Nominations open for RHS Distinguished Alumni awards

Monday, April 7, 2025 at 7:37 AM

By Wes Dehne

Rocester School Corp. is accepting nominations for Distinguished Alumni awards through April 18.

Forms are available for the following:

• Posthumous Zebra Alumni Award – Recognizing a deceased Rochester graduate whose leadership or achievements were exceptional.
• Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award – Recognizing a current or former Rochester employee, from any department within the district, having shown exceptional abilities and efforts. (Not required to be a Rochester graduate.)
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Recognizing a Rochester graduate for significant accomplishments in business or professional life.
• Leadership Excellence Alumni Award – Recognizing a Rochester graduate for exemplary leadership, service or volunteer contributions.
• Early Career Achievement Award – Recognizing a RHS graduate for achieving significant career successes by the age of 35.

"It is our desire to honor those who fit these categories and thank them for the work they do," Superintendent Jana Vance said. "The deadline is coming up and we would really like to launch this program on a strong note and have great applications to go through.

Nominations may include supporting documentation, as well as up to two letters of support. Nominees must be living at the time the nomination is submitted, except for the Posthumous category.

The selection committee will notify the 2025 honorees and those who nominated them by April 25. Winners will be honored at an awards program on June 7. The program and open house are open to all who wish to attend, and reservation information will be posted on zebras.net.

Winners will receive a commemorative lapel pin, as well as permanent recognition on a plaque at Rochester High School.

Nominations are kept on file for three years, giving nominators the option to request that the same paperwork be used for two more years, before a new nomination is required.

Nomination forms and supporting documentation should be mailed to: Rochester Alumni Committee, 690 Zebra Lane, Rochester, IN 46975.

Those with questions are encouraged to contact Superintendent Vance at jana.vance@zebras.net or call 574-223-2159.