Ten inducted into the Connellsville Area High School Hall of Fame
A beloved teacher who passed away in May and a former 蘑菇视频 chief photographer were among the inductees to the Connellsville Area School District Hall of Fame.
The Falcon Foundation, an organization independent of the school district that provides financial resources for students鈥� educational enrichment, started the Connellsville Area High School Hall of Fame in 2010 to recognize outstanding individuals who either graduated from the district or who have contributed to it.
One of this year蘑菇视频 inductees, Edward D. Cope (class of 1964), has received numerous awards for writing and photography throughout his over 50 years in the newspaper industry.
Among his award-winning photographs is one of a fire rescue taken in December 1994. The photo won local and national awards, and was honored as one of the top 600 photos of the century in 2000 by the Associated Press.
Cope came to work at the 蘑菇视频 in 2003, serving as the paper蘑菇视频 chief photographer in the four years before he retired in 2011.
鈥淚 am humbled and honored to be included,鈥� Cope said.
A posthumous addition this year was inductee Jamie McPoyle, a longtime teacher at both Junior High West and at the high school.
Beyond teaching, McPoyle coached Connellsville Little League from 2003 to 2019 and also participated in coaching youth soccer, wrestling, basketball and ninth-grade baseball as well as serving in his teacher蘑菇视频 union as a building rep, treasurer and then union president.
McPoyle also served his community by orchestrating the rebuild of Connellsville蘑菇视频 Austin Park, which will soon be renamed Jamie McPoyle Field, Additionally, he was a counselor at a camp for children with cancer, volunteered for a wilderness youth program, and was involved in the local Saturday Club, which encourages kids to give back to the community.
McPoyle passed away on May 28 after a battle with cancer.
鈥淛amie will be remembered for his larger than life personality, his strong commitment, his faith and his never ending work ethic,鈥� McPoyle蘑菇视频 induction stated.
This year蘑菇视频 other inductees (and their graduation years) included:
n John Nedrow (1951), a retired health and physical education teacher and junior high football coach in the district
n Dr. Daniel H. Poole (1998), a tenured professor of animal sciences at North Carolina State University
n Dr. Kyle Martin (2004), a history teacher in the district and a USA Wrestling Gold Certified Coach
n Dr. Michael A. Grace (1988), a health care executive who has held prominent positions with both UPMC and WVU Medicine
n William Swink (1982), an accomplished wrestling coach for various school districts who was named Virginia Coach of the Year four times
n James Duncan (1964), a former teacher and superintendent for the Connellsville Area School District
n Dr. Daniel J. Shelley (1964), a retired professor at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania where he served six years as the chair of the Education Department
n Lt. Colonel James Law (1999), decorated member of the U.S. Air Force who was involved in numerous deployments in his years of service.
Candidates for the hall of fame can either be graduates of Connellsville Area High School from 1967 on, or of Connellsville High School or Dunbar Township High School prior to 1967. Those who have not graduated from those high schools but have greatly contributed to the advancement of education in the district are also candidates.