Danny Ravenel, Class of 1976

Danny Ravenel, PS duPont, Class of 1976

Dan Ravenel, a native of Delaware has been singing since the age of 5. " I was brought up in the Pentecostal Church, and was influenced at an early age by Black Gospel music. I grew up singing on the church choirs, and leading our services, However every chance I got, I added a twist to try and steer away from that traditional sound. "Don't get me wrong, I love Gospel music, I just don't think there should be labels on it that denotes race, Gospel and inspirational music is just what it is, meaning Jesus died for all.
In the early 90's Dan became a member of a group entitled "Vision". "We had a band and four vocalist. We wrote our own music. It was our sound, our experience, and it was greatly accepted by a more secular crowd. Our first Cassette album at the time before CD's was entitled "Taste and See". We worked hard to get radio play, but we did. We sang everywhere we could, from DC, to Philadelphia, to Tennessee and the Carolinas. We were offered a label deal, but at the time, we refused because they wanted to give us a more traditional sound..that was not in our hearts.
By 90's end the group disbanded, members became interested in other things, but Danny continued to dwell on the vision he believed God gave him.
I had just about given up and I was moved on once again to start working. In 2001, I was almost killed in a terrible car accident, in which a tractor trailor struck my car and pushed me into oncoming traffic on an interstate, My car was torn in half, but I survived.
My survival has led to the birth of Temporary World. It's Gospel, Inspirational, Danny's way! I'm sure those who don't particularly listen to Gospel will enjoy the music.
Please don't let this chance pass you by..with its blend of R-n-B, Jazz, Rock and House Music..Temporary world will truly be a blessing to you!
http://cdbaby.com/cd/danny

Dr. Ellen (Levy) Koenig, PS duPont, Class of 1959

(click on link below to watch a video of Dr. Koenig)
http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/palmbeachpost/hiv/interactive.html?section=profilePage&region=1&secnum=0

SANTO DOMINGO —Dr. Ellen Koenig, who runs the Instituto Dominicano De Estudios Virologicos — IDEV — didn’t set out to be a physician.

“The HIV epidemic made me a doctor,” she says.

Koenig, an American who grew up in Delaware, had a degree in microbiology when she married a Dominican, and he invited her to join him “in paradise,” she says.
“Then AIDS started.”

One of her brothers, Dr. Jay Levy, was involved in the earliest work to identify a virus. He suggested that she look for signs of the illness on the island.

The blood samples she and a team of local university students gathered later showed the virus was present in the Dominican Republic in the early 1980s.

Koenig began to diagnose people with the HIV virus and, frustrated she could do nothing to help them, went to medical school, completing her degree in 1991 at the age of 50.

As the new medicines to manage AIDS became available, though, only the wealthiest patients could afford them.

“We lost a lot of patients because they didn’t have the money,” she said. “The only way I could see out was clinical trials.”

The women of MODEMU were willing to help, Koenig says. Women recruited through the group have since participated in a series of vaccine trials.

“These are the heroines of today’s epidemic. They realize it is their challenge,” Koenig said.

Like others who have faced the epidemic since its beginnings, Koenig believes a vaccine that will either prevent infection or keep the virus from progressing is the best hope for containing HIV. Then, she says, the women of MODEMU, who have continued to find volunteers, will be proud.

“I keep telling them, you one day will say to your children, ‘I helped to make that vaccine possible.’”

******************************************************************************************************

Stuart B. Levy, PS dupont High School, Class of 1956

Stuart B. Levy, PS duPont, Class of 1956

Tufts' Stuart Levy Talks to CBS' Evening News About Antibacterial Resistance Boston, Mass. – "Patients have to stop stockpiling [antibiotics] and demanding them. Doctors have to be able to look the patient in the eye and say, 'You have a cold. You don't need an antibiotic, '" Dr. Stuart Levy, a medical professor from the Tufts University School of Medicine, told CBS Evening News.
Levy, an expert in antibiotic resistance, added, "Every bacterial agent has learned over the last -- not so long -- 50 years to resist the most potent of our antibiotics." Levy serves as the Director of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance at Tufts University. He made his comments following the release of the most recent World Health Organization report on infectious diseases.
On June 1, Levy spoke to reporters about the impact of antibacterial soaps on germ resistance. According to the New York Times, Levy said popular sprays and washes -- used for hands or kitchen counters, for example, may actually encourage the growth of ever-hardier, drug-resistant germs.
"Levy said the problem with antibacterials was a simple matter of 'survival of the fittest.' Rather than killing all bacteria, the products destroy only the weakest, leaving stronger ones to survive and multiply," reports the Times.

Stuart B. Levy, M.D., Professor of Molecular Biology & Microbiology and of Medicine, is the Director of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance at Tufts University School of Medicine and Staff Physician at the New England Medical Center. He also serves as President of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, an international organization with members in over 100 countries. He is a past President of the 42,000 member American Society for Microbiology. He is co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

*************************************************************************************************************************

Robert F. Senseny, PS duPont, Class of 1946
The detail man

Wilmington harbor master manages a floating jigsaw puzzle of ships

By LESLIE A. PAPPAS, Special to The News Journal

Posted Friday, December 15, 2006 at 8:39 am

Harbor master Robert F. Senseny has worked at the Port of Wilmington for 63 years. He helps more than 400 ships a year move in and out.

Senseny knows which ships have cranes that unload on only one side, how much cargo different ships hold and which need special equipment.Robert F. Senseny doesn’t use a computer to figure out how to move more than 400 ships a year in and out of the Port of Wilmington. The 78-year-old harbor master keeps everything in his head. “I know what I have to know, and that’s where I go,” he says.
And after working 63 years at the port, Senseny knows a lot.
He knows about water depth. He knows about tides. He knows that there can be up to 1,000 containers on a Dole banana ship, but only about 500 in a Chiquita ship’s hull.
He can explain that while most ships have cranes that unload on either side, others are one-sided, and have to face a certain way when they pull into port. Senseny understands how many longshoremen it will take to unload a cargo, whether they’ll need forklifts or special attachments for the cranes, and how long the work should take once it gets started.
“It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle,” said Frank Vignuli, Diamond State Port Corp.’s director of operations. “He has to fit all those pieces in.”
Senseny has been working that puzzle for at least 30 or 40 years. (He says he can’t quite remember when he gave himself the title “harbor master” to boost his pay an extra 25 cents an hour.) Although another supervisor now takes care of sending ships out to sea at night, Senseny still works more than 60 hours a week overseeing the docking of every ship that comes into port.
“He doesn’t turn down overtime,” said his wife, Betty Senseny, also 78. Although his regular hours are 8 to 5, the ships dictate his off-hour schedule. A delayed ship may force him to work after dinner and keep him waiting until dark. A middle-of-the-night phone call to their home in Penn Acres may bring him back to the docks at 2 or 3 in the morning.
“The port is his life, really,” she said. “He loves his work. That’s what keeps him healthy and the man that he is.”
Known by most of the port workers as “Bobby,” Senseny learned everything he knows from the ground up. He began as a laborer in September 1944 when he was 16, and longshoremen still hauled lumber and bananas off the ships in a human chain by hand. “It was backbreaking work in those days,” he recalled.
He remembers the awe he felt when he first saw a lift-truck in one of the warehouses. “I saw this machine go up in the air and grab about 60 cases at one time. My eyes actually blew out of my head.”
By 1946, when Senseny met his wife – then a senior at P.S. DuPont High School working in the port’s offices – “he was one of the best lift-truck operators at the port,” she said.
They married in June 1949. To this day, when she packs his lunch – tuna or chicken salad sandwiches in the summer, a thermos of soup in the winter – she still writes love notes on his napkin or banana.
She left the port in 1953 to bear the first of six children. He stayed, working his way up to crane operator, then supervisor, and eventually harbor master.
Today, he clocks in for work in a new building named after him. Whether he’s figuring out how to lift a 50-ton piece of machinery off a ship or rigging a lift-truck with a rag-covered beam to sweep a warehouse more quickly, he’s known throughout the port as an innovator who is always looking for a better, faster way to get things done.
“Without a doubt, the Port of Wilmington would not be what it is today without the expertise of Bobby,” said executive director Gene Bailey.
But to Senseny’s wife, whom he calls his “backbone,” he is the kind, gentle man that she wishes she could see more of. When Bob Barker of the “Price Is Right” hung up his hat in October, Betty Senseny asked her husband again when he thought he might retire.
“I keep saying, ‘Don’t you think that 80 is a nice round number?’ ” she said. “But he won’t ever give me a ‘yes.’ ”

David C. Ehrenfeld, PS duPont, Class of 1964

DAVID C. EHRENFELD, D.D.S.

David C. Ehrenfeld was born and raised in
Wilmington, Delaware. He attended Warner
Junior School, P.S. du Pont High School,
and the University of Delaware before
matriculating at Temple Dental School.
He played football at P.S. and was captain
of the swimming team. Attaining the rank of
Eagle Scout, he spent summers at Camp
Rodney. Later he worked at several local
swim clubs coaching many of our areas young swimmers

Graduating from Temple Dental School in 1971, Dr. Ehrenfeld spent the next two years as an officer in the Army at Fort Huachuca in Arizona. There he received specialty training in crown, bridge, and periodontics (the treatment of gums).

Dr. Ehrenfeld joined Kirkwood Dental in 1973 and has continued his education efforts taking many courses in an unending desire to stay on the cutting edge of modern dentistry.

In 1980, Dr. Ehrenfeld became involved with the holistic approach to TMJ (see below) and craniofacial pain. Joining the W.G. Sutherland Dental Craniomandibular Study Club, he traveled to Illinois every four months to meet with like-minded dentists. There he and his colleagues studied such diverse topics as dental homeopathy, acupuncture, cranial osteopathy and nutrition and how they relate to the dental and TMJ problem.

Dr. Ehrenfeld continues his efforts to contribute to the advancement of the dental field through his memberships in many organizations including the American Dental Association, the Delaware State Dental Society, the Philadelphia County Dental Society, the Northeast Craniomandibular Society and the Pennsylvania Craniomandibular Society. Additionally, Dr. Ehrenfeld is on the staff of the Christiana Care Health System and spends one afternoon a month teaching dental residents at the Wilmington Division of the Medical Center of Delaware.

He has completed all the continums at the L.D. Pankey Institute for Dental Education in Key Biscayne, Florida. The Pankey Institute is the leading continuing education center for dentists in the country. Founded on the principles of bringing comphrensive care to all patients, Dr. Ehrenfeld has studied examination and diagnosis, bite appliances, bite adjustment, front teeth—both esthetics and function, back esthetics function and implants, both placement and putting teeth on top.

Married to Dr. Katharine M. Nicodemus, a clinical neuropsychologist, Dr. Ehrenfeld is the father of two boys, Joshua and Jesse.

Stephanie Lewis Hinson, PS duPont , Class of 1973
A graduate of P.S. duPont High School , Princeton University, and the University of Virginia. She is an Associate Professor in the College of Education at West Chester University (Pa.), where she currently teaches pre-service teachers. Dr. Hinson is the parent of a 2003 Concord High School graduate and an eighth grader at Springer Middle School. She also represents the Harlan Park Civic Association.

Comments from ...
Thomas Haley, PS duPont, Class of 1957

Find out what Thomas J. Haley III has been up to since 1957 ...)

My parents gave me a choice when I graduated from Christ Our King grade school. I could go to Salesianum or PS DuPont High School. I choose PS because most of my friends were going there. That ended up being one of the smartest decisions I ever made. My years at PS enriched my life with many wonderful friends; and, an education that prepared me for life's precious journey. Where else could you go and enter Study Hall, sit by the door; and, when the teacher turned his head, slip out and take a double lunch period? Bill Miller and I had an argument one day and we went to Jake Warner, the gym teacher. And I asked Mr. Warner if we could go into the gym and settle it. Mr. Warner officiated and Bill beat the crap out of me. Never again did I settle an argument that way. Yes, the things I learned at PS. I did get smarter when I met and married my wonderful wife Carol. We will be going on 38 glorious years come Sept 6th. She has filled my life with smarter ideas. Recently, I have had the opportunity to work with a group of dedicated classmates that are excited about bringing fond memories to a celebration of our class Reunion after 50 years. Rekindling old friendships is encouraging when time is running out. If I had it to do all over again, I would have definitely chosen PS, only this time I would be twice as ornery and would study twice as hard. Looking forward to seeing everyone on June 9th, 2007

Apostle Rudolph S. Johnson, Sr.

Pastor/Founder

Apostle Rudolph Samuel Johnson, Sr. was born to Mr. Howard and Georgina Johnson in 1959, Chestertown, Maryland. He attended the Lord Elementary School, Burnett Middle School, and graduated from the Pierre S. DuPont High School, Apostle was very active during his formal years of education.

This is noted by his accomplishments of participation in the All City and State Choir, and Delaware State Scholarship – to mention a few. Furthering his education at Delaware State University, he later served in the United States Army for three years. He participated in Ranger Training and successfully completed the course. Apostle Johnson fell in love with his classmate and best friend Fern Elaine Webster. They were united in Holy Matrimony on August 8, 1981. From this union four children were born, (Sondeania, Theressa, Rudina, and Rudolph Johnson, Jr.).

The call to preach the word of the ministry came to Apostle Johnson in 1982. Shortly thereafter, Apostle connected with the New Pentecostal UHC of America, under the leadership of Dr. Louvenia Dickerson who instructed him through his ministry. His initial message was delivered December 19, 1991. With the desire to show himself approved, Apostle Johnson Pursued other studies that would support him in the ministerial work. He received a Bachelors Degree at the United Christian College. In 1995 he was called to Baltimore and was positioned as the Assistant Pastor to Elder Melvin G. Boulware, Sr. – Holy Trinity U.H.C.
In 1999, Apostle answered the clarion call to the Pastoral Ministry establishing the Restoration World Ministries, Inc.

Robert B. Strimple, PS duPont, Class of 1952

Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology

B.A., University of Delaware; B.D. and Th.M., Westminster Theological Seminary; Ph.D., University of Toronto.

After studying under John Murray at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Dr. Strimple taught at Eastern Christian Schools in Paterson, New Jersey, Toronto Bible College (now Tyndale University College), and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He moved to California in 1979 to serve as the founding dean and first president of Westminster Seminary California.

Dr. Strimple retired in 2001 after 41 years of teaching and was honored as President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology. In 2003, an endowed Robert B. Strimple Chair of Systematic Theology was established at WSC.

Dr. Strimple has served the Orthodox Presbyterian Church on theological study committees and as moderator of the 50th anniversary General Assembly (1986). He has taught church leaders in China, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and England. His writings include The Modern Search for the Real Jesus, Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond (co-author), Studying the New Testament Today (contributor), Conflict: A Moment for Ministry (contributor); Christ the Lord (contributor), Roman Catholicism (contributor), The Coming Evangelical Crisis (contributor), Anselm: Aosta, Bec and Canterbury (contributor), and When Shall These Things Be? A Reformed Response to Hyper-Preterism (contributor). In 2004, a festschrift was published in his honor entitled The Pattern of Sound Doctrine: Systematic Theology at the Westminster Seminaries: Essays in Honor of Robert B. Strimple.

Dr. Strimple’s ministry has really been a joint ministry with Alice, whom he met in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and married in 1955. Together they rejoice in four faithful children and twelve grandchildren

David Spencer, PS duPont, Class of 1967

David Spencer, a native Delawarean and former 1967 All State player at PS duPont High was named the head basketball coach at the University of California-Riverside on March 21,2005. With his hiring, he became the first Delaware native ever to become as head coach of an NCAA Division 1 university.

"I am very excited to have this opportunity. I started coaching in 1972 and have been working towards this goal since high school" Spencer said.

Spencer accepted a basketball scholarship to attend Virginia Tech in 1967. After two years he transferred to the University of Delaware. Upon graduation with a BA in history, he was hired by his college coach to be the assistant coach of Chile's national team and head coach of the junior national team. He spent two years in Chile until a revolution in that country forced his return to the USA. He then accepted a postion on the staff at Colorado State University which began a basketball career that has covered over thirty years.

In !975 he became the asistant coach at the University of the Pacific under Stan Morrison. Durung his tenure, Pacific signed high school players of the year from five different states which eventually propelled the team to a berth in the NCAA ournament. While at Pacific he earned a master's degree in sociolgy in 1978. His next stop was at Loyola Marymount University for two seasons before accepting the associate head coaching position at the University of California. As head of recruiting Spencer brought in players that on three occassions were ranked in the top ten in the country, including eventual national scoring leaders Bo Kimble and the late Hank Gathers. During his tenure, there were seven players drafted into the NBA as well as two trips to the NCAA tournament.

In 1986, after winning the Pacific Ten title, Spencer decided to try his hand at player representation. He was named president of player development at Management Plus Enterprizes were he worked with clients such as Shaquille O'Neal, Ronnie Lott, Bo Kimble and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

Missing the game, he returned to coaching at the University of a Hawaii, a difficult job with a program that had not had a winning season in over ten years . However, in one year of recruiting Spencer was instrumental in engineering one of the greatest NCAA single season turnarounds in history and an inivation to the NIT.

Spencer also coached at Long Beach State they once again gained an NCAA bid before leaving to coach a season in Dubai, U.A.E. His last stop before UC Riverside was at the University of Nevada.

Said University of Cal Riverside athletic director Stan Morrison, " David Spencer's coaching career spans over thirty years and three continents and he has shown that he has the skills to be a Division One head coach. His passion for the game of basketball is evident and I guarantee he has seen more basketball and studied it more closely than anyone I have ever known,"

In the spring of 2007, Spencer suffered a severe break of his left femur and was forced to relinguish his position at UC Riverside. He is presently living in Riverside with his wife Valerie where he is recuperating and looking forward to running the 2008 L A Marathon, a hobby of his in the past five years. He can be reached at spencer8405@charter.net.

Marlene Saunders with her brother Jerome Saunders receiving her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania in 2001

Marlene Saunders graduated from P. S. DuPont in 1963. Subsequently, she worked for a short period in the foster care unit in Children's Bureau of Delaware. In 1964, she began a challenging career in mental health at Philadelphia State Hospital, until 1970 when she was accepted at the School of Social Policy & Practice (formerly University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work). After graduating in 1972, she resumed her career in child welfare in Media, Chester, and Philadelphia, PA.

In 1985 she began her career as an educator at Delaware State Univerisity). During her tenure there she received her doctoral degree in social work from the School of Social Policy & Practice (then Univeristy of Pennsylvania School of Social Work). She currently functions as director of the MSW Program.

Marlene has written and published articles and papers regarding mental health rehabilitation, and social welfare history. In 2007, she presented a paper focusing on caregiving to the elderly at Oxford Univeristy.

DSU’S DR. MARLENE SAUNDERS IS RECOGNIZED AS DELAWARE’S 2008 “SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR”

The Delaware State University Assistant Professor is Recognized by the state NASW Chapter for her Academic and Community Excellence

DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers has named Dr. Marlene A. Saunders, a DSU assistant professor of social work, as its 2008 Social Worker of the Year during its annual Awards Celebration at the Dover Downs Hotel.

DSU's Dr. Marlene Saunders, displays her 2008 Social Worker of the Year Award, with Delaware State University alumnus Robert Sherrell, class of 1988

Dr. Saunders, who is also a 1967 alumna of Delaware State College (now University), was honored for her community service that has been a major part of her social work endeavors throughout her 40-year-plus career, according to Edgar S. Huffman, NASW Delaware Chapter executive director.

“She firmly believes that if given the necessary resources and provided basic opportunities, every community -- especially communities of color -- can and will become empowered to achieve its highest potential,” Mr. Huffman said. “Marlene is not only an advocate and a change agent, but also a teacher, a scholar and a historian.”

Dr. Saunders has published numerous articles and given many presentations on social work topics and issues. She recently presented a paper at Oxford University in England on the successful aging of African American elders.

After receiving her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Delaware State College, she earned a 1972 Master of Social Work and a 1988 Doctorate of Social Work degree, both from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Saunders has taught at DSU since 1985 and is currently the director the University’s Master of Social Work Program.

Ambassador Nicholas Cerchio

Ambassador Nicholas Cerchio III, is the President and Owner of Cedar Tree Books and a Senior Analyst for Military Professional Resources, Inc. He holds Bachelor of Science Degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. Ambassador Cerchio is a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the world-renown Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) and is chair of AVA’s endowment campaign. Ambassador Cerchio is also the past Director of the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware. A graduate of PS duPont High School, Class of 1961

Ruby Elaine (Fisk) White - white@as.arizona.edu

- Ruby was married to Raymond White who died on 10.12.04. Her father rotated in the Summer of 1949 to Dover, Delaware. Ruby graduated from P.S. Dupont High School, Class of 1950 and went to the University of Delaware, graduating with a B.S. in Medical Technology in 1954. She and Ray have three children.

Stephen Rybachak, PS duPont High School, Class of 1968

A native of the area, Steve has lived in Wilmington all of his life. He has seen the area grow and change and knows it from both personal and professional experience. Steve graduated from P.S. duPont High School and attended college at the University of Delaware, where he earned a BS degree in Business Administration. Steve's wife is an elementary school teacher in the Christina School District and both of their daughters are graduates of Ursuline Academy. One daughter, a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, recently completed her residency at the DuPont Hospital for Children, and is now working for Christiana Hospital in Pediatrics. His younger daughter, Lisa, is a licensed REALTOR®, and assists Steve in his business.

Having gained so much from living and working in New Castle County, Steve is eager to give something back to the community. To that end, he is a past member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Bayard Square Neighborhood Association. He is also a member of St. Anthony of Padua Church and an active member and treasurer of St. Anthony's choir. In addition, Steve is a Meals on Wheels volunteer.

Steve's involvement in the education and activities of his daughters, along with his community activities have given him an acute awareness of the needs and wants of families in the area. He knows the schools, the neighborhoods, the services and the benefits available and is a valuable information resource both for those new to the area as well as to those who are simply changing neighborhoods.

When not serving his clients, you might find Steve at the Delaware beach or the New Jersey shore. He also enjoys working on projects around the house and spending time with family and friends.

MAX S. BELL, JR., ESQ. , PS duPont, Class of 1947

Max is a retired lawyer having engaged in the general practice of law with Richards, Layton and Finger in Wilmington for 40 years. He served as President of the Delaware affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, and now represents Delaware on the A.C.L.U. National Board. He has been a member of the Delaware Blue Cross-Blue Shield Board of Directors for 30 years and on the Board of CareFirst, Inc. Max served as Chairman of the Delaware State Human Relations Commission and 20 years as a Board member for Family Service of Delaware. Max serves on the Board of Sojourners' Place as well as the West Center City Adult Center, both located in Wilmington. Max is on the vestry of the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew and has held various positions in the local, state and national segments of the Episcopal Church. He is a graduate of P.S. Dupont High School in Wilmington, Bates College in Maine, and the Harvard Law School.

Charles Allmond, PS duPont High School, Class of 1948

Charles Allmond is a sculptor who finds inspiration in the natural world. Primarily a direct carver in stone and wood he also produces limited editions of many of his works in bronze. His distinctive style ranges from realism to abstract. Born in 1931, in Wilmington, Delaware, Allmond is a graduate of P.S. duPont High School and holds degrees in agriculture and agronomy from the University of Delaware and in law from Temple University. He served in the United States Coast Guard and has worked as an agronomist, seed analyst, field man for a food processing business and manager of a crop dusting service. He practiced law for more than thirty years, and has been active in civic and cultural affairs. He is the author of several scholarly and popular articles on agriculture, history, and law.

Allmond is a past president of the Society of Animal Artists, an international organization of painters and sculptors who depict living creatures in their work.

His sculptures have been exhibited widely in the United States, Canada, and Sweden, where the work has received critical acclaim. Venues have included more than 75 museums.

He has also been a judge at the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition in Ocean City MD, in 1996 and 2000. He is on the Faculty, World Wildlife Art brought to Life Symposium Bjorklunden, Lawrence University, Bailey's Harbour, WI in 2000 and Its Wild Out There Conference,at the West Valley Art Museum, Surprise, AZ in 2001.

He is represented in public, corporate and private collections and has received regional and national honors.

***************************************************************************

Riva Brown is a native of Wilmington, Delaware. She received her education
in the Wilmington Public School system, graduating from P.S. DuPont High School in 1971. Following that,
she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art
at the University of Delaware in 1975, with a minor in Art History.

Working full-time as a calligrapher, illustrator and watercolorist, her work is highly respected and sought
after in the commercial field. Her client list includes such names as Longwood Gardens, the Delaware
Nature Society, the State of Delaware, the Supreme Court of Delaware, American Life Insurance Company,
Maryland Bank (MBNA), and Connectiv Power. She was a founding member and past-President of the
Delaware Calligraphy Guild, and has also served on the Board of Directors on the Delaware Foundation for
the Visual Arts, DFVA. Riva was awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship in Folk Art in 1994 by the State of
Delaware for her work as a Ketubah (Jewish marriage contract) artist, and is considered a "State
Treasure". She has been called upon to present cultural programming in the Delaware public school
system in her capacity as "Folk Artist" and creator of ritual documents. In the Fall of 1996 she was juried
into the Council of Delaware Artists.
Riva exhibits frequently in local art shows and galleries, such as "Best of Delaware", the Ronald McDonald
House "ArtFest", "Evening of Art", Immaculata College, and many of the DFVA art exhibitions. Her art gallery
affiliations have included Hardcastle’s in Centreville, Delaware, Obelyn in Annapolis, Maryland, the
Framehouse Gallery in Lewes, Delaware, the Barnstone Gallery in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and the
Talleyville Frame Shop and Gallery.

Charles Potter, Jr. was born and raised in Wilmington. One of
ten children, Charles is the son of Marie (Bullock) and
Charles Potter, Sr. He was educated at Harlan, Elbert and
Palmer Elementary Schools, and graduated from
P.S. duPont High School in 1973.

After high school he followed his father’s occupation working
at a local yarn and string factory. Not satisfied with factory work
or their poor conditions, Charles furthered his education at
Delaware Technical and Community College
and completed his undergraduate degree at
Wilmington College in 1982. It was
during this time he married his high school sweetheart,
Velda Jones, and shortly after they relocated to Indiana so
that Velda could earn a Master’s degree.

The Potters moved to Rochester, NY, where Charles became associated with Allstate Insurance Company. His success with Allstate blossomed and when they moved back to Wilmington, Charles continued with Allstate and later opened his own agency, which he currently owns.
Charles has always been active in his community, church, with voter registration, keeping a watchful eye on our environmental problems and other civic initiatives, which prompted him to run for Wilmington City Council. He was elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. Charles and Velda have two sons, Charles III and Brandon.

Somewhere along the way Charles adopted a personal motto, “believe you can and you will.”

“I thank all of my supporters and the entire Wilmington family for your support and encouragement. I firmly believe that I must give back to honor those who have helped me along the way.”

Alton A. Williams, O.D., F.A.A.O.

Dr. Alton A.Williams was educated in the Wilmington, Delaware public school system, where he graduated from P.S. duPont High School, Class of 1967 as a scholar/athlete. After attending the University of Delaware, Dr. Williams matriculated to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) where he graduated with both the Bachelor of Science and the Doctor of Optometry degrees. At graduation from PCO, Dr. Williams was awarded the Clinical Efficiency Award – given to only six of his fellow classmates. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and received his post-doctoral fellowship at the Gesell Institute of Child Development in New Haven, Conneticut.

In 1974, Dr. Williams became Delaware’s first African-American optometrist. Dr. Williams was an assistant professor at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry for several years and has been in private practice for over thirty years. Dr. Williams has lectured internationally and taught clinical techniques to students at (PCO) and doctors in the field across the country. Dr. Williams has received numerous awards including the State of Delaware’s Small Businessman of the Year award in 1986. He has also been honored by the Delaware Optometric Association as the Optometrist of the Year, an award given only a few times in the history of the organization.

Dr. Williams’ greatest accomplishment has been giving his life to the Lord on November 18, 1992 and enjoying the ever unfolding journey God has laid before him.

Optometrist mentor turns vision into reality

Wilmington eye specialist has mentored more than half a dozen University of Delaware students

By RACHEL KIPP, The News Journal

Posted Sunday, February 10, 2008

Optometrist Alton Williams watches as Pennsylvania College of Optometry student Andrea Joseph works with a patient. When Joseph was an undergrad at the University of Delaware, she observed Williams and realized she wanted to go into the field. She is now working at the office during a rotation for her school. Williams has helped several students over the years.

In decades past, the future of the family business depended on sons and daughters ready to take the reins from their parents.

Wilmington optometrist Alton Williams is applying the same formula to keeping his practice, and his way of practicing optometry, alive. But he's doing so with a nontraditional family -- students from the University of Delaware.

"I feel compelled to hang around long enough to make sure we create an opportunity for them on this end," Williams said. "It costs a lot to go through professional school, and we just want to give them a professional environment to come back to."

Williams has mentored more than half a dozen UD students over the past several years. Most have gone on to professional school, saying their time in his office awakened an interest in the field. Although all aren't sure if they want to return to Wilmington to practice, the students say they are committed to a style of medicine focused on the patient -- a quality learned from working with Williams.

"The biggest lesson I learned was how to be compassionate and honestly care," said Candice Tolud, a 2007 UD graduate who now attends the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Elkins Park, Pa. "After I went to other optometry offices as part of requirements for optometry school, I saw that that is one of the things generally missing from other practices."

Williams began mentoring students from UD after becoming involved with NUCLEUS, a support group at the school for minority students majoring in the sciences, and the Ronald E. McNair program, which helps low-income and first-generation college students attend graduate school.

Most of the students in Williams' office started out as volunteers and moved into part-time work at the practice.

"I knew I wanted to work with eyes. But through my undergraduate work I realized that I really didn't want to do surgery because you're always on call, and I really wanted to have a family life," said Sally Mikhail, 22, a 2007 UD graduate who attends the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. "Through NUCLEUS I found out about optometry, and through Dr. Williams I learned more and more about optometry. And it seemed like the ideal profession for the kind of lifestyle I wanted and the professional goals that I had."

One of the key areas where students get hands-on experience is helping with Williams' work in vision therapy, a system of physical exercises said to help learning-disabled children improve their classroom performance.

Vision therapy can be controversial. In 1998, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement saying there is no scientific evidence that it works.

Mentees "do phenomenally [well] with the children that they are charged with," Williams said. "They see the relationship between sight vision and behavior, which is what we concentrate on ... they begin to see that and many say this has been what I've been wired to do, this is a calling."

Andrea Joseph, 24, is a 2005 UD graduate and Pennsylvania College of Optometry student. As an undergraduate, she was interested in medicine but wasn't sure which medical field to enter. Her advisor suggested observing Williams, who then was offering vision therapy services at a local church each Saturday, as a way for Joseph to learn more about optometry.

Joseph liked what she saw. She's back in Williams' office this winter, doing a five-month rotation as part of her studies at optometry school. She sees patients with Williams and eventually will handle cases on her own.

"[Williams] really treats the whole patient, not just the eyes," Joseph said. "I really feel like patients leave with a lot more than glasses."

Contact Rachel Kipp at 324-2386 or rkipp@delawareonline.com

Fagin in Oliver

Bruce Clough - PS duPont, Class of 1971

Bruce has a long history as a professional performer. On stage, he has appeared as many of Shakespeare's leading characters (including Hamlet, Macbeth, Hotspur, Falstaff, Bottom and Julius Caesar), has performed such musical roles as Fagin in Oliver, Reverend Shaw Moore in Footloose, Dr. Parker in Batboy, Fred/Petruchio in Kiss Me Kate, Jud Fry in Oklahoma, Baron Rommer in Cole Porter's You Never Know, and Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, and nonmusical roles as Jim in Glass Menagerie and the title roles in Count Dracula and The Nerd. His distinguished professional resume includes work at a number of prestigious regional theatres, such as The Public Theatre in NYC, The Actors Theatre in Louisville, The Dallas Theatre Center, as well as at a number of Off-Broadway venues. He has sung with a number of rock, jazz or soul bands. His last two cabaret shows, BBBBAD! and Fillet of Soul, broke attendance records at Odette's in New Hope and at Danny's in NYC, and drove his audiences into cheering frenzies. A protégé of the late, great actress-teacher Uta Hagen, Bruce combines her focus on raw honesty with his strong musicality and natural presence; and guided by her teachings, he has taught performance arts for several decades. His directing stints have met with huge success and honors. Bruce is currently fulfilling his dream of being a teacher in the Trenton School District. Teaching Drama and English.

Leon Von Brown (Choreographer - Teacher - Dancer)
PS duPont Class of 1971

Former principle dancer in Dianne McIntyre’s "Sounds in Motion" modern dance company in NYC where he also founded his own dance company "Cosmic Energy". This triple-threat musical theatre performer’s stage credits include starring roles in ‘The Wiz’, ‘Lullaby of Swing’, ‘Oklahoma’, and ‘Purlie’ with Samuel L. Jackson. Mr. Brown was featured dancing in the HBO movie "Miss Ever’s Boys" with Alfre Woodard and Laurence Fishburne. Leon has danced and /or choreographed for ABC and NBC-TV, The National Black Arts Festival, The Black College Dance Exchange, the Atlanta Ballet, and The Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. As a singer, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall and recorded two albums with the Grammy Award -winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. An International Master teacher specializing in Jazz dance, he has taught in Europe and studied in NYC with Luigi, Frank Hatchett, Chuck Davis and Fred Benjamin to name a few. This award-winning choreographer has been on the faculty of Agnes Scott College and the Atlanta Ballet. Jazz dance Dancer

Leon holds a B.A. degree, a fitness certification and received the Instructor of the Year Award from Australian Body Works. He also produced his own aerobics video “Leon Von Brown’s Funk and Sweat Fitness Video” featuring his “Cardio-Funk” dance aerobic classes. He is the co-founder of the “Horton Technique Summer Dance Intensive” held in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Several performances by Mr. Brown can be found at the Lincoln Center Library dance archives in New York City. Leon is the Director and Founder of the LeVon Dance Collective.

Dennis Spivak, a lawyer who lives in Brandywine Hundred, spent his Sunday showing up wherever other Democrats were showing up to see whether they might be interested in having a 58-year-old native Delawarean -- Highlands Elementary, Warner Junior High, P.S. du Pont High School -- as their candidate for the state's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Education: Graduated from P.S. DuPont High School in 1965; the University of Pennsylvania in 1969 with a B.A. in political science; the University of Michigan Law School in 1975 with a law degree.

"I'm merely exploring the possibility of running for Congress. I'm just trying to find out if I would be a viable candidate," Spivack said.

His appearance startled the event-goers, but they were happy to have him. "He was very personable and probably will make an excellent candidate. He was having a good time and talking to everybody," Schooley said.

Spivak was active in Democratic politics in the 1970s and 1980s but not recently. He may have to introduce himself to Democrats who have come along since then, but he will not have to introduce himself to Castle.

Spivak used to work for him. His early days as a lawyer included time at the Wilmington firm of Schnee & Castle.

Class of 1967

Tuesday, May 1, 2001

Governor Ruth Ann Minner To Nominate Robert Burton Coonin To Family Court

Dover – Governor Ruth Ann Minner announced Tuesday she would nominate Robert Burton Coonin, Esquire of Wilmington to fill a vacancy on Family Court that was created when Judge Peggy L. Ableman was named to Superior Court in October 2000.

Coonin, 52 and a Democrat, is currently a partner with the firm of Berkowitz, Schagrin, Coonin & Cooper, P.A., practicing in the areas of family law and personal injury litigation. He has been with Berkowitz, Schagrin, Coonin & Cooper, P.A. since 1974.

“Bob’s twenty-five years of experience as a trial attorney and his strong commitment to community service are qualities I believe are important for a Family Court judge to possess,” Gov. Minner said. “His work on behalf of organizations such as the Jewish Community Center and the Pinemere Camp Association demonstrates his dedication and knowledge in a variety of problems and issues facing families and children today. I am pleased to nominate Bob Coonin to the Delaware Family Court and hope the members of the state Senate will agree with my opinion and act swiftly on his confirmation.”

Gov. Minner said she hopes confirmation hearings and a vote in the Senate for Mr. Coonin and Superior Court nominee Jan R. Jurden, Esq. will take place before the General Assembly breaks for Memorial Day recess.

Robert Burton Coonin is a graduate of Pierre S. duPont High School, the University of Delaware and John Marshall Law School. He was admitted to the Delaware Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for District of Delaware in 1975. Coonin is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association and the Delaware Trial Lawyer’s Association. He also serves as a lecturer on custody, visitation, alimony and child support for the National Business Institute, Continuing Legal Education seminars and has served as a chair for the Special Education Due Process Hearing Panel for the Delaware Department of Education.

Coonin resides in Wilmington with his wife, Sally, and their children, Andrew and Sarah.

Our authors

Trudy Gilgenast

Cedar Tree Books - PS I Love You
A native Delawarean, Trudy Gilgenast graduated from Pierre S. duPont High School in 1949, received a BA in Education from the University of Delaware in 1953 and an MA in German from Middlebury College, Vermont in 1957. She was the recipient of a Fulbright Student Exchange Scholarship to Munich in 1953-54 and a Fulbright Teacher Exchange Scholarship and a sabbatical from the University of Delaware in 1960-61 to teach at the Max-Josef Stift in Munich. Trudy taught German at the University of Delaware and served as Director of the University of Delaware student study abroad programs in Vienna, Austria and Bayreuth, Germany.

She was the recipient of the Certificate of Merit from the Goethe Institute and AATG in 1984, and the Federal Republic of Germany Friendship Award in 1987. She has lectured on German culture and contributions in Delaware at local schools through the Delaware Humanities Forum Scholars Program.

Titles:

We have a celebrity among us...
Yvette Freeman, PS duPont Class of 1968

Award winner, of the 1998 Obie for "Dinah Was," Yvette Freeman is known to millions for her acting in the NBC acclaimed series ER - as the no-nonsense Nurse Haleh Adams, and for two years on Working with Fred Savage. Freeman released her first CD "A Tribute To Dinah Washington," in 1999 and she is working on a smooth-jazz recording for 2003. She recently wrote, directed and produced
her first short film, The Blessing Way through the American Film Institute.
Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Yvette, who is one of seven children, developed her love of performing from her father, jazz pianist Charles Freeman. After graduating from the University of Delaware, with a major in Art and Theater, Yvette's life became the theater. Her first major performance was in the Broadway musical sensation "Ain't Misbehavin'," which utilized her tremendous singing voice, and led to a plethora of roles on stage, television and feature films.
In addition to starring in the Broadway and The First National, Paris and International, companies of "Ain't Misbehavin'," Freeman's other stage credits include the Los Angeles production of "Elegies for Angel Punks and Raging Queens" as Bertha; Sister Hurbert in the Boston company of "Nunsense;" Queenie in the St. Louis Muny production of "Show Boat;" the Sacramento production of "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" as Jewel; and at Portland Stage Theater as Bernice in "Member of the Wedding." National and international touring company productions include "The Wiz," "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope," "Voices, Inc.," and "Mademoiselle Rose" in Monte Carlo and China.
Freeman was in Hollywood less than two years when she was cast for the role of Nurse Haleh Adams for the pilot of ER. Since then, she has been guest-star in numerous television series including The Tick, That's Life, Boston Public, Judging Amy, NYPD Blue, The John Larroquette Show, Living Single, and Sisters. Her feature film credits include roles in "Switch," "Dead Again," "Children of the Corn III," and "Angus Bethune." She was also seen in the HBO movie "Norma and Marilyn."
In 1998, Yvette appeared in her acclaimed play "Dinah Was," based on the life of legendary jazz singer Dinah Washington, at the new Gramercy Theatre, off-Broadway.
Yvette Freeman is married to jazz pianist Lanny Hartley, who is musical director for "Dinah Was," and arranger/producer for "A Tribute To Dinah Washington."

Womens' World January 7, 2003

Woman's World: January 7, 2003 Wow! She lost 119 lbs and 8 sizes!
How much will you lose on

THE ER MIRACLE DIET

Want to get skinny stat? The secrets that helped ER star Yvette Freeman shed a jaw-dropping 119 pounds can also be your key to quick, easy, lasting weight loss...

by Allison Nemetz

We may know her best as ER's no-nonsense Nurse Haleh Adams, but these days, actress Yvette Freeman is also playing the role of...Cinderella. And she's got the tiny-waisted ball gown to prove it.

"My mom was thin and stylish, and when she passed away, I kept some of her things, but I never thought they'd fit me," recalls the actress, who recently shed 119 pounds.

"My favorite was a sweeping pink dress. The other day, I pulled it out and slipped it on. It fit perfectly! It was such an incredible, peaceful feeling, because getting to this point has been a lifetime struggle for me."

She couldn't have done it without help from a team of fairy godparents at UCLA's Risk Factor Obesity (RFO) program...

How Yvette dropped up to 7.5 pounds a week

Yvette, who has a family history of diabetes and a longtime love of fattening food, sought help from the RFO pros after a checkup revealed, "my blood sugar and blood pressure were out of control," she says. "my doctors had always told me I needed to lose weight, but this time, my health was really at stake." Determined to live a long, happy life with musician-husband Lanny Hartley, Yvette ruled out all the plans that had failed her in the past--everything from food combining to the Zone. How about gastric bypass, which worked wonders for stars like Carnie Wilson? Yvette found the drastic procedure too terrifying. Eventually, the Delaware native remembered a pal who lost 30 pounds on the RFO plan, which combines supervised "shake fasting" with group support and lessons on replacing fattening habits with slimming ones. "When my friend originally told me about it, I pooh-poohed the idea. Then a few years later, another friend of mine did it and lost 25 pounds. So I thought, 'Maybe I'll try it,'" says the 45-year-old.

Prescribed a regiment of seven 100-calorie vitamin-enriched shakes daily and assigned to an "AA-like" support group of fellow dieters, Yvette got off to a harrowing start. "The first week, you hold on by your fingernails," she laughs. "But after that, it gets easier."

Especially once you start seeing results like these. "In the beginning, I lost over seven pounds a week," smiles the star, who ultimately dropped from a size 24 to a size 8. While Yvette's regiment was so low in calories she had to be monitored by RFO doctors, many other dieters have gotten the same results using Yvette's approach at safer calorie levels. Take Miramar, Florida mom Anne Bryant, 33, who used a 1,200-calorie Scan Diet shake plan--along with online behavior modification tools--and dropped six pounds in five days and is now down 70 pounds. Tampa Bay mom Wendy Patton formed a support group with her dad, stuck to a 1,200-to 1,500-calorie Slim-Fast plan and blew past her 20-pound weight-loss goal in six weeks. "I ended up losing 41 pounds," she says. Meanwhile Jericho, NY mom-of-two Jessica Bellia used meal-replacement shakes and bars in conjunction with the Weight Watchers plan, and shed 43 pounds. "I lost weight a lot faster than other women," she says.

None of this comes as a surprise to experts who have seen the proof piling up for years...

The best weightloss strategy science has to offer

Meal-replacement plans--particularly when combined with behavior modification techniques--have the best track record among the dozens of strategies scientists have tested. Studies show that diet, exercise or both--even when combined with appetite suppressants--usually result in minimal weight loss with rapid weight regain. But when behavior modification is combined with any of these programs, the results improve dramatically, say RFO experts.

Some sample evidence from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association: Dieters using a Slim-Fast plan and attending nutrition classes lost nearly twice as much weight over 12 weeks as those on an equal-calorie traditional diet. In a separate three-month trial, Kashi's GoLean meal-replacement plan whisked pounds off test subjects five times faster than a traditional low-calorie meal plan. What's more, a University of Nevada study found that shake dieters enrolled in a support program lost up to three times more weight than folks who went it alone. How can you make it work for you?

Making fat-melting magic happen for you

To get the fastest and most lasting results, experts recommend...

Choosing the right meal replacement. It used to be you only had traditional sweetened, high-carbohydrate, low-fat shakes and bars to choose from. But now there are new options out there for just about every taste and weight-loss need. For example, if your metabolism is slow or your appetite fierce, you might want to consider high-protein varieties like Twinlab Metabolift High Protein Meal Replacement Shake Mix or Powerbar Protein Plus Bar, Sugar-Free. Protein is the most satiating of the major nutrients, beating out both carbohydrates and fat, say experts. High protein shakes and bars can also minimize the release of fat-storage hormones and maximize the release of fat-burning ones. "The result is increased fat loss," says Carlon Colker, M.D. who saw shake drinkers lose 34 times more fat and nearly twice as much weight as other dieters during a study on a high protein mix called CytoPlex.

If your weight gain seems to be age-related, you might want to consider soy-based meal replacement, such as Scan Diet and Revival Soy brands. As hormone levels drop after age 35, soy can jumpstart metabolism and shrink fat cells, says Aaron Tabor, M.D., of shake-maker Revival Soy.

But what do meal replacements have over home-cooked, low-cal fare? Meal-replacement plans effectively keep calories under control, says Harvard nutrition expert George Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D. And that's most important for weight loss, pros add.

"On the other plans, I never felt sure that they'd work. But on this one, I knew I was only putting 1,200 calories in me, so I felt confident--and didn't cheat," Bryant recalls. That said, folks using plans that call for two shakes plus a "sensible dinner" might want to consider...
Not cooking your "sensible meal." Instead of cooking a healthy dinner each night, Wendy heated up a frozen entree. "I didn't have to think about my choices, and that cut back on temptation," she says. "eating the Lean Cuisines also helped me learn what healthy portion sizes looked like, so I could keep eating sensibly once I reached my goal and started cooking again." Did her husband and toddler mind the microwaved meals? "My husband was very supportive and ate nondiet frozen meals. And my daughter was thrilled with chicken nuggets of something like that," Wendy adds.

Wendy would sometimes have a frozen meal for lunch and a shake for dinner, a strategy recommended by Cathy Nonas, R.D., who has supervised shake dieters at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in New York. "Eating a normal meal at lunchtime instead of dinner is less likely to trigger the urge to keep eating," she says.
Remembering it gets easier as you go. While some dieters, including Jessica and Wendy, find meal-replacement plans a cinch from the get-go, others like Yvette and Karen Whritner, a TV production manager from Bergen County, NJ, experience that initial hanging-on-by-the-fingernails feeling. If you fall into the latter category, know this: When we drastically reduce our calories, it can have the same effect on hunger and appetite as starvation--which means after four to five days, hunger disappears. Because of this, people like Ghandi could endure repeated hunger strikes, say RFO experts. Adds Nonas: "A big part of appetite is interest. When you take away much of the variety from your diet, you take away interest, which in turn takes away hunger."

"By the time I started adding regular food back to my diet, I had virtually no appetite, which made the transition easier," says Yvette. Adds Karen, how used a nutritionist-prescribed shake called Ultra Clear: "It was a big relief that I wasn't getting too hungry."

Getting help learning skinny new habits. The fancy term for it is behavior modification, which simply means helping you find slimming substitutes. "This includes things like identifying and avoiding a 'trigger food' you can't seem to stop eating and discovering non-fattening ways to deal with stress," says Jean Hardesty Radecki, Ph.D.,an RFO-affiliated clinical psychologist who worked with Yvette . "Look in your area or online for support groups. This is key to getting lasting results."

Yvette found the support group experience empowering. "The people in these groups were doctors, lawyers, nurses, actors. I finally realized that being overweight doesn't make you lazy. It gave me a real feeling that I could do it," she says. "I also learned a lot. I didn't know that 3,500 calories equaled a pound. I didn't know that if you exercised, you could eat more. It all finally clicked!" Karen, who joined a free 12-step program for overeaters, says the combination of support and education "worked like a miracle. With other diets, I only addressed the physical part of my problem. But now, I know it's not enough to eat less, you have to find out why you're overeating and deal with your feelings instead of eating because of them." If a 12-step program isn't for you, there are lots of other options. Wendy, for example, teamed up with a diet buddy--her dad, who lost 25 pounds--and used Slim-Fast's online behavior modification resources. Jessica went to Weight Watchers, which now offers online "meetings." Or she could've chosen TOPS or a church-based weight-loss group. Some Web-based support sites include www.cyberdiet.com and www.caloriescount.com.
Keeping a food diary. "Keeping a record of what you eat is the most important thing," says Hardesty Radecki. Yvette explains the reasoning behind this trick: "A naturally thin person can automatically track their daily eating. They can eat alot one day and cut back the next without, even being aware of it. I'm not naturally thin, so I'm still learning to balance my calories. If I plan ahead, I can literally eat anything."
Using exercise to predict your success. While the RFO experts point out that controlling calories--not exercising--is the fastest and most efficient way to lose weight, they also note that every study of successful weight loss has shown that exercising for at least 30 minutes a day, four days per week is a top "predictor" of short-term and especially long-term success. As Yvette slimmed down, her energy soared and she was ready to work out. She gradually built up to a schedule of three 45-minute toning sessions a week and two 60-minute sessions of aerobics, such as dancing or kickboxing. "Just know that if I can do it, anyone can," she smiles. "Everyone is strong. You just have to find your strength and focus it on losing weight."

You can get more info from Woman's World magazine. Look for Yvette on the cover!

Sadly, Bart Buckalew passed away on
Wednesday, May 29, 1996 at the age of 59

Bart Buckalew – A 1956 Interscholastic Diving All-American, Bart was a 3-year letterman on the P.S. DuPont High School swim team. Bart placed 1st in the Delaware State Meet in “Fancy Diving” and was a member of the shuttle-hurdle team that placed 1st in the Peninsula Relays. He was Delaware Interscholastic 1956 Diving Champion, setting a record three times in 1955. He served as Co-Captain that year and placed 2nd in the 1955 Mid-Atlantic Swim Championship. Coach Bender is quoted as saying, “Bart is the best diver P.S. DuPont has ever had”. Bart also played guard at P.S. DuPont winning 3 football letters, and he started both ways in the 1956 All-Star Game. He was selected 3rd team All-State in 1955. At West Chester University, Bart was runner-up in the Mid-Atlantic one meter Diving Championship. As a Private in the 2nd Army, and after a two year layoff, Bart was the one meter diving champion at a 1960 meet at Fort Knox. He gave exhibitions while touring with the USO 1960 – 61. He served as Assistant Coach of the Wm. Penn High School diving team. Bart was a Blue-Gold All-Star volunteer for over 40 years. He was a 15 year softball umpire and served as Treasurer on the Delaware State Hall of Fame Board of Governors 1981-86. He was the 1984 “Lion of the Year” holding offices of District Governor, Charter Treasurer and Volunteer Trainer of leader dogs for the blind.

Sadly, B. Gary Scott passed away on Sunday, February 17, 2008
after a lengthy illness surrounded by his loving family.

B. Gary Scott was a three-year letterman and two-way football performer at the University of Pennsylvania 1952-54, following an outstanding athletic career at P.S. DuPont High School. He was a recipient of Philadelphia Maxwell Club’s major college football “Player of the Week” award for scoring both touchdowns in Quakers 13-7 win over Penn State in 1953. His Penn football career came at a time when Quakers played a major college schedule, including Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, California, Army, Navy and Duke. Gary was awarded the J. William White Memorial Scholarship for athletic and scholastic achievement. At Penn, he also earned a varsity letter in lacrosse. During his High School career, he won 9 letters in football, basketball and track at P.S. DuPont 1949-51. He was selected as a 2nd team All-State football running back; was 1950 State track champion in the 100 and 200-yard dashes, beating Bunny Blaney and Ron Waller; was named Outstanding Male Athlete as a senior at P.S. DuPont. Gary was part owner and President of the Wilmington Blue Bombers, Eastern League professional basketball club during the 1960s. He coached youth league basketball in the mid 1970s; sponsored Naamans Little League baseball teams for many years. He served as President, Wilmington Touchdown Club in mid-Seventies.

Representative Nick T. Manolakos
I am a native Delawarean and have been a resident of the 20th Representative district for the past 21 years. My parents were both second generation Americans of Hellenic descent. My dad, Fred was originally from New York City and my mother, Ethel, from near Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. My grandparents all immigrated to America from Greece in the early 1900’s.

I grew up in what was known as the old 9th Ward in Wilmington and graduated from P.S. DuPont High School in 1969. I earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology from the University of Delaware in 1973. I also earned a Master of Science Degree in Vocational Education from the University of Delaware in 1981. In 1997, I earned a Doctorate in Educational Innovation and Leadership from Wilmington College.

This year, I have been elected by my colleagues as President-Elect for the Delaware Association of School Administrators and serve on the Executive Board. In February 2006, I was appointed to the National Board for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). I am only the third Delawarean in 90 years to obtain this appointment. These elected positions are arguably the highest achievement of success in my profession.

As a nationally licensed “C Level” soccer coach, I volunteered for 13 year in the Hockessin Soccer Club. Our team, the Hockessin Tide (1987’s) won the Delaware State Cup Championship in 2004. Nearly all the players went off to Division I and III Colleges where many are still playing today.

I began my educational career in 1978 working as a Vocational Placement Counselor for the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. In 1979 I began working for Pete DuPont’s Jobs for Delaware Graduates School to Work Transition Program. I spent 10 years as a Job Specialist working with high school seniors seeking entry level career positions at Wilmington and McKean High School.

In 1989 I was hired as a Career Counselor in the Smyrna School District. It was while employed here that I completed my Doctoral program and was promoted to Assistant Principal in 1997. After tens years in Smyrna, I transferred to the Cab Calloway School of the Arts in 2000 as an Assistant Principal. One year later I was again promoted to be the new Principal of Skyline Middle School in the Red Clay Consolidated School District.

As the principal of Skyline Middle School, I instituted instructional strategies and programs that in six years raised the school's state rating from "Under Review" to "Superior." The school's achievement levels are at a record high. We were only one of three non-choice secondary schools in all of New Castle County to achieve this Superior Rating. These two accomplishments demonstrate a long-term commitment to achieving excellence and success as a leader in our community.

I have served on many educational committees over the years including the Delaware Principal’s Academy Executive Board, The Delaware Academy for School Leadership, and many Leadership teams. I have worked extensively with local businesses and in particular, The Hockessin Pike Creek Rotary. I am an avid fisherman, something of a physical fitness buff, and enjoy carpentry and woodworking, and trying to stay literate with computer technology.

Carolyn Golden Hebsgaard Class of 1962

I love the big red wines: the bold Cabernets and the powerful Zinfandels,” enthuses Carolyn Golden Hebsgaard, who is an executive director of both the Boston Lawyers Group (BLG) and the Lawyers Collaboration for Diversity (LCD) and an oenophile by avocation. “While I’ve always enjoyed wine with dinner, I didn’t used to like to drink wine without food; that is, until I was exposed to some wonderful sippers—especially the Spanish rosés and some white Burgundies nicely chilled.”

Hebsgaard could go on and on. A founding charter member of Divas Uncorked—a Boston-based group of professional African American women who enjoy wine—she possesses a passion for the gods’ nectar and is eager to share it, particularly with other minority women and people of color.

“Our group is about being wine savvy, not wine snobby,” says Hebsgaard. “Over the years, the wine industry has made the mistake of neglecting the buying power of women and people of color. We’re doing all we can to change that while having as much fun as possible.”

Since 1999, the 10-member group has met monthly to taste and learn about wine: from the nuances of bouquet and the tradition of vintage to the partnering of wine with food. And beginning in 2001, Divas Uncorked expanded to include vintner dinners and its annual sold out “Wine, Women and…” conferences.

What began as a fun night out has evolved into an incorporated entity with its own private label with the Mendocino Wine Company, Divas Uncorked Chardonnay. And as the Divas Uncorked Collaborative Consortium, the entrepreneurial members work with wine producers, sellers, and financial advisors to promote inclusiveness as well as their marketable brand in the wine community.

“Because I do a lot of professional entertaining, and regularly go to good restaurants with friends from Boston’s chapter of 100 Black Women, I need to be comfortable with selecting wines,” says Hebsgaard. “Divas Uncorked has been the solution.”

Carolyn Golden Hebsgaard in her 800-bottle wine cellar at home.

Carolyn Golden Hebsgaard in
her 800-bottle wine cellar at home.

Wine plays a big part in Hebsgaard’s home life too: To hold their collection, Hebsgaard and her husband, Poul Hebsgaard, president and CEO of technology company cBrain, have built an 800-bottle wine cellar and tasting room in their Boston-area home.

For Hebsgaard, who is also mother to adult son Byron, her vocation and avocation dovetail nicely. Both allow her to bring like-minded people together to work on the issue of inclusiveness. A consultant with BLG (a Boston consortium of more than 40 major law firms, government agencies, and corporate legal offices) for 10 years and three years at LCD in Hartford, Conn., Hebsgaard supports both groups and their efforts to identify, recruit, advance, and retain attorneys of color. She currently splits her week between offices at Brown Rudnick in Boston and Shipman and Goodwin in Hartford.

“I’ve been advocating diversity since the 1950s,” says Hebsgaard. “I say that because I’m a product of the Brown Act. I’ve desegregated everything: the Y, the Girl Scouts, middle school, and high school.”

In 1954, nine-year-old Hebsgaard was one of a number of African American school children selected from inner-city Wilmington, Del. schools to participate in a creative integration program. While she was given the opportunity to attend a public school in the Eastlake neighborhood on the outskirts of Wilmington, her family was offered new, government-subsidized housing in the same community.

“My grandmother in Georgia was not too happy about the idea; she understandably feared for my safety,” recalls Hebsgaard. “But for my mother—better school, new townhouse—it was a no-brainer. We moved to Eastlake.”

When Hebsgaard attended P.S. DuPont High School, the student body was 98 percent Jewish. Out of the 400 students in her senior class, 11 were African American. Hebsgaard remembers it as an unhappy time.

“Academically, I was more than prepared,” says Hebsgaard, “but as a minority, I wasn’t able to participate fully. I recall the dean pulling me out of cheerleader tryouts to tell me that despite my abilities, there was no way I could be on the team—it wouldn’t be safe for me to travel to games at other schools because of the racial strife in lower Delaware at the time. To that, I slammed her door so hard the glass shattered.”

For Hebsgaard, college would be different: She refused to desegregate yet another institution. So, despite having won a much-needed full academic scholarship to a predominantly white university, she was determined to find a way to attend Delaware State University, an historically black college/university.

The young woman’s single-mindedness paid off: Her father’s employer, famed Republican financier John Rollins, secured Hebsgaard a scholarship to Delaware State, where she cheered, sang in the choir, protested, and made the dean’s list. Later, Hebsgaard earned a master’s degree in social work from Temple University in Philadelphia. Despite her current involvement with diversity and the legal profession, she is not a lawyer. “I think it’s a noble career,” says Hebsgaard cheerily. “But not one I ever aspired to.”

The Boston Lawyers Group hired Hebsgaard anyway. During the interview process, she convinced management that in order to turn the corner on this initiative, the group needed someone with a business background, and not an attorney.

“Until recently, law firms have not thought of themselves as businesses,” says Hebsgaard. “Had they, the diversity effort would have moved more quickly. It has taken them 15 to 20 years longer than Corporate America to understand and value difference. Finally, Corporate America is saying, ‘I’m not going to be held to this test and not pass it along to my vendors. Law firms must also engage in the total community.’ ”

Hebsgaard’s work at BLG and LCD also requires her to oversee pipeline programming for college students of color. This includes matching students with mentors and summer jobs in law offices, and enabling them to better see themselves as law students and as a part of the legal profession. This is especially important for first-generation college students and African American males, says Hebsgaard, whose law school numbers are diminishing. Led by Hebsgaard, both the BLG and the LCD, are involved in all phases of the aspiring lawyer and young attorney experience.

Consistently, she reminds white male partners of their role in promoting and sustaining diversity: “These guys can’t just throw in young attorneys of color and expect them to swim on their own,” Hebsgaard explains. “If young attorneys are going to make it after the fourth year, they need to develop a book of business, and that requires a little help from the established partners. In addition, I continually bring in general counsel from major corporations to express their expectations.”

Hebsgaard admits that she is a nag, and a very good one at that, but it is what she was hired to do. She considers diversity in the legal profession to be a work in progress.

“When I’m feeling low, I think about all the talent out there that can fit into a pipeline program, and that reenergizes me. Young, sharp, savvy, articulate young people, all thinking about a career in law,” says Hebsgaard. “Then I see the young minority associate who just made partner, and I remember meeting him when he was still in law school, and I think ‘Okay, I can do this.’ ”

Similarly, Divas Uncorked continues to grow, routinely opening the world of wine to people for whom it was once closed. “I came up at a very interesting time,” says Hebsgaard. “Today, I feel very contemporary without forgetting my rich history of participating in change in this country. It creates a passion for creating access for yourself and others.” DB

Danette Y. Butler: Friend to prisoners and their families

About the finalist: Danette Y. Butler, 51, is a lifelong resident of Wilmington. She attended P.S. du Pont High School and earned an associate’s degree in human services/geriatrics from Delaware Technical & Community College. She’s retired from the Department of Corrections, where she was a corrections officer for 20 years. She has three brothers, four sisters and one grown son, Clarence. She named her miniature poodle Rambo because the little dog needed a big name. She likes going to the movies and helping people. Her goals include establishing a halfway house for people 10 and older who are coming out of prison. Her hope is to help them find a way to change their lives and not return to a life of crime, drug addiction or violence.

From the nominators: Several people suggested Butler for the award for her dedication to her community, the prison population and their family and friends. Butler started the support group Parents with Incarcerated Children about five years ago to help people get resources and information for their loved ones. The idea came after her son was incarcerated for drugs. She didn’t know where to turn for advice and help, so she educated herself, and now she educates others. She connects prisoners with drug treatment programs, job placement and education services. She provides information on the judicial system and lends emotional support. She visits inmates and tries to help them better themselves so when they get out of prison, they won’t come back. She works to help other families with the same struggle she faced. Her mother, Doris Miller, cited her dedication: “She’s always on call.”

In her own words: Nothing could prepare Butler for having to handcuff her own son. When he was arrested, she was the booking and receiving officer. She cried. “It was very hard for me, but I had to do my job.” Because her struggle is over and her son’s doing better, she felt she had to give back. “I do it from my heart. I know all too well how it is to have a child that’s addicted and in prison. My pain gave me purpose.”

Robert F. Senseny, PS duPont, Class of 1946The detail man