Six new members will join the Hall of Honor Saturday, April 12 during the 16th Annual Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony and Dinner at Tecumseh Elementary School.
The Xenia Community Schools Foundation and this year’s presenting sponsor, Greene Memorial and Soin Hospitals, will honor Melvin “Mack” Bottorff (class of 1961); John A. Finlay (‘59); Jim and Luann McHarg (‘60 and 66); James W. Percival and William D. Spahr (‘66) as the 2014 inductees.
The Hall of Honor, which has 77 members, recognizes former students for their high achievements and service to the community, especially the school system. They are honored with plaques displayed at the entrance of Xenia High School.
• Bottorff identifies himself as a person “dedicated to serving young people, particularly the youth of Xenia Community Schools.” Over the past 45 years he has been an educator, coach, volunteer and ordained minister. In retirement, he helps former drop-outs find paid co-op employment in the community through the Mound Street Academies.
• Finlay, an attorney, has served through numerous committees and organizations, often providing pro bono legal service. He has been a member of the Xenia Community Schools Board of Education, Xenia Community Schools Foundation and Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce.
• The McHargs distinguished themselves as teachers within the school district and as community activists. Jim McHarg, who is being inducted posthumously, was also a school administrator. They are being honored for being role models through their “commitment, dedication and caring.”
• Percival recently retired as Xenia City Manager. While not a Xenia High School graduate, the Xenia Community Schools Board of Education nominated him for induction into the Hall because his “central thesis during his career was that children are our future and will become the foundation of a thriving community.” He actively participated in the coordination of many school and city endeavors.
• Spahr has made significant contributions to education in Xenia through his service as a member of both the Xenia Community Schools Board of Education and the Greene County Career Center Board of Education. A teacher in the Fairborn school system for 43 years, he provided professional volunteer service to the Ohio School Boards Association, the Ohio Department of Education and the Governor’s Office, receiving numerous honors and awards.
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