’s Book Author
YHS Class of 1971
Inducted 2008

Noted writer of young-adult fiction using historical and social themes; works include Blood on the River: James Town 1607, winner of Virginia Library Association Jefferson Cup Award 2007; Last Dance on Holladay Street, a New York Public Library Best Book for the Teenage 2006; The Pack, winner of Bank Street College of Education Best Book Award 2004; Storm Warriors, an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book 2001; Stealing Freedom, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults 1999; B.A., M.A. University of Maryland.

Greg Garcia

1970-
TV Writer-Producer
YHS Class of 1988
Inducted 2008

Created TV sitcom “My Name is Earl,” which won Emmy and People’s Choice Award 2006; co-created comedy series “Yes, Dear” and “Built to Last”; executive producer of “Getting Personal”; consulting producer for “Family Guy”; wrote scripts for “Family Matters” and “On Our Own”; on-air personality, Tony Kornheiser radio show; B.S. Frostburg State University 1992.

Rich Lowry

1968-
Magazine Editor, Conservative Commentator
YHS Class of 1986
Inducted 2008

Editor of National Review since 1997, staffer since 1992; syndicated columnist and commentator for Fox News Channel; published commentary in New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times; wrote 2003 bestseller Legacy: Paying the Price for the Clinton Years; reporter, Connection Newspapers; B.A.1990 University of Virginia, where he edited monthly Virginia Advocate.

C. Tyler Mathisen

1954-
Journalist/Editor/News Anchor
YHS Class of 1972

Managing Editor, CNBC Business News, and host of “High Net Worth”; previously co-anchored CNBC’s “Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo and Tyler Mathisen’’ after joining CNBC in 1997; executive editor, senior editor, and writer for Money magazine, 1982-1997; money editor for ABC's “Good Morning America” 1991-1997; won Emmy in 1987 for stock-market reports on WCBS-TV in New York; Time-Life Books writer, 1976- 82; B.A. University of Virginia 1976.

Heather McHugh

1948-
Poet, Essayist, Translator
YHS Class of 1968

Many collections of original poems and essays, as well as translations of Jean Follain and Paul Celan (Griffin International Poetry Prize in 2001); Lila Wallace/Reader's Digest Award; United States Artists Award; two grants from National Endowment for the Arts; Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship; Milliman Distinguished Writer-in-Residence, University of Washington in Seattle; Chancellor, Academy of American Poets 1999-2006; fellow of American Academy of Arts & Sciences; visiting professor, Iowa Writers’ Workshop; chairs and/or endowed lectureships at University of California-Berkeley, Stanford University et al.; accepted at Harvard at 16.

Eric Schmidt

1955-
Chairman and CEO, Google Inc.
YHS Class of 1972

Joined board of top Internet search-engine firm Google in 2001 and became chairman and CEO; CEO of Novell 1997-2001; chief technology officer Sun Microsystems; after joining Sun in 1983 as a software manager led development of Java; worked for Bell Laboratories, Zilog, and Computer Science Lab at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center; serves on Princeton University Board of Trustees and Apple Inc. Board of Directors; chairman of board of New America Foundation; B.Sc. Princeton 1976 and M.Sc.1979; Ph.D. University of California-Berkeley, 1982

Inducted Spring 2004
(click on the Inductee's name to see their plaque)

David Brown

1956-2003
Space Shuttle Astronaut Killed in the Line of Duty
YHS Class of 1974
Inducted 2004

A medical doctor and pilot dedicated to exploring space; trained as a Navy flight surgeon in Pensacola, Fl., later became Navy Flight Surgeon of the Year; graduated top in his class in Navy jet training in 1988 and received rank of captain; served in Adak, Alaska, and Miramar, Calif., on the Carl Vinson Aircraft Carrier, Whidbey Island, Naval Strike Warfare Center, Fallon, Nevada, and in Patuxent, Md.; received doctorate in medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School 1982; B.S. in biology from William and Mary 1978; a gymnast in high school and college; among seven astronauts killed on Feb. 1, 2003, when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on reentry to Earth’s atmosphere. A YHS flag was aboard.

David Charlebois

1962-2001
First Officer, American Airlines Flight 77 on September 11, 2001
YHS Class of 1980
Inducted 2004

An accomplished pilot who gave his life on an historic day; flew as a commercial airline pilot for 10 years with American Airlines, previously for US Airways and as a corporate pilot; born in Morocco, grew up in Paris and Arlington; attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla.; died at the hands of terrorists during attack on plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

Emily Couric

1947-2001
State Senator, Journalist, Author
YHS Class of 1965
Inducted 2004

 A rising state leader cut short in her prime; in 1995 elected to Virginia State Senate, re-elected in 1999; legislative focus on heath care and education won honors from advocacy organizations; in 2000 became general chair of Virginia Democratic Party; reported on legal profession for specialized publications; wrote three books and edited another on lawyers; served on Charlottesville, Va., school board; two years as high school science teacher; in 1969 graduated magna cum laude from Smith College, where she was elected Phi Beta Kappa; died of pancreatic cancer in her Charlottesville home Oct.18, 2001.

Katie Couric

1957-
“Today Show” Anchor
YHS Class of 1975
Inducted 2004

Respected as one of the country’s top television news personalities; joined “The Today Show” in 1991; winner of six Emmy Awards; in 2001 honored with George Foster Peabody award for series “Confronting Colon Cancer,” which persuaded thousands of Americans to obtain colonoscopies; in 1999 helped found National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance; previously worked as news reporter for WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., ABC News, CNN, and WTVJ in Miami, Fla; in 1979 graduated with honors from University of Virginia.

Tom Dolan

1975 -
Olympic Gold Medalist
YHS Class of 1993
Inducted 2004

World-famous competitive swimmer who overcame asthma; in 2000, won a gold and a silver medal at Olympic Games; in 1996 won gold medal at Olympic Games; never lost a race at the U.S. Olympic Trials; won gold medals at the World Championships in 1998 and 1994; won 14 United States National Titles; world record-holder in 4000 meter individual medley; spent three years at University of Michigan (Class of '98), where he won numerous NCAA championships and was named an All-American; professional swimmer and motivational speaker.

Fourteen Friends

Authors, Eldercare Advocates
YHS Class of 1962
Inducted 2004

Group of women from Yorktown's first class wrote "Fourteen Friends' Guide to Eldercaring," widely praised 1999 book giving educational aid to families of elderly patients; Pfizer Pharmaceuticals provided book to physicians nationwide; authors featured nationally on television, radio and newspapers; all married, had children and pursued careers as teachers, artists, counselors, a doctor, accountant, psychiatric nurse, travel agent, and authority on Faberge eggs; meet annually at Rehoboth Beach; their success testifies to friendships made at Yorktown and to importance of love within families of parents who need help near life's end.

Beverly Johnson

1947-1994
World-Class Rock Climber
YHS Class of 1965
Inducted 2004

Adventurer, most celebrated female rock climber; undertook climbing, skiing expeditions all over the world; in 1978 became first woman to solo climb notorious El Capitan's vertical face, which took ten days; in 1980's filmed the Russian-Afghan war with her husband; first woman crew-boss firefighter in Yosemite; first person to solo the Straits of Magellan in open kayak; first person to pilot a gyro-craft in the Antarctic; skied across Greenland, windsurfed across Bering Straits, led all-woman team to parachute into highlands of New Guinea; attended Kent State University and University of Southern California; gymnast in college and high school; died April 3, 1994, in helicopter crash during ski trip to Ruby Mountains of Nevada.

Joe Kruzel

1945-1995
Top Diplomat, Military Adviser
YHS Class of 1963
Inducted 2004

A distinguished public servant who gave his life working overseas; in 1993 named deputy assistant Defense secretary for European and NATO policy; awarded Presidential Citizens Medal and Defense Department Distinguished Service Medal; taught international security at Duke University and Ohio State; military adviser to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy; delegate to SALT I arms control talks; master's in public administration and doctorate from Harvard University; intelligence officer in Vietnam; graduated Air Force Academy 1967; as Defense Department's special envoy to Bosnia, died Aug.19, 1995, in armored vehicle crash on mountain near Sarajevo; buried at Arlington Cemetery; Pentagon corridor named for him.

Charles Monroe

1956-2003
County Leader
YHS Class of 1975
Inducted 2004

Ground-breaking chairman of the Arlington County Board cut down in his prime; in 1999 became the second African-American elected to the board, and in 2003 became first to be its chairman; a native Arlingtonian, he was an attorney and civic activist; graduated Duke University in 1979 and Washington & Lee School of Law in 1984; collapsed and died during board meeting Jan. 11, 2003.

George Varoutsos

1949-
Judge, Arlington Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
YHS Class of 1966
Inducted 2004

Highly regarded local jurist and civic activist; in March 1998 elected judge by the Virginia General Assembly; previously was substitute judge appointed by Arlington Circuit Court to sit on juvenile and domestic relations  cases in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, and Prince William counties; private practice with Arlington law firms specializing in civil and criminal litigation; directed Virginia Department of Transportation juvenile driver’s licensing ceremony; graduated University of Richmond, 1970; University of Richmond Law School, 1973.

 

Paul Wellstone

1944-2002
U.S. Senator from Minnesota
YHS Class of 1962
Inducted 2004

Unconventional lawmaker; legislative accomplishments included expansion of health care coverage for mental illness, added funding for education; protecting rights of women and girls, and protecting veterans' benefits; in 1990 ran underdog campaign and traveled throughout Minnesota on trademark green bus; taught political science for 21 years at Carleton College; in 1969, earned Ph.D. at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill; in 1965, graduated from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was champion wrestler (as in high school); in 1963 married former Sheila Isom (also YHS '62); while campaigning for third Senate term both were killed in airplane crash Oct. 25, 2002.

Henry Wilhelm

1943-
Photography Preservation Expert and Inventor
YHS Class of 1962
Inducted 2004

Nationally known authority among image archivists and printers; co-founder and president of Grinnell, Iowa-based Wilhelm Imaging Research, which forecasts photo durability and develops new techniques for improving stability and preservation of traditional and digital color photographs and motion pictures; co-author of 1993 book “The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs,” patented photo print washing equipment; freelance national news photographer; Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia; photographer for local newspapers during and just after high school; attended Grinnell College.