A committee of past and present school personnel and community members consisting of Brian Sepanak, Dr. Jerry Williams, Boots Abrams, Lucinda Brier, Bob Fairbanks, Eileen Attwood, Jan Kauzlarich, Corrie Wendt and Sharon Fouts, reviewed nominations submitted by the public for the first ever Swartz Creek Schools Outstanding Alumni Award. The committee selected five individuals to be recognized as the 2008 award recipients from a group of sixteen nominations. The quality of the field of nominees was exceptional and those not selected to be recognized this year will be considered as part of the nominees for next year’s award. The committee truly feels, as does the Board of Education, that recognizing these top achievers would be a source of inspiration to current high school students and a source of pride for our community.

The names of the recipients of the 2008 Swartz Creek High School Outstanding Alumni Awards are listed below. The award winners and their nominators have been notified of the honor and invited to a “gala recognition dinner" on Saturday, September 20th in the newly renovated high school cafeteria. That evening will also include the ceremonial hanging of their pictures in the Alumni Room of the cafeteria. Hopefully, most of the recipients will be able to attend in person but, if not, we’ve asked them to prepare an electronic acceptance speech that the attendees will be able to view as part of the evening's festivities. Members of the community, Swartz Creek Schools past and present staff, alumni, friends and family of the recipients are encouraged to plan to attend the dinner. Tickets will be available beginning August 18th and can be secured at the Community Education Office in the Mary Crapo Building for a cost of $15.00.

2008 Swartz Creek High School
Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient:

Kenneth Cain, Ph.D. Class of 1985
Juliaetta, Idaho
B.S. Michigan State University
M.S. Michigan State University
Ph.D. Washington State University
Associate Professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources University of Idaho
Associate Director of Aquaculture Research Institute
Author of 39 publications relating to his field of study

Scott Parker Class of 1979
Swartz Creek, Michigan
Recipient of  9 AMA Grand National Championships
Member of Dirt Track Hall of Fame
Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame

Cameron Brunet - Koch, Ph.D. Class of 1974
Petoskey, Michigan
B.A. Oakland University
M.A. Michigan State University
Ph.D. University of Michigan
President North Central Michigan College
Licensed Professional Counselor

Judith Wright Class of 1969
Chicago, Illinois
B.A. Psychology
M.A. Education and Counseling
Founder of Wright Leadership Institute
Author of two best-selling books
Provider of self-help seminars, lifestyle expert, inspirational speaker, corporate consultant
Appearances on 50+ television programs and 400+ radio programs

James Walter Holmquist Class of 1965
Thomasville, North Carolina
B.S. Detroit College
M.S. Webster’s University
Senior System Engineer at Wake Forest University/Baptist Medical Center
Published author of children’s books