Welcome to the SPFHS Alumni Association's Website
New SPFHS Alumni Association Facebook page! Get the conversation started with fellow alumni!
ALUMNI NEWS: Chuck Dettmar '81, is an adjunct professor of jazz studies and jazz ensemble at Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and is in his 39th year as an instrumental music director and teacher. He is also the director of bands at Centerburg High School in Central Ohio, and serves as lead alto sax in the Knox Jazz Orchestra in the Columbus, Ohio area.
Thank you, Chuck, for sharing this news with us. We encourage all SPFHS alumni to share Their news with us as well, by emailing spfhsalumni@aol.com
June 27, 2022 Inspiration from our scholarship winners! The SPFHS Alumni Association continued in their tradition of awarding two scholarships to SPFHS graduating seniors who are descendants of SPFHS alumni. Congratulations to Julia Bonhote and Molly Sullivan, who will each receive $1,000 scholarships from the Alumni Association to attend a college of their choice. Please read part of their stories below.
Bonhote has high hopes of becoming a doctor of veterinary medicine. She will be an animal science pre-vet major in college. Bonhote has taken many science classes at SPFHS, including advanced placement biology.
Sullivan has set her sights on becoming a pediatric nurse. She volunteers with youth groups at her church. Also, Sullivan works in the Scotch Plains recreation department as a camp counselor.
Long time SPFHS Alumni Association president, Laura Swidersky, announced the scholarships at the SPFHS senior awards assembly in early June at the high school. Swidersky said that it is her hope that the SPFHS Alumni Association will be able to continue to award scholarships to graduating SPFHS seniors who are descendants of SPFHS alumni, every spring for as long as the Alumni Association has the money to give. However, funds are currently limited. "I am giving tonight, but I am asking you to give to the Alumni Association", Swidersky remarked. Swidersky suggested that people can buy engraved personalized commemorative bricks to be placed in the future in the Alumni Walk at SPFHS which leads from the school up to Perry Tyson Field. The bricks cost $50 each, and all proceeds go to the SPFHS Alumni Association scholarship fund for awarding of future scholarships. Other donations to the SPFHS scholarship fund are also welcome.
The Alumni Association is honored to be able to help these two bright and caring young people, Julia Bonhote and Molly Sullivan, on their journeys. Good Luck, Julia and Molly!
These scholarships are made possible by your brick purchases in the alumni walk (please click here for information and the brick order form), and your donations.
You will be truly moved to read about the life of Tracy A. Wood, an SPFHS alumna, and a true hero in our midst. Wood grew up in Fanwood. Her brother, Scott Wood, writes the following in a letter to the Alumni Association: " I thought you might be interested in this link to a tribute to Tracy A. Wood, an alumna of SPFHS. While at high school she co-edited the Fanscotian, played 1st Trombone in the Band and Moonglowers, and went on to a stellar career in journalism with UPI (War Correspondent in Vietnam), The Los Angeles Times (investigative reporter), Orange County Register, (editor) Ms. Magazine (editor) and the new, digital publication, Voice of Orange County (editor). The VOC is creating a memorial funded internship in her name".
We thank Scott for reaching out to us, so you can read this wonderful story. We hope you will email us like Scott did if you have news to share, or a contribution others would appreciate: spfhsalumni@aol.com Thank you.
SPFHS Alumni Association President, Laura Swidersky, has the following messages: 1) The Alumni Association is experiencing difficulty due to a lack of volunteers. 2) The Brick Walk is still active.
Please email us if you'd like to volunteer. Please purchase a brick here. All brick purchases go to support our future Alumni Association scholarships.
Please click here to view the May/June, 2020 Alumni Association newsletter. We thank Carolyn Quinn '79 for stepping up to edit this one edition of the newsletter for us! Thank you, Carolyn! Great job!
We would like to pause and thank all SPFHS graduates, and the wider community, for their many types of service. So many have gone above and beyond to make life better for us. As the saying goes, 'all gave some, some gave all'. Thank you. We honor your faithful contributions.
If you would like to be a newsletter editor, or help write and gather news for us, please let us know!
In Loving Memory of Mr. David Multer, SPFHS class of 1970, and History teacher at SPFHS for over 40 years, who was inducted posthumously into the SPFHS Alumni Hall of Fame in December, 2019.
Please click here to read the Fanscotian/ TAP Into SPF article with memories of Mr. Multer, and then, please email your memories of Mr. Multer to us at spfhsalumni@aol.com,
and we will post your memories here! Click here to read memories that alumni have submitted to us.
Dear SPFHS Alumni: Please let us know what you've been up to in your life, share a memory, share a creative article, or share anything that you'd like other alumni to read! It doesn't have to be profound or major. The more alumni that contribute, the more dynamic and thought provoking this website will become. Please also let us know if you'd like to volunteer to help the Alumni Association: we currently have only a few volunteers, attempting to do all the work themselves. Any amount of help would be appreciated, whether assisting in a small way, or taking on a major leadership role. Please also send us an email if you would like to recieve occasional emails from us (sent bcc). Please spread the word to your SPFHS friends and classmates.
Thank you so much to the SPFHS Alumni Association officers: President: Laura Swidersky Vice President: Dr. James Checchio Secretary: Bernice Montagna, retiring Treasurer: Kathy VanHorn trustees: Elmer Terry and Barbara Roskin founding member: Marie Leppert
This is a partial list. We thank these officers, and the other chairpeople and committee members. Some have served for 20 years! New volunteers and leaders sought (to provide much needed assistance to our long-time volunteers)! Please contact us if interested.
Do you know of an SPFHS alumni who is making the world or their community a better place, or has distinguished her or himself? Please nominate them for the SPFHS Hall of Fame today! Inductees are honored at a ceremony at the high school, have a plaque of their own in the SPFHS hallway, and serve as an example for current SPFHS students!
Please click here to see information on all 35 members of the Hall of Fame, and to be able to nominate an alumni of your own for consideration!!
We really encourage you to nominate someone! The Hall of Fame inductions committee would like to receive many more nominations than they have been getting! This is where you come in!
click here to Visit our Alumni News page! David Lange from the SPFHS class of '15 is writing a book! Bob Andrews from the SPFHS class of '71 writes about his classmate interview project.
What was it like to be an SPFHS senior back in 1958? John D. Smith, from the class of '58, paints the picture.
If you'd like to make a donation to future SPFHS Alumni Association scholarships, please click directly below. Checks can be made out to "SPFHS Alumni Association". In memo line of check, please write "scholarship donation".
