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Orem High School Hall of Fame
RUSSELL PARK
Russell Park graduated from OHS (Lincoln) in 1940. Russ was captain
of the OHS football and basketball teams. He served in the U.S. Navy
seabees in W.W. II. He became very involved in the community. In 1947
he established the "Parks Sportsmanship Award" which is still presented
to the best athlete in over twenty sports in area high schools. In 1954
he purchased 15 acres and established Park's the largest individually
owned and operated store of its kind in Utah.
LAVELL EDWARDS
Lavell Edwards graduated from OHS (Lincoln) in 1948. Lavell was
co-captain playing center on the 1947 Lincoln High School Championship
Team he lettered in basketball and track. Lavell coached the Granite
Farmers then moved to BYU as assisstant football coach. In 1972, he
was named as BYU's head coach and has been selected WAC Coach of the
Year five times. In 1984 when the Cougars were the national champions,
he was named NCAA Coach of the Year.
NORMAN NIELSON
Norman Nielson graduated from OHS (Lincoln) in 1953. Norm is
known for his membership in the Utah House of Representatives, as a
house chairman of Community and Economic development, and as a member
of the health and environment committee. He was President of the Scera
Corp. and President of the Miss Utah Pageant. Being involved in Utah's
entertainment division, directing and booking shows in over sixty foreign
countries and throughout the U.S.
STEVE BAUGH
Steven Baugh graduated from OHS in 1963. Steven was student body
president and co-captain of the tennis team at Orem High. After graduating
from BYU, Steve taught at Orem High for ten years. He was principal
at American Fork, Pleasant Grove, and Mountain View High Schools before
becoming the Alpine School District Superintendant of schools in 1988.
He was president of the Utah High Superintendants Association and was
the 1998 Utah State Superintendant of the Year.
JOHN CHILDS
John Childs graduated from OHS in 1963. John's career began in
the Uintah Basin teaching the Ute Indians. He has been the district
curriculum director a combination middle and junior high principal,
principal of Dixon Middle School where he was named Principal of the
Year. In 1987 he became principal of OHS, his Alma Mater. Dr. Childs
received the "Principal of Leadership Award" and is a standard to Utah
administrators with his positive and imaginative approach to education.
BRENDA PETERSON
Brenda Peterson graduated from OHS in 1969. All three years that
Brenda played for OHS, the softball, volleyball, and basketball teams
won regional championships. Brenda was a Tigerette and was a team captain
for BYU Basketball and Volleyball teams. As a member of the U.S. Womens
Volleyball team she played in the world games in Moscow. In 1986 she
was the fourth woman to be inducted into BYU Cougar Club Hall of Fame.
Brenda has co-authored five textbooks and earned two national prizes
for her reference manual for electronic and desk-top publishing.
VAL OVESON
Val Oveson graduated from OHS in 1970. Val was OHS student body
president and captain of the football team. In 1970 he was a staff member
at a White House conference on children and youth. Val was Utah State
Lt. Governor representing the governor in economic devolpment in Utah.
Throughout the U.S. and overseas he was the Utah State auditor from
1981 to 1985 and then served as chairman on the Utah State tax commision.
He is an accountant and real estate appraiser.
CLAUDIA LAYCOCK
Claudia Laycock graduated from OHS in 1970. At OHS Claudia was
orchestra concert mistress, acapella choir accompanist, a student council
member, and president of the Sapere Aude Club. Following BYU graduation,
Claudia taught English and German at Dixon Jr. High. After graduation
from BYU law school in 19855, she began her career in law. Claudia worked
with teenagers in juvenile court, with the Utah Co. Attorney's Office,
and with the women and children crisis center. She enjoys playing in
the Utah Valley Symphony.
PAUL COX
Paul Cox graduated from OHS in 1971. Paul is a world-renowned
scientist and educator with a BYU B.S. Degree, University of Wales master
degree, and a Harvard Masters and PhD. He was BYU's teacher of the year
in 1988, 91, 92, and 93. He says," Only one person can create magic
in the classroom; that person is the teacher." Paul is the subject of
articles in Discover and TIME and was the center of a 1998 CBS special, "Medicine
Man." He helped preserve over 65,000 acres of rain forest in American
and Western Samoa.
WILLIAM BACON
William Bacon graduated from OHS in 1972. Bill's classmates remember
him for starting the popular eight piece band, "London Bridge." He professionally
performs, composes, arranges, produces, and teaches music. He graduated
from BYU, began his medical training at the U of U and continued at
USC specializing in orthopedic surgery. Bill returned to Utah Valley
and established his medical practice in orhtopedic surgery and sports
medicine.
TOM PETERSON
Tom Peterson graduated from OHS in 1972. Tom was active in Key
and Letterman's Clubs, National Honor Society, and was on the tennis
team for three years, winning the State Doubles Championship as a senior.
He was on the BYU Men's Volleyball team, coached for the U of U, BYU
Penn State, and in 1993 coached the Olympic Sports Festival's Gold Medal
East team, taking them to win the gold medal in 1995. He achieved first-Team
All American status at USVBA Open Nationals and was honored by the American
Volleyball Coaches Association as "Coach of the Year."
MARIA THYGERSON SMITH
Maria Thygerson Smith graduated from OHS in 1972. Maria was president
of Thespians, a member of the National Honor Society, All-state-Debate,
and named "Outstanding Teenager of America." She graduated Magna Lam
Lande from BYU, has a Master of Arts from Texas Tech University, and
was station manager at KUTV. Her awards include a Presidential Citation
for Best Private Sector Initiative and a Rocky Mountain Emmy for Best
Community Affairs Campaign.
LLOYD D. NEWELL
Lloyd D. Newell graduated from OHS in 1974. As a speaker, consultant,
and writer, Lloyd has addressed audiences in 47 states and more than
a dozen countries. He has been a CBS TV news anchorman and news magazine
host and has also worked for CNN's Headline News in Atlanta, Georgia.
He continues to serve as host and announcer for many local and national
programs and events. He is a published author of several best-sellig
books. He is well known as the voice and writer for the Mormon Tabernacle
choir's weekly inspirational broadcast of "Music and the Spoken Word."
KURT BESTOR
Kurt Bestor graduated from OHS in 1976. Kurt is a talented composer
and performer, versatile film scorer and arranger, and is well-known
for his popular symphonies and concerts. He has composed over thirty
film scores (IMAX also), developed TV show themes, and won numerous
awards including an Emmy for his original music for the 1998 Winter
Olympics in Calgary. His musical contributions to network TV includes
themes for ABC Monday Night Football, National Geographic Explorer,
TBS's Wildlife Adventures, and ABC Sunday Night Movie.
BRIAN WIMMER
Brian Wimmer graduated from OHS in 1977. Brian's theatrical career
began in ninth gradfe as production assistent in the locally filmed "Footloose," he
was discovered to be photogenic. He was in "Nightmare on Elm Street
II," "Under the Boardwalk," "Less Than Zero," and "Holy Child in the
City." He performed locally, in productions in LA and New York, and
trained in the Actor's Repertory Theatre and the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
He was in Flipper, late for Dinner, and the TV series , China Beach.
STEVE EAGER
Steve Eager graduated from OHS in 1980. While at Orem High, Steve
Eager ws an all-state baseball player. He attended UVSC and BYU on athletic
scholarship. A stand-out catcher, Steve signed with the Detroit Tigers
and played three years in their organization. Steve graduated from BYU
in communications and co-anchored "Focus," a KSL-TV hour long public
affairs program.
SUZANNE SAWYER MONTGOMERY
Suzanne Sawyer Montgomery graduated from OHS in 1984. Suzanne
started skiing at age 10. At age 14 she was the youngest employed ski
instructor ever at Sundance. She coached their alpine racing team and
skied for the Utah Valley Ski Team. In 1985 she helped her BYU team
win the collegiate NCSA National Championship title in Killington, VT.
She modeled ski wear on covers of many ski magazines and skied in many
ads. Evian, Ski Internet, Ski Utah, Nordica, K2, Rossignol, etc. She
skied in "Black Diamond Rush," "Vertical Reality," "Endless Winter," "Snow
Riders," and "Snow Riders 2."
SHELLY SCHRAERRER
Shelly Schraerrer graduated from OHS in 1988. Shelly made headlines
as an all-American gymnast at the U of U. As a two-year-all-American,
she holds the school's record of 39.225 all-around mark and 9.85 on
the bar and floor exercise for a second place at the 1990 NCAA Championship.
She holds the school's first 9.90, four of the U's top ten all-around
performance awards, and was a finalist for the prestigious Honda Broderick
Award. She was honored by Orem City and in 1990 was named the Multiple
Sclerosis College Athlete of the Year.
CHAD LEWIS
Chad Lewis graduated from OHS in 1989. He later walked on to
BYU's football team and shortly thereafter became a starter.
He was named an Academic All-American Honorable Mention while at BYU
and was later signed to play tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles.
He was named to the Pro-Bowl during his third year 2000-2001 after leading
the NFC in receptions among tight ends. He is married to a former all-american
volleyball player from BYU.
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