President Brad Davis reported to Historic City News that the St Augustine and Ketterlinus High School Alumni Association has announced the individuals to be inducted at the Third annual Hall of Fame dinner being held on October 11, 2012.
If you are planning to attend, registration can be made by calling (904) 819-1799.
Sponsorship information for the evening’s entertainment and additional information about the Association and the annual Hall of Fame dinners is available on their website at www.mysahs.com
FRANKIE COLLYER WALKER
Known as the “Voice of St Augustine,” WFOY’s Frankie Collyer Walker was a pioneer for women in radio broadcasting. She was a member of the National Association of Broadcasters, Florida Association of Broadcasters, Radio/Television News Director Association, American Women in Radio and Television and Radio Broadcast Pioneers. She was committed to her community and proud of St. Augustine and its history, having served as president of the League of Women Voters, charter president as well as secretary of Cross and Sword, Vice President of St Augustine Historical Society and Secretary of St Augustine Bicentennial Committee, St. Augustine Woman’s Club, Beta Sigma Phi charter president and a Sunday school teacher at the First United Methodist Church. During her 43 years of radio broadcasting, she received many honors and awards for her service and dedication to the community including Woman of the Year, Sancho Panza Award, Bronze Medallion of Merit, Serendipity Award and Distinguished Citizen Award. After retirement, she began interviewing and taping oral histories of many of the descendants of St. Augustine’s original residents. Many of these are on file with the Historical Society. Her family and friends are honored to have had this wonderful woman in their lives…she touched us all with her grace and love. Ms. Walker was a 1937 graduate of Ketterlinus High School.
CHARLES W LAPRADD
Charles W. LaPradd played college football for the University of Florida from 1950 to 1952 and was recognized as an All-American as a defensive lineman. He later served as the president of St. Johns River Community College (SJRCC) from 1966 to 1972. He attended Ketterlinus High School where he lettered in football, baseball and basketball, but left school to join the U.S. Army before graduation. After serving in the U.S. Army paratroops, he returned to Ketterlinus to finish his remaining high school diploma requirements in 1948. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. The Green Bay Packers selected LaPradd in the 25th round in the 1952 NFL Draft, but was injured in a car accident on the day he graduated from college and never had the opportunity to play in the National Football League. He earned his master’s degree in secondary school administration and his doctoral degree in higher education administration from Florida State University in Tallahassee where he worked as a graduate assistant coach for the Florida State Seminoles football team. He served as an assistant coach for the Seminoles from 1957 to 1961 and the FSU dean of men for two years. He was active in the Gainesville Community including being a past president of Rotary and past president of the Quarterback Club. He had been a member of the UF Letterman Club and Florida Blue Key. LaPradd was a “Gator Great” member of the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame in 1998. The Dr. Charles W. LaPradd Ph.D Fellowship Fund was endowed at the University of Florida for the benefit of doctoral candidates in the university’s college of Health and Human Performance.
IONE L PERRY
Dr. Perry had a remarkable career in public education. After graduating Ketterlinus High School in 1954, Ms. Perry earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Florida State University. While teaching fourth grade at Palm Beach Elementary School, she received a Master of Education in Guidance and Counseling from Phillips University. She returned to Florida State University in 1965, holding an Assistantship to the Department of Supervision and Curriculum and earning a Doctor of Philosophy in 1967. She worked as a researcher with Regional Curriculum Project in Atlanta, Georgia, collecting and analyzing data and reports aimed at improving the leadership roles of state departments of education in six southern states. She served as an Associate Program developer in the Florida Department of Education and was appointed to the Florida governor’s Steering Committee for the 1970 White House Conference on Children and Youth. She served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Supervision at the University of Georgia and was the primary consultant to the Georgia Association for curriculum and Instructional Supervision. She joined the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in 1976 as a consultant in the Division of Development. She later became Director of Teacher Education and then Director of the Human Services Division. She received the Distinguished Teacher Educator Award and the North Carolina Governor’s Award for Excellence in 1988. Dr. Perry was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate for Humane letters by Campbell University in 1991. After retiring in 1996, she served as a consultant to National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2004 and 2005. In 1991, she assisted the families of the 9/11 Pentagon victims. Dr. Perry currently resides in Arlington, Virginia.
STEVEN L SEARS
Steven’s first “professional” entry to entertainment was as a thirteen year old actor in the Florida State Play, “Cross and Sword”. He continued his theatrical interest at St. Augustine High School taking Drama under Mr. John Mantalas and appearing in various school productions. Graduating from SAHS in 1975, Steven initially went to the University of Florida for his Associate Arts degree, then on to Florida State University to join their highly regarded School of Theater. With a B.A. (Cum Laude) degree in Theater, Steven made his way to Los Angeles, where his initial focus was on acting. On advice from a casting director, he decided to write a script. One year later he was on the writing staff of RIPTIDE, a television series for NBC. Since that entry into the world of Television Writing, he has gone on to Write, Story Edit and Produce such shows as THE A-TEAM, STINGRAY, JJ STARBUCK, THE HIGHWAYMAN, FATHER DOWLING MYSTERIES, SWAMP THING, and RAVEN. In addition, he has written for shows such as HARDCASTLE & McCORMICK, SUPERBOY, THE HOLLYWOOD DETECTIVE, JESSE HAWKES, HARDBALL, GRANDSLAM, WALKER-TEXAS RANGER, S.H.E. SPIES as well as Television Pilots, Features, Interactive and animation. He was the Co-Executive Producer of the hit syndicated series XENA – WARRIOR PRINCESS, and the Co-Creator and Executive Producer of the Columbia /TriStar Television Series SHEENA. Steven established the “Steven L. Sears Dean’s Scholarship” at Florida State University and was chosen as a Florida State University “Grad Made Good” by the FSU chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa in 2006. He is a member of the Writers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. As a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Steven volunteers as a judge for the Student Emmy Awards and Student Internship program. Today, Steven is a frequent guest speaker at Universities and Colleges across the country and continues his work in film/TV development while expanding into Digital Media and Graphic Novels.