OKC Public Schools Foundation celebrates 37th annual Wall of Fame Humanitarian Awards

The 2021 Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation Wall of Fame Honorees were celebrated for their exceptional accomplishments in their field. From left to right, President and CEO of Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation Mary Mélon, Wall of Fame Co-Chair Rafael Garcia, Honoree Judge Robert Bacharach, Honoree Anna King, Honoree Dr. Marvin Williams and Wall of Fame Co-Chair Dr. Pamela McCauley. Not pictured is Honoree Hal Smith who attended the event virtually.

The Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation inducted four new members into the Wall of Fame at the 37th annual Wall of Fame Humanitarian Awards reception last week. The honorees joined 92 other Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) alumni who have been inducted since the Wall of Fame was created in 1985.

The four honorees are:

The Honorable Robert Bacharach is a graduate of John Marshall High School and currently serves as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He serves as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and was nominated by former President Barack Obama to serve in his current seat.

Hal Smith is a graduate of US Grant High School and accomplished restaurant entrepreneur. Today, he operates more than 80 successful restaurants across the Midwest. Smith and his wife, Sandy also founded the Norman Youth Foundation to support Oklahoma youth-oriented charities.

Dr. Marvin Williams is a graduate of Douglass High School and currently serves as Professor, Section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of OB-GYN at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was a front-line worker in the women’s health field, tending to hospital and clinical patients.

Anna King is a graduate of Emerson High School and was recently elected president of the National Parent Teacher Association. The Foundation has named King as the “Unsung Hero” honoree of this year’s class. The Unsung Hero Award selects local icons whose accomplishments may not set them on the national stage but are worthy of recognition.

The 2020 honorees were also recognized in-person this year. The focus of honorees in 2020 pivoted to select local unsung heroes that emphasized efforts relating to COVID-19 and social justice and were honored in a virtual-only ceremony. They included:

Madeline Bentley, a graduate of Classen SAS and working as an ICU nurse at Integris Edmond. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she chose to work nights to increase her patient contact and help those fighting the disease.

Jaye Johnson, a graduate of Southeast High School and vice president of safety and outreach at the Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County. He worked to develop programs and safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue serving “his kids.”

Nancy Nesbit Nagle, a graduate from John Marshall High School. When the pandemic began, she immediately volunteered as a front line COVID-19 pulmonologist in the ICU at Integris Hospital. Her 12-hour shifts include caring for the most vulnerable patients while encouraging safe hygiene practices to stop the spread of the disease.

Derrick Scobey, a graduate from Douglass High School, serving as pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church. During the pandemic, he worked to provide food, drive Census completion, perform COVID-19 testing and offer dog/cat food in the Northeast Oklahoma City community.

“The ability to celebrate both our 2021 Wall of Fame honorees and our 2020 Wall of Fame Unsung Heroes in person is a huge testament to the work that each of these individuals have done for our community, state and nation,” said Mary Mélon, president and CEO of The Foundation for OKC Public Schools. “Each of our honorees is wholly committed to their craft, which is what makes them exemplary leaders in their fields and incredible honorees for OKCPS students to view as role models.”

2019 Wall of Fame honoree Dr. Pamela McCauley, who co-hosted the event, said “It was such an honor to receive this designation in 2019 and it is a true pleasure to be back in OKC to co-host the event this year. OKCPS, along with my family, made me the person I am today and I am forever grateful. I believe it is critically important that we use our platform as alumni to continue supporting and hopefully inspiring the students of today,”

The Wall of Fame celebrates the long, rich history of OKCPS. It includes some of the city’s and nation’s most influential community leaders.

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ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

Created in 1984, the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to advance excellence, create champions and build strong community support for lasting success in Oklahoma City Public Schools. The Foundation works closely with the district and business community to align strategies and priorities for sustained performance improvement. Please visit us online at www.okckids.com for more information on our focus areas and volunteer and giving opportunities.