Rogers Hall of Fame To Honor Inductees
What do rock and roll legend Leon Russell and S. E. Hinton, author of The Outsiders, have in common? Both are members of the Will Rogers High School Hall of Fame in Tulsa.
They’ll be joined by a new class of Hall of Fame inductees during ceremonies April 6.
Inductees include: Charles Bell, an artist regarded as one of the founders of the Photorealism movement, whose works are in the collections of Philbrook Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, and Museum of Modern Art; Jim Frasier, known as the attorney of the working man, and for his work as Oklahoma Democratic Chairman; and Bill Hinkle, award-winning advertising creative director and educator; Dr. David James, gastroenterologist and researcher, who was an champion wrestler; and Barbara Thompson, of Oklahoma City, Mother of the Year and Honorary French Consul.
Members of the Rogers Hall of Fame are selected by the Will Rogers High School Community Foundation, and they’re honored with a display in the hallways of the school. Bell, Frasier, Hinkle, James, and Thompson will be formally inducted with a ceremony that is open to the public in the auditorium of the beautiful art deco Will Rogers College Junior and Senior High School on April 6. They’ll also be honored at a dinner that evening at the Renaissance Hotel in Tulsa.
Tickets are on sale at willrogersfoundation.net.
A few years ago, Will Rogers High School became a magnet school. It is now Will Rogers College Junior High and High School, where students who meet the entrance requirements can start in seventh grade and graduate with both a diploma and college credit.
The Will Rogers High School Community Foundation enhances educational opportunities for Will Rogers students and empowers their teachers, families, and the community through charitable contributions. According to Board Chairman Darryl DeBorde, “In these times of school funding issues, our help is vital to making certain Tulsa Will Rogers keeps its place among the best. The foundation is a community organization, including businesses and other neighbors of the school, and our Roper alums will always be at its heart.”
Working with the principal, Nicolette Dennis, the foundation provides thousands of dollars in academic grants, conducts tours of the historic building, and supports the arts and athletics. They fund such necessities as classroom projects, student trips, and science, music, and art equipment. There’s now a waiting list to enroll in Tulsa Will Rogers, and the foundation continues to promote “Will on the Hill” as Tulsa’s school of choice.
Updated 02-20-2018
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