Dinner will honor Wilson graduates for accomplishments
Staff report
BOARDMAN
Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame dinner will be May 29 at Antone’s Banquet Centre, 8578 Market St. It will honor former Wilson graduates for accomplishments and extraordinary service and will benefit Woodrow Wilson Legacy Scholarship at Youngstown State University.
Tickets are $40 per person and the deadline for reservations is May 9. Call 330-744-6954 or visit ytownwilsonhalloffame.weebly.com.
Wilson’s first graduating class was in 1939 when it was one of six schools in Youngstown, serving neighborhoods surrounding Gibson Street and Indianola Avenue on the South Side. The school was closed in 2007 and razed the following year.
Eleven alumni have been chosen as inductees into the school hall of fame by the Wilson Alumni Committee. They are as follows:
Wealthie Prince, Class of 1942, class valedictorian; bachelor’s degree in music education; associate registrar of records at Youngstown State University; upon retirement was bestowed the title of Administrator Emeritus for outstanding service, organist and choir director at various churches
Charles H. McGowen, M.D., Class of 1953, graduate of Ohio State University Medical School specializing in internal medicine; U.S. Air Force veteran, Flight Surgeon for the 910th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Youngstown Airport; team physician at Wilson and Poland High schools; board member of Forum Health Hospital; assistant clinical professor of internal medicine at Northeastern Ohio Medical School; and is presently Medical Director at Ohio Health One
Robert E. Marsico Sr., M.D., Class of 1954, honors graduate of OSU Medical School; elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha scholastic honor societies; served as a resident at St. Elizabeth Hospital and completed residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit; U.S. Army veteran; founder and organizer of The Arc to benefit the mentally and developmentally challenged; and has practiced medicine for 49 years, currently in Akron
James Menighan, Class of 1959, selected as First Team All-City football as a senior at Wilson and was senior class president and member of National Honor Society; football team quarterback for three years; graduate of DePauw University and member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon; National Agent’s Advisory Committee of Connecticut Mutual Life insurance; and founder of First Financial Resources Inc.
Dorothy Palguta Tesner, Class of 1959, bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in supervision and curriculum; former teacher in Youngstown at Adams School; Jennings Scholar and Junior High Teacher of the Year for 1990; affiliated with the Masonic Learning Center serving children with dyslexia; a center director for Orton-Gillingham; supporter of To Russia With Love which supports children in need of prosthetic limbs
Alberta Kurowski Ellis, Ph.D., Class of 1960, served as teacher, building level administrator, central office administrator and superintendent of schools in Michigan and Ohio; adjunct professor at Michigan State University; served on the boards of Lake Nona YMCA, East Orlando Community Hospital, Pregnancy Support Center and Shelter for Abused Women; in retirement he serves as a classroom volunteer in elementary schools
Samuel A. Roth, Class of 1960, bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from OSU; registered professional engineer; president and CEO of Roth Bros. Inc. of Austintown; retired president of FirstEnergy Facilities Services Group; past director and chairman of the board of First Place Financial Corp. and First Place Bank; originator of scholarships at YSU and NEOMED; recipient of numerous awards from volunteer organizations
Thomas Motosko, Class of 1968, graduate studies in physical therapy at Emporia State University; inventor and patent owner of “Awesome Augur” as seen on TV; product demonstrator at home, garden shows and state fairs
William D. Diorio, Ph.D., Class of 1971, doctorate of philosophy in social welfare and master’s in social administration at Case Western Reserve; bachelor’s degree at Bucknell University; more than 39 years in social work as a psychotherapist, administrator, educator and qualitative researcher; assistant professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Kent State University; Ohio Advocates for Mental Health award “Community Advocate of the Year”; and presently is an instructor at YSU
Mark Cherol, Class of 1973, coach and physical education teacher at Youngstown City Schools for 29 years and also taught at Niles, Girard and Campbell; head coach for Wilson City Series Championship teams in 2003, 2006 and 2007; selected Mahoning County Coach of the Year in 2003; and recipient of the A! Beach Classic Coach of the Year Award; although retired, he continues to coach basketball in Youngstown middle schools
Victoria J. Davis, Class of 1982, track and field scholarship to Indiana University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology; master’s degree in management from John Hopkins University and graduate of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Academy; U.S. Army veteran during Operation Desert Storm; currently assistant Commander at Baltimore-Washington International Airport; and volunteers with Big Brothers and Sisters of Maryland, Black Law Enforcement Executives and the Fire Owners Protection Act.