Hall of Fame Inductees

The valedictorian of his class at Thomas Jefferson High School, David Bohonak, PhD, is now helping to develop life-changing gene therapies. Dr. Bohonak graduated from TJ in 1996 and was also a National Merit Scholarship recipient. After his high school graduation, he earned his bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University. He continued his studies as a Robert Pigford Graduate Fellow at the University of Delaware where he obtained his master of chemical engineering. Dr. Bohonak earned his doctorate of chemical engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 2006.

For 19 years, Dr. Bohonak has worked in engineering and business roles at MilliporeSigma in Bedford, Massachusetts. Throughout his career, he has focused on the development of innovative technologies and processes for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. His work has included the development of new filters to ensure biological therapeutics are not contaminated by viruses, as well as the development of new methods to improve the efficiency of production processes. Currently, Dr. Bohonak serves as senior expert of viral vector therapies, where he helps manufacturers develop better processes for gene therapies.

Following his graduation from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1974, William E. Carr would launch into a decades-long career in the nation’s space program. Carr attended Parkway Technical Center in Pittsburgh and completed a two-year program in industrial technology after his high school graduation. He then moved to Florida as the space shuttle program was ramping up. Carr worked for Rockwell International as a space shuttle technician at the Kennedy Space Center, while earning his bachelor’s degree in business and operations management from Barry University in Miami, Florida. He would become a certified maintenance and reliability professional (CMRP) and a licensed/certified Kepner Tregoe instructor in engineering problem solving and decision analysis. 

As Carr started his professional career with Rockwell International, he gained great insight into operational safety. He moved into operations with Lockheed Space Operations where he learned the importance of integration and schedule accountability. He was then promoted to manager of space shuttle test conductors and later to division manager of the payload/space shuttle planning and integration department with the United Space Alliance. After the Columbia shuttle disaster, Carr was requested to take over as director of ground support.

He finished his career and retired in 2020 as the director of program integration for the Test Operations Support Contract (TOSC) which was NASA’s primary contractor for operating and integrating the Space Launch System (Artemis Program). Carr was the senior executive providing strategic support and technical integration for ground systems development and vehicle flight integration across the Kennedy Space Center, working with NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrup Gruman, and Aerojet Rocketdyne along with the International Space Station and Commercial Crew programs.

Dr. Ronald G. Polcawich graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1993, received a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1997, a master’s degree in materials from Penn State University in 1999, and his doctorate in materials science and engineering from Penn State University in 2007. 

Currently, Dr. Polcawich is a portfolio manager detailed through the Headquarters Department of the Army under the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology), HQDA-ASA (ALT), supporting rapid prototyping within the Technology Maturation Initiative (TMI) and serving as the Army service representative to the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) program within OUSD (R&E). His focus areas include positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), resilient communications, advanced microelectronics, hardware security, electronic warfare, and unmanned systems in support of the warfighter with a specific emphasis on rapid experimentation with specific warfighting units.

Previously, Dr. Polcawich served as the chief engineer within the DEVCOM – Army Research Laboratory’s Quantum Information Science and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (QIS-PNT) Essential Research Program (ERP) from 2021-2024. Prior to his current roles, Dr. Polcawich served as a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) within the Microsystems Technology Office.

Dr. Polcawich has published three book chapters, authored more than 85 journal articles, and has more than 20 patents. Dr. Polcawich was selected to the 2012 class of awardees for the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) and received the DARPA Meritorious Civil Service Medal in 2021. He is also a senior member of IEEE and serves on the advisory board for the IEEE Inertial Sensors Conference and the International Workshop on Piezoelectric MEMS.

It was a nuclear science class during his senior year of high school that Dr. Gary A. Sanders says propelled him on a career of 42 years with experience in nuclear reactor and nuclear weapons engineering and safety design and evaluation including the design, testing, accident response, anti-terrorism, and technical integration of the U.S. nuclear strategic deterrent stockpile. Dr. Sanders graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1975 and was a member of the National Honor Society, lettered in tennis, and was president of the boys’ club “Adolphos,” which performed civic projects throughout the borough. 

Dr. Sanders retired in July 2021 as the vice president for mission engineering for the Y-12 and Pantex production plants for the National Nuclear Security Administration. Dr. Sanders formerly served as the vice president of weapons engineering and product realization and the chief engineer for nuclear weapons at Sandia National Laboratories where he led the sustainment, maintenance, and assessment of the current strategic stockpile weapon systems and components. He represented Sandia in national venues on nuclear weapons strategy and planning. His professional experience includes work at the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, DOE/HQ/Defense Programs, Air Force Directorate of Nuclear and Counterproliferation (AF/XON), and DOE national laboratories, as well as at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratories as a Navy nuclear reactor designer. In addition, his professional accomplishments include interactions with the broad nuclear weapons community including the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Navy, Air Force major commands, USSTRATCOM, Pantex, United Kingdom, French and Russian nuclear technical agencies.

Months after his high school graduation from Thomas Jefferson High School in June 2001, Lieutenant Colonel Cory Scharbo began his Army career, enlisting in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Lieutenant Colonel Scharbo graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania four years later with a bachelor’s degree in history and commissioned a Second Lieutenant through the ROTC program. Upon graduation from Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ranger School, and Infantry Captains Career Course, Lieutenant Colonel Scharbo held various leadership positions including Rifle Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, Rifle Company Commander, and various Battalion/Brigade Staff positions while stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia and Fort Campbell, Kentucky between 2007-2014.

He served in various Army Force Management roles and responsibilities while stationed at Vicenza, Italy; Fort Riley, Kansas; and the Pentagon, Washington D.C. between 2014-2023. Currently, Lieutenant Colonel Scharbo is serving in an active component position at the National Guard Bureau’s Architecture, Data, and Standards/Compliance Division as the Deputy Division Chief. Lieutenant Colonel Scharbo’s operational deployments include Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn (Iraq), Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), and Operation Atlantic Resolve (Poland).

Lieutenant Colonel Scharbo holds a master’s degree from American Military University in national security and strategic studies and is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College. His military awards include the Bronze Star Medal (2nd Award), Meritorious

Service Medal (4th Award), Army Commendation Medal (4th Award), Parachutist, Air Assault, Ranger, Combat Infantryman, and Army Staff Identification badges. He is married to the former Amber Mack of Indianapolis, Indiana, who has faithfully served soldiers, civilians, and families over the last ten years as a health educator for Army wellness.

Dr. William Stoops is a 1996 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School. While attending TJ, Dr. Stoops was a member of the National Honor Society in tenth through twelfth grades and an Academic League participant every year of high school.

Dr. Stoops earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina and his master’s degree and PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Kentucky. Presently, he is a faculty member in the Departments of Behavioral Science, Psychiatry, and Psychology at the University of Kentucky. His research, continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2008, evaluates the behavioral and pharmacological factors that contribute to drug use disorders, focusing primarily on stimulant drugs. He has published more than 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts on clinical trials and human laboratory studies that have sought to advance addiction treatments.

Dr. Stoops received a Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association in 2021 for his contributions to the field and was named the Researcher of the Year by the Kentucky Psychological Association in 2024. He is the associate vice president for research integrity at the University of Kentucky and is the associate director for clinical research of the University of Kentucky Substance Use Priority Research Area. He is a past president of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, the oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to the study of addiction, and chairs the NIDA-K grant review study section. 

A 1987 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, Eric Holzworth was a three-year letterman as a fullback and defensive end on the TJ football team. He was a two-time all-conference selection as a defensive end. In his senior year, Holzworth was selected as the Thom McCann Scholar-Athlete of the Year for western Pennsylvania. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and graduated third in his class.

Holzworth received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh where he was a four-year letterman. In his senior year, he was selected as special teams captain by his teammates. Holzworth participated in the 1987 Bluebonnet Bowl against the University of Texas and the 1990 Sun Bowl versus Texas A&M. For his college and academic achievements, Holzworth was awarded the Mike Ditka Athlete of the Year Award by the Pitt Club of Chicago and was a recipient of the 1991 Pitt Blue and Gold Award presented annually to commemorate outstanding academic and athletic achievement. Holzworth graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Engineering with a degree in electrical engineering.

His professional career led him to work in the data center, technical services, and construction industries. In 2007, Holzworth fulfilled his dream of being an entrepreneur, co-founding Rubicon Professional Services, which provides an innovative alternative for constructing or upgrading data centers, telecom sites, and other critical facilities. He also founded Rubicon Technical Services which serves the electrical infrastructure industry.

Holzworth passed away tragically in 2017. He is survived by his wife Heather and children Ben, Juliette, and Reis. Thanks to the generosity of family, friends, and classmates, his memory lives on through the Eric Holzworth Memorial Scholarship, awarded to outstanding male and female TJ student-athletes and an athletic scholarship through Pitt.

Jon Drager delivered one of the most dynamic seasons in Thomas Jefferson football history as a senior in 2002. The elusive tailback set eleven school records and finished with 41 touchdowns, the second-most in a single season in WPIAL history at the time.

Drager rushed for 2,094 yards and 36 touchdowns his senior season, including a single-game mark of 346 against arch-rival West Mifflin. He posted 3,134 all-purpose yards in leading the Jaguars (11-1) to the first-seed in the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs.

A three-year starter at TJ, he finished with 3,264 rushing yards, 5,352 all-purpose yards, and 77 touchdowns in his career. Drager received a number of accolades, as he was selected to WPIAL Class AAA all-conference and all-state teams, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 25, and the Trib’s South & West Football Player of the Year.

A three-sport athlete who spent his entire educational and high school sports career at Thomas Jefferson, Drager was recruited to play running back by Kent State University. He was a four-year letter winner for the Golden Flashes. There, he earned an MBA in finance.

Drager now works as the director of finance and operations at Steel Valley School District. He also has been a proud member of the TJ football coaching staff for the past eleven seasons. His daughter, Maci, is an eighth grade student at Pleasant Hills Middle School and will be attending Thomas Jefferson High School in the fall.

Thomas LaFrankie, a 1970 Thomas Jefferson graduate, has always been a leader. From high school athletics – he lettered in football, baseball, and basketball and was the captain of all three teams – to his professional ventures, his achievements reflect a commitment to leading by example. 

Each year LaFrankie played on the football team at TJ, the Jaguars won the Big Ten title. He was also the most valuable player, All Big Ten conference player, and third team all-state. A TJ athlete of the year, LaFrankie had offers from 13 colleges and universities for football and from four for baseball. LaFrankie chose to attend Temple University.

After college, LaFrankie’s leadership roles continued as he went into business, moving up rapidly in each company for which he worked. By 1977, he was a partner in a major car dealership and continued to manage and own businesses until 2022. Over the years, LaFrankie owned more than 13 local businesses, employing more than 600 people. His primary businesses were Benson Lincoln, Norwin Dodge, and the Greater Pittsburgh Auto Auction. There were also advertising companies, marketing ventures, insurance companies, and real estate companies.

In the community, LaFrankie supported more than 20-30 teams, bands, and groups each year for nearly 50 years.  His most important charitable venture was the “Driven To Give” venture from Lincoln, which provided dealership funds to local charitable groups and community institutions. LaFrankie participated in more than 80 of these events and was able to donate more than $1 million to local schools and groups. In West Jefferson Hills alone, there were more than 20 events and more than $200,000 donated.

But LaFrankie’s greatest success is his family. LaFrankie married his high school sweetheart, Nancy, and they have four children and 12 grandchildren, all living in Pleasant Hills or Jefferson Hills.

Cuyler Mikell’s track and field coach says the 1973 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School was one of the “finest natural athletes” to ever play for TJ. Mikell was a back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA state champion in the long jump his junior and senior years. Those years, he also won the state silver medal in the triple jump. Mikell also played football at Thomas Jefferson and was a member of the team that made the school’s first appearance in a WPIAL championship game.

After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School, Mikell attended the University of Pittsburgh on a track scholarship. In 1976, he followed in his father’s footsteps by entering the United States Navy. He served his country for more than two decades. While in the Navy, he continued to display his athletic prowess, competing in the 1979 Navy Championships and achieving a long jump of 25’ 6” – an international quality effort.

Following 21 years of service in the Navy, Mikell worked in the food and beverage industry, managing high-end restaurants on the east coast and in Las Vegas. Mikell is now retired, remains an avid Pittsburgh sports fan, and enjoys spending time with his six children.

A 1974 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, Keith Potts was awarded ten varsity letters, four in baseball, three in basketball, and three in football. As quarterback and defensive back in football, he was selected to multiple all-conference and all-WPIAL teams and was a two time all-state selection as a defensive back.

Potts played collegiately at William & Mary where he was a three-year letter winner and two-year starter as a defensive back. He graduated from William and Mary in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health.

After college, Potts served as an instructor, coach, and athletic director at Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg, Virginia, and as a graduate assistant football coach at the University of Virginia and at William and Mary, before completing a successful 40 year career in human resources in the healthcare, financial services, and publishing industries.

Potts and his wife Liza have been happily married for 43 years and enjoy visits from their three children and six grandchildren at their home in Oak Island, North Carolina.

Tyler Reed, a 2001 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, was a four-year letterman on the TJ football team under head coach Bill Cherpak. Reed was a starter at offensive tackle and defensive tackle, played in the Big 33 All Star Game, and was an all-state selection. He was called one of the best lineman to come through the WPIAL in the 1990s. At the Metro Index camp, Reed ran the 40-yard dash between 5.0 and 5.1 seconds. In an interview with the Post-Gazette’s Mike White, Coach Cherpak said of Reed, “He’s like a freak.”

Reed was an accomplished multi-sport athlete at Thomas Jefferson. He was a two-time WPIAL champion and a PIAA gold medalist in shot put. He lettered two years for the TJ baseball team and two years for the TJ basketball team.

Reed attended Penn State and was a three-year letterman, starting 30 consecutive games. Reed was part of the 2005 Big Ten Championship team which finished the season third in the country. Reed was selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears in 2006. That next season, the Bears were the NFC Champions and played the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI in Miami.

Reed now resides in Darien, Connecticut with his wife, Lauren, and his two children, Bodie and Blakely. Lauren also attended Penn State University and played lacrosse. 

Peter John Winovich III was a three-year starter at quarterback and outside linebacker for the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars. He led the team to a 30–5 record as a starting quaterback and two undefeated regular seasons, breaking multiple single-season and career passing records, as well as earning first team all-state honors as a linebacker.

After graduating from TJ in 2004, he was recruited to play football at Bowling Green State University, where he was a two-year starter at fullback, helping lead the team to two MAC East titles and two bowl game appearances. His academic and athletic excellence earned him recognition in the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Hampshire Honor Society, the Falcon Club’s Male Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year, and ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District.

Winovich is the President and CEO of Winovich Wealth Partners, specializing in financial planning for coaches, athletic directors, and business owners across the country. Since entering the financial services industry, Peter has achieved multiple Top of the Table honors with the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), which places him among the top of advisors nationwide. For the past five years, he has also placed in the top 25 nationally for production with Ameritas. 

A dedicated mentor and leader, Winovich has served on numerous boards, including past chair of the BGSU Alumni Association. Most recently, he was the past chair-elect of the Ameritas Field Advisory, representing more than 8,000 advisors across the country. Winovich’s commitment to service, excellence, and mentorship has earned him prestigious accolades, including BGSU’s ‘10 Under 10’ Alumni Award, NAIFA’s 4 Under 40 Award, and Toledo’s 20 Under 40 Award.

Winovich lives in Sylvania, Ohio, with his wife, Kristin, and their three children—whom he considers his greatest accomplishment.

Thomas Jefferson High School track and field coach Mike Kopnski admits the 1974 boys’ track and field team was “thin on talent” overall. But he is quick to point out that what that group of Jaguars had was desire, work ethic, and coachability. Those characteristics paid off as at each successive meet in the 1974 season, the team showed steady improvement all the way to the WPIAL championships.

The Jaguars were undefeated in their dual meets. In fact, 1974 was one year of a stretch in which the track and field team was undefeated in meets. From 1969-1980, the Jaguars were undefeated every year but one. But 1974 was different. The ’74 team won the Big Ten Conference meet and was Tri State and Allegheny County Champions. 

At the WPIAL Championships, the team thrived. Julius Brown placed first in the long jump and the triple jump. He never competed in the 100 in a meet before but still entered and placed fifth. Dan Lentz won the mile run and placed second in the 880. Rock Lindsay jumped a personal best to place fifth in the long jump. And Kenny Mikell ran a personal best in the 440. When the final points were tallied, the Jaguars won the WPIAL title “with a team made up mostly of heart and effort,” according to Kopnski. 

“It is my belief that this team represents the best traits of Jaguar track and field athletes and is therefore the most appropriate exemplar of TJ track and field,” Kopnski told the Hall of Fame Committee.

One season after winning the WPIAL title but falling in the state championship game, the 2002 Thomas Jefferson High School boys’ soccer team had another shot at bringing home gold from Hershey. This time, they wouldn’t leave Hersheypark Stadium without the title.

The Jaguars finished the regular season with a 12-0-0 record in Section 3-AA play and an overall record of 19-1-0 in the fall of 2002. The section champions earned the top-seed in the 2002 WPIAL playoffs and defeated McGuffey 11-0 in a first-round match. In the quarterfinals, the Jaguars faced rival Elizabeth Forward at Ringgold Stadium, and beat the Warriors by another lopsided score, 9-2. While Ambridge provided a little more competition in the WPIAL semifinals, the Jaguars still cruised to a 5-1 win, earning a spot in the 2A championship. On Halloween night at Peters Township Stadium, the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars shut out Shady Side Academy, 3-0, to earn the school’s second WPIAL boys’ soccer championship trophy.

In early November 2002, the Jaguars began their march towards a state title. And just like they did in the WPIAL playoffs, the Jaguars enjoyed relatively easy victories on the road to the championship game. With victories over Harbor Creek, Ligonier Valley, and Ambridge, the Jaguars were set to face ELCO at Hersheypark Stadium on Friday, November 15. Daniel Robb gave the Jaguars an early lead with a goal on an assist by Shawn Wildman. Brian Bartek chipped in a ball that ELCO’s keeper just got a piece of for a 2-0 lead. And Adam Cline gave the Jaguars some insurance when he headed in a Jon Yee cross with 12 minutes remaining in the game. TJ keeper Jeff Stich saved six shots, as the Jaguars celebrated the school’s first state soccer championship.

The Jaguars under head coach Doc Kulish finished the season 27-1 and on a 26-game winning streak.

Mark Deklin-Schwotzer has worked in just about every entertainment medium over the past three decades, including Broadway and off-Broadway, film, TV, stunts, animation, motion-capture, commercials, video games, audiobooks, soundtracks, and voiceovers. And that journey began in West Jefferson Hills.

Deklin-Schwotzer graduated from Thomas Jefferson in 1986, where he was active in sports, music, and theater. He went on to major in English and history at Penn State, where he remained active in sports, music, and acting. Upon graduating from Penn State, he moved to Boston to work for Greenpeace (rooming with friend & fellow TJ ‘86 alum Doug Balsam) and then went to Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana to begin working toward his PhD in English Literature.

While at Indiana, he continued acting in plays on the side, and eventually came to the realization that this was his true path. He dropped out of the program at IU and moved to Seattle, where he became active in the theater scene, as well as in the newly-emerging grunge-rock scene.  While in Seattle, he earned his MFA in acting from the University of Washington’s esteemed PATP Conservatory. He then moved to New York, where he began to establish himself on and off Broadway as both an actor and a fight director. His Broadway credits have included The Lion King, Sweet Smell of Success, and Cyrano de Bergerac.

At various times in his career, he has also taught writing, acting, public speaking, and history. In 2015, Mark and his wife Jamie moved from California to upstate New York with their two children.

Mark remains forever grateful to all the wonderful and inspiring (and often demanding) teachers who helped him (and pushed him) during his formative years in the West Jefferson Hills School District.

If it’s a Friday night, you’ll find Scott Breisinger on the sidelines of TJ football games creating highlight videos that are cherished traditions for the Jaguars. That is just part of Breisinger’s decades-long commitment to the West Jefferson Hills School District. A lifelong resident, Breisinger graduated in 1978. He holds a unique “master’s degree” in TJ history, with a particular focus on sports, following all teams since the late 1960s. Breisinger recently retired from a distinguished career in corporate America, having worked more than 35 years in the consumer packaged goods industry. Much of his career was spent at GlaxoSmithKline, where he played a key role in selling and marketing leading brands such as Advil, Flonase, TUMs, and Sensodyne to retailers.

Beyond his professional achievements, Breisinger’s passion for TJ, especially its sports teams, has been a constant. His highlight films capture not only the plays but also the vibrant pageantry of Friday nights in TJ. As the founder of Jaguar Nation Films, Breisinger has expanded his repertoire to include basketball, cheerleading, and even a drone tour of TJ and prominent landmarks. These films can be found on YouTube.

Breisinger is also deeply involved in his church, contributing to the annual fish fry and festival for decades. Most importantly, he cherishes his family. He takes pride in having raised his three sons in the same school district he and his wife attended. His wife, Denise, is currently a 12th grade English teacher at TJ. Nothing makes Breisinger prouder than when a student tells him what a great teacher she is.

Breisinger’s late brother, Alby, died in the line of duty as a police officer in Pleasant Hills.  One of Breisinger’s passions is to keep Alby’s legacy alive by promoting the academic scholarship the school gives out annually in his name and additionally the Breisinger Award which is given out every year at the football banquet to the senior player who best represents Alby’s character.

Born on May 8, 1964, in Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania, Joseph Vincent Dolata III has led a life marked by determination, resilience, and exceptional achievement. A proud alum of Thomas Jefferson High School, Class of 1983, Dolata distinguished himself as an outstanding athlete, excelling in both wrestling and football.

Despite facing challenges, Dolata refused to let it define his personal or professional limits. His journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and hard work. Shortly after high school, he founded Precision Auto Body and Service, laying the foundation for what would become a thriving business empire. Over the years, Dolata expanded his brand to include Precision Auto Sales and Precision Rentals, which now encompasses residential, commercial, and industrial properties. His entrepreneurial success is rooted in his ability to build businesses from the ground up, particularly in the automotive and real estate industries.

Dolata’s story is not just one of business success but also of giving back. He is deeply passionate about helping others, inspired by the mentors and lessons that shaped him. His journey from overcoming obstacles to achieving success serves as an inspiration to many, and he remains committed to paying it forward.

While his relentless drive led to great professional accomplishments, Dolata acknowledges the sacrifices made along the way, especially in terms of family time. Now, in his semi-retirement years, he prioritizes his family above all else, cherishing moments with his wife, Lori Vario Dolata, his children, Jessica Dolata Plescia, married to Christopher Plescia, and Joseph Dolata IV, partnered with Martina Bontempo, and his beloved granddaughter, Eloise Marie. Traveling and enjoying family life have become his greatest joys, reflecting the values he holds dear.

George Wilson taught for more than three decades in the same district he attended as a student. But his contributions to the West Jefferson Hills School District extend beyond the classroom.

Wilson is a lifetime resident of West Jefferson Hills, having attended Jones Elementary School and Thomas Jefferson Junior and Senior High School where he graduated in 1967. In high school, he played football and baseball (he was part of the section champion teams in 1966 and 1967) and performed in the concert band, as well as the mixed and A Cappella choirs. After high school he attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He served his country for eight years, assigned in the IRR, earning the rank of captain.

Wilson then worked for 24 years at Pleasant Hills Middle School, teaching geography, world history, U.S. history, and career awareness. He also was a sponsor of Future Problem Solving, Leadership Congress, and Operation Williamsburg 1976. At the middle school, he coached wrestling, football, track, and seventh grade girls’ basketball. Wilson then moved to Thomas Jefferson High School for ten years, teaching civics and U.S. history. Wilson was the assistant football coach from 1980-1983 and the head coach from 1984-1985. He returned to the sidelines as a coach from 1990-2010 and was part of three state championship teams. Wilson’s other high school coaching stints included JV baseball, varsity wrestling, varsity girls’ softball, and track and field. 

Wilson has been married for 48 years to his wife Patricia, a district math teacher for 34 years. His daughters Megan and Molly also attended Thomas Jefferson High School and lettered in soccer and track.

A standout softball player at Thomas Jefferson High School, Haleigh Karcher would not let a freak accident define her or derail her aspirations to play collegiate softball. That accident would change her life forever — not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Through tremendous grit and determination, Karcher made her dreams a reality, even though it looked a little different than how she had pictured it. For that, the West Jefferson Hills School District Hall of Fame presented Karcher with its first Courage & Perseverance Award.

Karcher’s freak accident came just days before her graduation from TJ, severing several fingers on her glove hand. Days after the accident, she went back to work, training for her freshman year at West Chester University. 

Karcher continued her softball career on a four-year scholarship while balancing nursing school at West Chester. Her talent and achievements earned her numerous awards during her four years at WCU. In both her academic and athletic careers, she received the Ram Leader Award, the Lokey Family Endowment Scholarship, was on the Dean’s List, was named to the Second Team All PSAC East Conference team, was an NFCA academic selection all four years, was a PSAC champion, an NCAA Atlantic Region champion, appeared in the D2 World Series, and received the PSAC Scholar Athlete Award all four years. In 2024, Karcher helped to coach the first girls’ team in TJ history to win a state softball title.

Karcher earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing from WCU and is currently a registered nurse, working at UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital. There, she earned her first DAISY Award nomination, which is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates skillful and compassionate nurses. In her young career, Karcher has already delivered more than 300 babies – and counting!