Lindale ISD
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Lindale ISD Alumni Association Honors 2020 Distinguished Alumni
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient was a graduate of Lindale High School, Class of 1970. While at Lindale High School, he was an excellent student and a talented athlete. He was well liked and respected by everyone who knew him.
The recipient attended Tyler Junior College and the University of Houston, College of Pharmacy from 1970-1975. He worked as a pharmacist from 1975-1980 before attending the North Texas Health Science Center. He and his wife moved back to Lindale in 1986 where they have both served and continue to serve Lindale as a “doctor team” at the Lindale Medical Center.
He is an exemplary example for other Lindale Alumni to follow
and Lindale can be proud of this outstanding man.
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient is:
Dr. Wendell Hand
The Alumni Association also bestows a Distinguished Service Award for those who served the Lindale Independent School District. This year’s recipient played an important role at Lindale ISD.
He was a coach and athletic coordinator at Lindale Junior High for many years. He was well liked and respected by everyone, including parents, administrators, teachers and students. He had an extremely positive influence on the students of Lindale for almost half a century.
He was involved in numerous ways in improving Lindale ISD’s athletic facilities. He even worked on landscaping at Eagle Stadium.
The Distinguished Service recipient attended and graduated from East Texas State University now known as Texas A&M University at Commerce.
This man’s service, dedication and contribution to the Lindale Independent School District is outstanding.
We are proud to present the Distinguished Service award to:
Mr. Jack Johnson
Lindale ISD Alumni Association Honors 2019 Distinguished Alumni
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient was a graduate of Lindale High School, Class of 1973. While at Lindale High School, he was an honor roll student and a talented athlete. He lettered two years as the starting quarterback for the Lindale Eagles his junior and senior year. He also played baseball, basketball and ran track.
The recipient attended Wiley College in Marshall and the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, where he obtained his M.D. He is licensed to practice medicine in both Louisiana and Texas. Currently, he is a family physician in Shreveport, Louisiana. His special interest is and has been in service to low income, indigent and medically under-served communities of Shreveport.
One of the recipient’s future goals is to work with local health care and educational institutions along with social agencies to develop a Center of Excellence in Primary Health Care and Minority Health Education. He is an exemplary example for other Lindale Alumni to follow and Lindale can be proud of this outstanding man.
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient is:
Dr. Larry Daniels
The Alumni Association also bestows a Distinguished Service Award for those who served the Lindale Independent School District. This year’s recipient played an important role at Lindale ISD. She was a teacher at the Lindale Primary School and served as the Director of Special Education Services at Lindale ISD, before retiring in 2014. She spent 34 of her 44 years in education at Lindale. As the Director of Special Education Services, she excelled in leading her staff in producing a program that was second to none. She was greatly respected and admired by her staff.
The Distinguished Service recipient received her Bachelor of Education and Master of Education degrees from Texas Tech University.
This woman’s service, dedication and contribution to the Lindale Independent School District is outstanding.
We are proud to present the Distinguished Service award to:
Mrs. Peggy Alexander
Lindale ISD Alumni Association Honors 2018 Distinguished Alumni
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient was a 1961 graduate of Lindale High School, graduating as Class Salutatorian. While attending Lindale High, he participated in all sports and received numerous honors in multiple events. He was a 4 year letter man in both track and football.
After graduation from Lindale he played football for both Tyler Junior College and the University of North Texas. While at North Texas, he was named to the All Missouri Valley Conference academic football team. He was also a student judge on the UNT student supreme court in 1963-64 and also a member of the prestigious men’s service organization known as the "Talons."
This year’s Distinguished Alumni recipient spent his career as a coach, a teacher and an administrator with the Lewisville Independent School District, where he was named Superintendent in 1983 and remained there until his retirement 2001.
He has served on numerous civic, philanthropic, religious and fraternal organizations, receiving many awards. He was named Superintendent of the Year in 1993 by the Association of School Administrators and was also nominated for the National Superintendent of the Year. Since his retirement from the Lewisville ISD, he has continued his career as a lobbyist for the Property Wealthy Districts of Texas. Lindale can be proud of this outstanding educator.
This year's Distinguished Alumni Award winner is:
Dr. Clayton Downing
The Alumni Association also bestows a Distinguished Service Award for those who served the Lindale Independent School District. This year’s recipient began his journey with the Lindale Independent School District in 1966 as band director. Between the years of 1966 and 1974 “The Pride of Lindale” was born as he led the Lindale High School band to its first UIL Sweepstakes in the history of the school.
He taught the band program for grades 5th through 12th as the only director during his tenure, producing marching bands, concert bands, jazz bands and musicians of excellence. This person left the Lindale ISD in 1974, but returned in later years serving as principal of Lindale Junior High and at the primary schools.
Through his work with the Lindale band program and finally as an administrator, he has given a lifetime of distinguished service.
We are proud to present the 2018 Distinguished Service award to:
Mr. Jasper Huff
Lindale ISD Alumni Association Honors 2017 Distinguished Alumni
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient was a graduate of Lindale High School, Class of 1954. He attended Lindale schools for 12 years and participated in many extracurricular activities at LISD, including football, basketball and track. His family ties with the community go back to 1941, when he moved from Kansas to Lindale. His wife has family ties with Lindale that date back to the 1900’s.
The recipient attended Tyler Junior College, the University of Texas and Baylor Medical School, where he obtained his M.D. He was involved in Family Practice in Ennis and was an associate of the Medical Arts Clinic in Corsicana.
He continues to present an award to a teacher of Lindale I.S.D every year, an award that was established by his father. This recipient’s father was a past Distinguished Service Award recipient, making them the only father-son award recipients to date.
He is an exemplary example for other Lindale Alumni to follow and Lindale can be proud of this outstanding man.
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient is:
Dr. William “Bill” Kinzie
The Alumni Association also bestows a Distinguished Service Award for those who served the Lindale Independent School District. This year’s recipient played an important role at Lindale ISD.
She received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. She started out teaching part-time at Ore City and then New Diana. She has more than 30 years of teaching experience and more than 20 of those years were spent at Lindale I.S.D.
Grammy-nominated artist and Lindale graduate, Miranda Lambert once credited this former teacher with helping her to get over her stage fright and perform before crowds. In this teacher’s 24 years at Lindale High School, her students won five golden gavel awards for being the top speaker in the state in University Interscholastic League tournaments. They won so many state championships and other awards in debate, I think everyone has lost count.
This woman’s service, dedication and contribution to the Lindale Independent School District is outstanding.
We are proud to present the Distinguished service award to:
Mrs. Janice Caldwell
Lindale ISD Alumni Association Honors 2016 Distinguished Alumni
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient was the Valedictorian graduate of Lindale High School, Class of 1947. He received his bachelors, his Masters and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He has spent his career as a teacher, administrator, Director of Planning and Accreditation for the Texas Education Agency, assistant superintendent at both Round Rock ISD and Brazosport ISD, served as Superintendent at Lake Travis ISD and a Professor of Educational administration at the University of Texas at Brownsville. He has served active duty in the United States Navy and is a retired commander from the US Naval Reserve.
He has served in numerous civic and philanthropic organizations all over Texas in the various communities in which he has lived. This person has spent his life dedicated to the educational progress of students and the goal of making education better for all. Even in retirement he continues to support the educational endeavors of students. His direction as President of the Ralph and Billie Howard Foundation has led to over 40 scholarships given to students and teachers at Lindale ISD. Throughout his educational career he has been a positive role model for other educators and is an exemplary example for other Lindale Alumni to follow. Lindale can be proud of this outstanding educator.
This years Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient is:
Dr. Walter Howard
The Alumni Association also bestows a Distinguished Service Award for those who served the Lindale Independent School District. This year’s recipient played an important role in the overall development and expansion of Lindale ISD. He is a WWII veteran and a retired attorney. He and his wife moved to Lindale with their three children in Sept. of 1956 and were very involved with the PTA in Lindale. He served on the Lindale ISD Board of Education for many years; also serving as President of the Board from 1970 to 1978.
As the attorney for the school district he was involved in various bond issues and land negotiations in the building program of the school system at a time when many East Texas communities were having their bond issues defeated. He also volunteered as Scoutmaster and Cubmaster serving students from the Lindale schools. This man’s service, dedication and contribution to the Lindale Independent School District is outstanding.
We are proud to present the Distinguished service award to:
Mr. Jack Jackson
Lindale ISD Alumni Association Honors Three with 2015 Distinguished Awards
Former Assistant Superintendent of Lindale ISD and Lindale graduate with the class of 1961, Carolyn Todd will be presented with one of this year’s Lindale ISD Distinguished Alumni Awards.
Prior to serving as Asst. Superintendent, Todd was the Director of Curriculum and Federal Programs for the district. She has also served as the Principal at College Street Elementary and Principal of Lindale’s Early Childhood Center. Before serving at the administrative level, Todd was an outstanding classroom teacher for Lindale ISD. Todd and her husband Larry are generous benefactors to not only Lindale ISD but to many organizations and causes throughout the community. Todd is currently a member of the Lindale Chamber of Commerce and the Hideaway Kiwanis Club. Todd and her husband have also established a scholarship, “The Larry and Carolyn Todd Scholarship,” to honor a deserving Lindale graduate each year.
A graduate of the Lindale High School class of 1953, and an accomplished graduate of the Baylor University Law School, Gary Jackson is a 2015 recipient of the Lindale ISD Distinguished Alumni Award. Jackson’s leadership qualities were recognized early on by his high school classmates when he was elected as senior class president by his peers. After attending Southern Methodist University and Baylor Law School, Jackson went on to become the city judge of Arlington, Texas, a trial attorney for the United States Justice Department and a successful attorney with a private practice in Dallas and Lindale. Jackson also served his country in the USAR for thirty years before retiring as a Colonel. Overtime, Jackson has received several awards for his accomplishments including commendations from the FBI and the US Justice Department. He was also inducted into the Fort Benning Hall of Fame for his lifetime military and non-military accomplishments.
Former mathematics teacher at Lindale High School, Lucy Bradshaw is this year’s recipient of the 2015 Lindale ISD Distinguished Service Award. Bradshaw was born in Tyler, Texas in December 1895 to William and Aroline Fitzgerald Rice. Bradshaw’s brother, Ibson Rice, was a long time merchant in the Lindale community. Bradshaw later married her husband Floyd, who was also a community member of Lindale. Together they became very active in the Lindale community, as Bradshaw taught a Ladies Sunday School Class for many years at the First Methodist Church of Lindale.
Mrs. Bradshaw passed away on February 2, 1972 at 76 years of age and is buried next to her husband Floyd in the Lindale Cemetery. She is memorialized at the Methodist Church today, as the class she dedicatedly taught for several years is now named The Lucy Bradshaw Class.
“We are so pleased to be able to recognize this extraordinary group of former Lindale students and teachers,” LISD Alumni Association President Mitzi Bjork said. “We received several nominations for many deserving people and the awards committee felt it was time to honor these three with the distinguished awards. They have most certainly earned the recognition.”
The Distinguished Alumni Award is given annually to a Lindale High School graduate whose achievements, strengths of character and citizenship serve as a model to inspire and challenge current students. The Distinguished Service Award is given to a former faculty member or other individual whose outstanding service greatly contributed to the success of the Lindale Independent School District.
The Association began the Distinguished Awards program in 2011. The first recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award was given to former east Texas educator, Elton Caldwell. The Service award was given to long-time LISD teacher and current retired volunteer, Bob Ashcraft.
In 2012, the Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Kelli McGonagill Finglass, the director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The Service Award for 2012 was given posthumously to Dr. Earl C. Kinzie.
The Distinguished Alumni Award for 2013 had two recipients, Charles "Chip" Arnold II, Assistant Attorney General, and Dr. Ray Perryman, a nationally recognized economist. The 2013 Distinguished Service Award also had two recipients, E.W. "Rack" Tindel and Zonell Rice, both former LISD educators. The award for Zonell Rice was given posthumously.
The Distinguished Alumni Award for 2014 was given to Mr. William Mahomes, the managing partner of Mahomes Bolden Law Firm in Dallas, Texas. The 2014 Distinguished Service Award was given to Mr. Hubert Almany, affectionately known as Butch, he put Lindale ISD on the map as having one of the best bands in the state!
Lindale High School Graduate is a Semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's Scholar-Athlete Awards
A 2012 graduate of Lindale High School, and current senior offensive lineman for the University of Memphis Tigers football team, Micah Simmons is a 2015 candidate for the National Football Foundation's (NFF) Scholar-Athlete Awards.
Simmons played for Coach Mike Meador at Lindale High School and lettered three seasons on the offensive and defensive lines. During his senior year as the team captain for the Lindale Eagles, the team finished 10-3 overall and advanced to the Division 1-3A playoff regional round. Simmons was named District 14-3A co-Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2010 and 2011, he was also named to the academic all-state first team in 2011. During his time at Lindale, Simmons was a Merit Award winner in chemistry, history, physics and business. He was ranked fourth academically in his senior class of 248 students.
Simmons enters his senior year at Memphis today having played in 33 career games. His university academic history includes:
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Tiger Academic 30 (A program that recognizes the top 30 student-athlete grade point averages for each semester) distinction for the Spring 2013 semester.
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A member of the American Athletic Conference's inaugural All-Academic Football Team following the 2013 season.
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A Dean's List honoree for all four undergraduate semesters
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Tiger 3.0 list recognition for five semesters - Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013. Spring 2014 and Fall 2014
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Received the Conference USA Commissioner's Medal for carrying better than a 3.75 cumulative GPA in the spring of 2013. Also named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll for 2013.
Simmons graduated from the University of Memphis earlier this May with a bachelor's degree in Health and Sports Science. As an undergraduate, Simmons carried a 3.63 grade-point average. He is currently in the Master’s program working towards a Health and Sports Performance degree.
To be eligible for the National Football Foundation's Scholar-Athlete Awards, each semifinalist, which is nominated by their school, must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding ability as a first-team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
“It is a tremendous blessing and privilege to be nominated for such a prestigious honor, and making it onto the list of semi-finalists has made it all the more surreal,” Simmons said. “I am extremely thankful for the preparedness that Lindale ISD instilled in me during my time there, my family for raising me on principles of humbleness and hard work, and the University of Memphis for further giving me the resources and opportunity to be a successful student-athlete.”
The NFF scholar-athletes awards, established in 1959, was the first initiative in history to honor scholar-athletes with postgraduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities. In 2011, Fidelity Investments became the first official sponsor and has since awarded more than $10.7 million to 80 individuals since its inception. The program currently provides $313,000 each year in postgraduate scholarships to the nation's top scholar-athletes from all levels of collegiate play. The finalists will travel to New York City for the 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 8th.
Miranda Lambert’s Texas Roots Remain Strong
LINDALE (CBS 11 NEWS) – One of the brightest stars to take the stage on Sunday at the Academy of Country Music Awards is a local talent. Miranda Lambert grew up in Lindale, Texas, about 110 miles east of AT&T Stadium. She graduated from Lindale High School in 2002, voted ‘most talented’ by the senior class. Teachers and administrators who remember her from back then, recall the quiet, friendly teenager who turned out to be a stellar role model for today’s student body. Deputy Superintendent Jamie Holder says if Miranda Lambert walked into the school today, they’d have to shut it down for all the excitement.
“She’s the biggest country superstar in the world today and for our kids to see that, it gives them the opportunity to realize, ‘I can accomplish my dreams’,” said Holder.
Lambert’s freshman year speech and debate teacher recalls a young woman who once feared speaking in front of her class, but found the courage to overcome.
“Later she wrote me a letter and said, ‘Whatever I’ve done since then has at least been in part of you refusing to let me quit,” Janice Caldwell recalls. When Caldwell saw Lambert in 2010, she said the country singer had a few more words to share.
“She said, ‘Mrs. Caldwell, I want you to know I haven’t changed.’ I really think that’s true,” said Caldwell. It’s that quality of being a down-to-earth, home town girl that draws in “Ran Fans” from around the globe. Many make a trip to Lindale today, just to visit Miranda Lambert’s Pink Pistol store and the Red 55 winery that is her signature label.
“I just think she’s really down to earth and a good role model for women. Whenever we’re going through things, or having a really hard time, we just pop in a Miranda song and you feel better.
There’s a song for every mood,” said Holly Frejlich.
Frejlich and her sister Megan, along with their friend Jessie Jetter, visited Lindale on Wednesday.
The women are from Chicago, staying in Dallas for the Academy of Country Music Awards this weekend.
The trip would not have been complete though, without a trip to the Pink Pistol. The store is wall-to-wall Miranda gear, from shot glasses to clothing to wines, surrounded by glittery pink displays of memorabilia. It’s the second of two Pink Pistol stores– the other is in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, where Lambert lives with her husband, country star Blake Shelton.
“We’ve been waiting for this for a very long time,” said Jetter. As they sipped wine at the counter bar, Miranda’s father, Rick walked up. “Have y’all been voting for my daughter?” he asked.
Team Miranda is working hard to get the word out about Lambert’s nomination for Entertainer of the Year at the ACMs. She’s been in this position before, and is the only female in this year’s pool of nominees for Entertainer of the Year – the top award handed out on Sunday.
“It’s a nervous time. Like any parent in any baseball game or anything else, you want them to be the winner and you want them to come out the best,” said Rick Lambert.
Lambert says Miranda has earned this spot. She’s already won dozens of big awards in the music industry.
Her records repeatedly hit number one on the charts. She’s up for eight nominations at this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. “She’s the hardest working female in country music. Females just have to work harder in the business. That’s a fact,” Rick Lambert said.
While platinum albums line the stairwell at the Pink Pistol, the accolades did not come overnight.
Lambert graduated from Lindale High School a semester early so she could begin performing on the Texas honky tonk circuit. “Scratching and clawing her way into the boys’ club of Texas music,” the father says.Her parents were by her side from the beginning.
“People say she made it quick. She did not make it quick. It’s been twelve years and it’s been hard work for her for twelve years. She’s always worked really hard,” said Rick Lambert.
Lambert’s entourage, as her dad calls her close friends and family, will be in the audience Sunday night at AT&T Stadium. He’s looking forward to supporting her again this weekend.
“It will be loud and rowdy if she wins the award,” said Rick.
Written By: Jennifer Lindgren, CBS 11
Lindale alumnus receives prestigious award
Fugler is recognized for being an inspirational teacher
After living by the quote “It was always the becoming he dreamed of, never the being” from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “This Side of Paradise,” Lindale alum JP Fugler decided to continue his love of debate by becoming a teacher. Jacob Savage, Fugler’s student at Van High School, nominated Fugler for The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award. On March 22 it was announced that Fugler was selected as one of the 2015 winners of the prestigious national award. “He came to me and told me before they announced it publicly,” Janice Caldwell, LISD speech and debate coach, said. “And I was so thrilled that one of my ‘kids’ had won such a great honor. It has been a joy to watch him teach and see how his students react to him. They love and respect him.” Each year the Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award is awarded across the country to spotlight some of the most inspirational teachers and recognize them for their contributions. The teachers must be nominated by one of their former students, and these students must write an essay about why they think their teacher deserves to be recognized. “I’m so proud of him,” debate Coach Rory McKenzie said. “We work on lesson plans a lot together and JP does such an amazing job. He works so hard and is so deserving of this award.” JP Fugler is a proud graduate of Lindale High School and now resides in Van, Texas as a speech and debate teacher. “As his coach throughout high school, I am absolutely thrilled,” Caldwell said. “When he wins, I win because I was his teacher. I am so proud of him in every way. Not only is he a great teacher, he is a great person.”
Written By: LHS Eagle Eye, Aubreigh Varias
Alumni Association, 2014 Multi-Class Reunion
The 2014 multi-class reunion brought Lindale Eagles of all ages together! The Lindale ISD Alumni Association organized a multi-class reunion that included Lindale High School graduates between the classes of 1938–1984!
The multi-class reunion was Saturday, September 13, 2014 at the new Lindale Junior High School campus, the day after 2014 LISD homecoming. Guests had the chance to visit the high school campus and tour the adjacent Performing Arts Center. Class pictures were followed by a Hickory Fare catered dinner and a performance by country music artist and Lindale alumnus Wayland Hicks.
The Alumni Association is proving—regardless of what year you graduated—it’s always in style to be a Lindale Eagle!
