Lapel High School Class of 2000

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The year 2000! Y2K, was an abbreviation for “Year 2 Thousand.” We entered the 21st century and our world did not come to an end. Our bank accounts didn’t even disappear. .

Another unusual thing about the year 2000 is Feb. 29, 2000, was a rare century leap year date. Usually, (according to Wikipedia) “2000 is the first such to have a Feb. 29 since the year 1600, making it only the second such occasion since the Gregorian Calendar was introduced in the late 16th century. The next such leap year will occur in 2400.” That’s really a “bummer” for those folks born on Feb. 29.

We had an election for president of the United States. If you remember, no winner could be declared because of those “hanging chads.” A recount was ordered and as we watched on television, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a recount in Florida. On Dec. 12, 2000 – Bush v. Gore: The court halted the count and declared the original count results be certified, thus making George W. Bush the winner of the election.

On January 2000, in Lapel, new council members were being sworn in by Judge Thomas Clem. Gary Shuck and Lynn Wainscott were sworn in. Tony Pearson was out of town and sworn in later. The clerk-treasurer was Tom Tudor. Pearson, Shuck and Wainscott took the seats left by Scott Hersberger, Roslin Oleksy and Dale Brinker. They chose not to run for re-election in November. The new board thanked Jo Ann Fryback for her years of service as utility clerk. She was replaced by Donna Lawther.

In May 2000, USDA Rural Development and several funding partners announced that the residents of Lapel would be receiving financial assistance for major infrastructure projects. The USDA awarded the Town of Lapel a $1,739,000 low interest loan to improve the wastewater system and another $1,328,000 for improving the current water system. And another $115,000 from the Build Indiana Fund for such improvements.

At the United Methodist Women of Trinity Church, an election of officers for 2000 are as follows: President – Sherry Krause, vice president – Deb Osza, secretary – Becky Woodward, treasurer – Nancy Wise, mission coordinators – Diana Barker, Marjorie Sylvester, Susan Tudor and Sue Salvage. During the meeting, a memorial service was held for the following ladies: Georgiana Renbarger, Marjorie Fisher, Minnie Welch, Connie White, Lori Berninger, Dorothy McDonald, Lorene Bohannan, Myrtle Cobb and Glema Barnhizer.

Trevor Whetsel of Lapel was celebrated as one of Madison County’s greatest athletes of the 20th century by an area newspaper. Carl Erskin and Johnny Wilson of Anderson were named co-top athletes. Whetsel, 77 in 2000), played basketball, baseball and golf. He was born on Jan. 13, 1922, in Lapel. He was in the 1940 class and played center on the LHS team. Whetsel lead the team in scoring his junior and senior year. The LHS team lost to Hammond Tech, which eventually won the championship. The LHS basketball team finished the season with a 20-3 record. He then played basketball for Indiana University on a scholarship. He was later drafted into the Air Force for World War II.

Also in 2000, after 41 years of teaching, Trudy George decided it was time to help people in other ways. At that time, Trudy was known by the whole community of Lapel and Fishersburg. Trudy graduated from Rossville High School and attended Ball State and Purdue universities. She taught Grades 1, 2 and 3, the first four years at Noblesville. This writer has had conversations with many of her former students. Every student had great memories of Ms. George and her style of teaching.

The Lapel High School was going through some changes while entering the new millenium. One was junior students were now separated from the high school students by having their own hallway. The school lost teacher Ron Curry, who moved to Lawrence North High School after three years at Lapel. Bus driver Linda Hormell retired after several to work side-by-side with IU School of Medicine research years. Principal Larry Galliher, Jean Brige and Lois Hallett retired after a combined 90 years of teaching.

Students Nick Passwater, Zachary McMahon, Donald King, Tim Pinkerton and Jonathan Pierce had the honor of serving as pages in the Indiana House of Representatives.

In March of 2000, Eric Bright was among 48 students selected to work side by side with IU School of Medicine researchers and physicians in one of the most modern genetic research centers in the United States.

Bright participated in the first Molecular Medicine In Action program at Indiana University Cancer Research Institute. Bright is the son of Kenneth and Mary Bright.

The Class of 2000 year ended with Andrea Sue Jennings and Katherine Rhea Whitmoyer sharing the title of co-valedictorian. Each maintained a 4.0 grade-point average throughout the year. Andrea is the daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Ben Jennings. She planned on attending the Air Force Academy. Kathy is the daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Dave Whitmoyer. Kathy planned on attending the University of Indianapolis.

Other awards for the Class of 2000 include Outstanding Senior Musician — Donald King; Outstanding Female Athlete — Andrea Jennings; Outstanding Male Athlete — Matt Storm; Top Dawg Graphics Awards, Class of ‘64 Destiny Award – Justin McDole; Spirit Scholarship – Teresa Smith and Isaac Busby; Victoria Guild Scholarship — Millie Oyler; Ag One Agriculture Scholarship – Dustin Husted; Carolyn Bolles Scholarship – Millie Oyler; American Legion Post No. 212 Scholarship — Danielle Reeder, Holly Scott, Andrea Jennings and Matt Storm; Lapel Lioness Club Scholarship – Amanda Woodring and Jessica Hamlyn (alternate); Bill Byer Memorial Scholarship — Jillian Woods; Hoosier Scholars — Katherine Whitmoyer and Jessica Hamlyn. There was another large group of awards that were too large for this article.

2000 faculty were Principal Larry Gallier and Vice Principal Robert Fields, Faye Allen, David Barker, Jean Brige, Mark Boudrot, Judy Brown, Jennifer Burris, Joan Casey, Dorinda Cassiday, Richard Cassiday, Bill Chase, Amy Clark, Diane Clark, Tim Coppess, Ron Curry, Sharon Fort, Denise Gray, Lois Hallett, Cheryl Hensley, Amy Hoover, Marianne Julius, Debbie Johnson, Art Laker, Krista Loller, Tracy Maryan, Sharon McDermit, Brenda Mills, Janet Passwater, Polly Pruitt, Greg Scott, Sean Swan, Cindy Stephenson, Jeannie Terhune, and Zoe Terhune.

The Senior Class of 2000 included Jaclyn Addington, Jason Aleshire, Daniel Anderson, Anna Babbitt, James Bodenhorn, Amber Bunnell, Isaac Busby, Megan Cambell, Brandi Carder, David Cates, Amanda Clark, Kendra Clark, Haley Collins, Lauren Collins, Britney Curry, Jessica Daniels, Sabrian Dumphy, Michelle Estep, Timothy Estep, Abby Ford, Gregory Gilbert, Adam Hall, Jessica Hamlyn, Shelby Harry, William Hegwood III, Amanda Hersberger, James Hersberger, Elizabeth Highers, Matthew Hoover, Mark Hull, Jennifer Hults, Justin Hults, Dustin Husted, Aaron Jarvis, Andrea Jennings, Aubrey Johnson, Leah Justice, Donald King, Lindsay Knepp, Casey Lewis, Nichole Liedtke, John Mendenhall, Justin McDole, Joshua Miller, Zachary McMahon, Jeremy Owens, Millie Oyler, Nicholas Passwater, Jonathan Pierce, Timothy Pinkerton, Danielle Reeder, Colin Ring, Sara Russell, Holly Scott, Chris Sears, Wynter Shaw, Shawn Sink, Tiffany Skinner, Teresa Smith, Matthew Storm, Stephanie Turner, Jennifer Vahle, Jacqueline Vega, Lena Weinrich, Kathy Whitmoyer, Kellyah Wilson, Amanda Woodring, Jillian Woods and Jamie Zeller.

In 2000, the school administration included Ned Speicher, assistant Ron Green and Curriculum Director Sterling Boles. The school board members were Michael Lacey, John Henderson, Kent Williams, Steve Candall, Nancy Likens and John Mitchell.

The bus drivers included Nancy Rice, Linda Hormell, Hershel Teeters, Liz Reddick, Carol Davinson, Terry Huntzinger, Willis Benedict, Vernie Hendrick, Kevin Hudson and Jim Hall.

The cafeteria staff were Mary Bright, Debbie Lark, Cindy Owens, Debbie Bond, Becky Walker, Susan Stone, Betty Funkhouser, Laura Leever, Debbie Wallace and Sue Norris.

In sports, the Lady Bulldogs basketball team won the Class A Sectional. Next, they won the Regional and achieved “Final Four” at semistate. The team played as a team all the way. Senior Andrea Jennings reached the 1,000-point club. The Lapel community really got excited and and supported Bulldogs all of the way.

Bulldogs golfers placed second in the county. Art Laker said, “Don’t mess with the Lapel Bulldog golf team!” He was 100% correct, they finished the season undefeated! Haiden Williams led the way, with Landon Paddock, Justin Strange, Matt Hoover and Adam Hall. Way to go Dawgs!

LHS baseball was as Justin Coomer said, “The team was on the verge of winning a lot of games! We were working hard, and our future was bright!” The Bulldogs won their sectional, but it ended there. Maybe next year?

Let me leave you with this thought about me. What do you call an 80-year-old cheerleader? “Old Yeller!” Plus, society has gotten to the point where everybody has a right, but nobody has a responsibility!

Ray Tincher attended Ball State University and retired from Indiana Department of Correction in 1997. He worked at IDOC for 30 years, serving in a variety of roles, from correctional officer to warden. At retirement, he received the Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Gov. Frank O’Bannon. He wrote several training manuals as part of his employment and is a published author: “Inmate #13225 John Herbert Dillinger (2007).” He and his wife, Marilyn, live in Lapel.

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