Orange Schools Name 6 to Inaugural Hall of Fame Class

This article first appeared in the Orlando Sentinel on March 20, 2015.

Orange County Public Schools is naming six people to its inaugural Hall of Fame class. The inductees include one educator, one community champions and distinguished alumni in the areas of athletics, arts, humantarian work and distinguished professional careers.

They include:

Distinguished educator: James "Chief" Wilson, who taught music for nearly 40 years at Jones High School. His career spanned from 1950 to 1990 and included one semester at Evans High.

Community champion: Harris Rosen, whose Tangelo Park Program in partnership with Orange County Public Schools has provided preschool and college educations to hundreds in the community. His partnerships with the school district span two decades.

Alumni:

Dick Batchelor, a former state representative who is president of Dick Batchelor Management Group, which does lobbying and public policy work. He has led two Change4Kids campaigns to support a sales tax for OCPS school construction. He graduated from Evans High in 1966.

Johnny Damon, a professional baseball outfielder with two World Series rings, graduated from Dr. Phillips High School in 1992.

Ericka Dunlap, a Boone High School graduate, was named Miss Florida in 2003 and Miss America in 2004.

John Young, the retired astronaut, Naval officer, aviator, test pilot and aeronautical engineer. He graduated from Orlando High School in1948 and was the ninth person to walk on the moon as commander of the Apollo 16 mission in 1972.

The six will be inducted May 15 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. Tickets and sponsorships are available at www.halloffame.ocps.net.

Dick Batchelor, one of six nominees to the inaugural OCPS Hall of Fame (GARY W. GREEN / Orlando Sentinel)