NORTH VERNON — The selection of this year’s inductees into the Jennings County High School Hall of Fame has been completed and announced, but the official honors will be delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2020 JCHS Hall of Fame induction planned for Dec. 12 has been canceled. The ceremony will be held at a later date when coronavirus cases subside allowing for larger public gatherings.
This year’s four new members to the JCHS Hall of Fame are:
Donna Eaton, Class of 1973
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
Laura Garza, Class of 1990
Pat Sullivan, Honorary Alumni
Richard “Rick” McLeod, Honorary Alumni
Each year, since 2012, former graduates of JCHS are selected as examples of the kind of high achievement possible for all graduates.
Recipients of the JCHS Alumni Hall of Fame Award must have graduated from the high school at least 15 years prior to the year of the award.
Additionally, there’s an award for those who did not graduate from JCHS, but have reached high achievement and have also been an asset to the JCHS community. That award is designated for “Honorary Alumni.”
Both JCHS Alumni Hall of Fame inductees and Honorary Alumni Hall of Fame inductees are usually honored at the first boys basketball game of the season. They are also honored at a special dinner and receive a plaque.
Photos of the winners are permanently displayed in the JCHS Hall of Fame.
Including this year’s recipients, there have been 24 JCHS alumni and 10 honorary alumni inducted into the JCHS Hall of Fame.
A 15-member committee led by JCHS Principal Dustin Roller convened in October to select this year’s inductees. The committee was also composed of teachers and staff members, community members and students.
Garza, a graduate of Butler University, was selected for her professional achievements as a certified pharmacist as well as other contributions to the Jennings County community. Garza has received numerous state and national honors for her work in pharmacy.
After graduating from Ball State University, Donna Eaton returned to Jennings County to begin her career as an elementary school teacher. She taught at both Brush Creek and Scipio elementary schools before serving as the principal at North Vernon Elementary School.
McLeod graduated from St Mary’s School and North Vernon High School before receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Ball State University. McLeod worked in several areas of special education in Jennings County; including as the director of special education at JCSC. He has also helped with therapies at Madison State Hospital. For 25 years, McLeod served as a coach for Special Olympics.
A lifelong resident of Hayden, Sullivan graduated from North Vernon High School In 1968. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he graduated from Midland Lutheran College with a degree in elementary education. He then returned to Hayden to teach at Hayden Elementary. Sullivan also completed a master’s degree from Indiana University. Sullivan worked to establish the Hayden Museum, and has participated in many community education and historic preservation projects.
