Watertown City School District accepting nominations for 2010 Hall of Achievement

The Watertown City School District is seeking nominations for 2010 inductees into the district's Distinguished Alumni Hall of Achievement.

The Hall of Achievement is an initiative started by the district in 2001 to honor distinguished Watertown High School graduates, and to provide positive role models for current students.

"We want students to see the big picture, that highly successful people were sitting in the same seats that they are sitting in, at one point," Superintendent Terry N. Fralick said.

Previous inductees include Army Secretary John R. McHugh, Academy Award-nominated actor Viggo P. Mortensen and Robert Lansing, U.S. secretary of state under President Woodrow Wilson.

The Hall of Achievement has inducted 36 graduates in past years. Twenty candidates were inducted in 2001 and eight candidates were inducted in both 2003 and 2005.

This year's Hall of Achievement search committee members are Mr. Fralick, Board of Education Vice President Michael R. Flick, Hall of Achievement inductee Lorraine A. Revelle, city resident Paula C. Cadwell, Watertown High School student Tiffany Frecken and Watertown Daily Times reporter Jamie Munks.

The committee met Wednesday afternoon, and will meet again to evaluate the nominations after submissions are closed in January. The committee will evaluate submissions based on contributions and service to their community, profession or another good cause.

Anyone can nominate a candidate for the Hall of Achievement, although self-nominations aren't permitted. Candidates must have graduated from Watertown High School at least 10 years ago.

Nomination forms will be posted on the district's Web site. The search committee encourages including other materials such as letters of reference, resumes and newspaper clippings about the candidate with the submission.

The district office must receive all nominations by 4 p.m. Jan. 25. The selected inductees will be announced in February, and the induction ceremony likely will take place in May.

ON THE NET

Watertown City Schools: www.watertowncsd.org