Activities Hall of Fame

The Activities Hall of Fame is governed by the Alumni Foundation and was created as a way to preserve the extra-curricular activities history of East High School.  Activities recognized include, but are not limited to:  Instrumental and Vocal Music, Speech and Debate, DECA, FBLA, Knowledge Bowl, and MESA. Located in the halls of East, we proudly display the names and photos of the Activities Hall of Fame members.

To be inducted into the Activities Hall of Fame, one must:  be a graduate of East, or have coached or sponsored an activity at East; either graduated or retired from coaching/sponsorship for a minimum of five years prior to nomination to the Activities Hall of Fame; and, have met the activities criteria for induction.

Activities Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are conducted bi-annually, typically in the fall of even number years.

2022

Kenny Walter
  • All-State, All-City, and CSU-P Honor Choirs
  • All-State Band alternate
  • All-City Band, 4 times
  • All-City Jazz Band
  • CSU-P Festival of the Winds
  • Mile High Jazz Festival soloist award
  • DECA, 1st place regionals two times, State qualifier, 2 times
  • National Honor Society
  • Student Body President


Riley Davis
  • DECA state qualifier, 3 times, state champion, national qualifier
  • Knowledge Bowl state qualifier, 4 times, 2nd place regionals, 4th place state
  • Speech and Debate
  • National Honor Society

Cameron Taylor
  • DECA, 2 time regional champion, 2 time state finalist
  • Speech and Debate, 2 time state qualifier
  • Boys State 

Blake Simony
  • All-State Concert Band, 3 times
  • All-City Concert Band, 4 times
  • Adams State Top of the Nation Honor Band, 2 times
  • CSU-P Festival of the Winds, 4 times

Layla Shahmohammadi
  • All-State and Adams State Honor Choirs, 2 times
  • All-State Jazz Choir
  • All-City Choir, 4 times
  • Speech and Debate, 1st and 3rd place at state, National qualifier, 3 time
  • FBLA state qualifier, 2 times
  • Student Body President
  • National Honor Society
  • Girls State and Girls Nation 

2020

Maxine DiMarco
  • All State Choir, 2 times

Sarah (Wood) Zaayman
  • All State Choir, 2 times
  • All State Jazz Choir

Paulina Morales
  • DECA - state qualifier (2nd place) and national qualifier

Nicole Seip
  • FBLA state qualifier, 2 times, and national qualifier
  • DECA state qualifier

Je Houng Yoo
  • MESA state qualifier, 3 times
  • FBLA state qualifier, 2 times

Jon Hannan
  • All State Choir, 2 times

Vianne Saphara
  • All State Choir, 2 times

Ryan Walter
  • All State Choir, 2 times

2018

Evan Duran

All State Band


Johnny Stewart

All State Choir
Drama/musical lead


Tianyi Lu

FBLA, 3 time state qualifier, top 5 each year
FBLA national qualifier
Knowledge Bowl, 2 time state qualifier
MESA, 2 time state qualifier
Boys State


Athena Avalos
  • FBLA state and national qualifier
  • DECA 3 time state qualifier
  • Speech and Debate state qualifier
  • Knowledge Bowl state qualifier

Jun Park
  • FBLA State placewinner
  • DECA State Champion
  • MESA 4 time State placewinner, 4th at Nationals
  • Student Council

Janelle Montoya
  • MESA 2 time State Champion, 4th at Nationals
  • DECA state qualifier
  • Girls State

Thomas DeNiro

FBLA, State Champion, State placewinner
Family Career and Community Leaders, State Championa
MESA, State Champion, State placewinner


Je Young Yoo
  • MESA State Champion, 4th at Nationals
  • DECA state qualifier
  • FBLA State placewinner

David Laydon
  • Speech and Debate state and national qualifier
  • Honor Choir

2016

Zachary Gonzales
  • DECA 3 time State Champion, National Champion
  • Speech and Debate 4 time state qualifier, 3 time national qualifier
  • FBLA 2 time national qualifier and National placewinner

Blake Icabone
  • DECA State Champion, International placewinner
  • Knowledge Bowl

2008 Knowedge Bowl State Championship Team

  • Cassandra Casias
  • Ross Snyder
  • Zachary Gonzales
  • Jedidiah Duarte

2014

2007 MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) Team

  • 2nd place at State Competition, National Qualifier
  • Team members include Alyssa Higby, Alan Murphy, Casey Smith, and Ross Snyder, and Alyssa Higby

2006 MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) Team

  • State Champion, 3rd place at Nationals
  • Team members include Sabret Cafasso, Alyssa Higby, Laura Rust, Richelle Tanner, and Marissa Urdiales

Dan Wiley
  • All-State Band, CSU Honor Band, All-City Band - 4 years, John Phillip Sousa Award, Concert Band and Jazz Bands - 4 years
  • All-City Choir, The Troubadours
  • Drama Club - 4 years, 3 musicals and 6 drama productions with Principal Roles
  • Speech and Debate - 2 years
  • Eagles- Cry Newspaper

Marissa Urdiales
  • MESA State Champion and MESA National Qualifier Team - member
  • Eagles- Cry Newspaper
  • Rotary Student of the Month
  • Price Award
  • Principal's Service Award
  • National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society
  • National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar

Laura (Rust) Jones
  • MESA State Champion and MESA National Qualifier Team - member
  • DECA
  • Speech and Debate
  • Choir, Orchestra
  • Rotary Student of the Month
  • DAR Award

Barry Loseke
  • DECA National Qualifier - 3 years, 3rd
  • FBLA State placewinner - 2 years
  • Jr. Achievement Award for starting his own EBay Business
  • MESA
  • Student Council - 4 years
  • Homecoming King
  • Talon Team
  • National Honor Society

Alyssa Higby
  • MESA State Champion and MESA National Qualifier Team - member
  • Speech and Debate - Degree of Excellence for Lincoln Douglas Debate
  • Fellowship of Christian Eagles
  • Talon Team
  • Rotary Student of the Month
  • Drama
  • National Honor Society

Sabret Cafasso
  • MESA State Champion and MESA National Qualifier Team - member
  • FBLA and DECA State Qualifier 
  • Student Council - 4 years
  • Homecoming Queen
  • Girls' State
  • Rotary Student of the Month
  • National Honor Society

2012

Bette Lunn (Staff)

  • Taught at East for 19 years
  • Honorable Mention Colorado Teacher of the Year 1983
  • Distinguished D60 Teacher of the Year - 1992
  • Colorado Music Educators Association - President - 1996 to 1998
  • Hall of Fame inductee - 2000
  • Women-s History Week Outstanding Woman of the Year - 2008
  • Runyon Theater Lifetime Achievement Award - 2010
  • Omega State Award

Thomas DeYarman (Staff)

  • Taught 1964 - 1994
  • Speech and Debate Coach 1966 - 1997
  • CHSAA Speech & Debate District Director
  • CHSAA Speech Committee member
  • CHSAA Speech Critics Committee
  • National Forensic League Director
  • School Newspaper 1966 - 1967
  • Yearbook sponsor 1966 - 1968

Aaron Thielemier
  • All State Choir - 2 years
  • All State Orchestra

Jeff Schwartz
  • All State Choir - 2 years
  • Drama
  • National Young Leaders- Conference delegate

Melissa (Reyes) Caporicci
  • DECA Finalist, National Qualifier - 3 years, State winner - 3 years
  • Drama Club
  • Student Council - 4 years
  • Cheerleader - 4 years
  • Annual staff (co-editor)
  • Girls- State
  • National Honor Society

Mark Oport
  • All State Choir - 2 years

Emerald Oport
  • All State Choir - 2 years

Jeff Jagunich
  • District 60 Secondary Art Show Best of Best & 3 times Best of Show
  • Pueblo Art Guild Student Art Show - 2 times Best of Show & six 1st Place
  • Colorado State Fair - 1st place Photography,
  • Cherry Creek Art Festival Honorable Mention,
  • EHS Art Show - 2 times Best of Show & seven 1st Place Drama

Andy Clementi
  • All State Choir, All City Choir - 4 years, Les Jongleurs
  • Theater - Principal role in 4 musicals and 6 drama productions
  • Key Club
  • Eagles Cry
  • National Honor Society

Nick Bernal
  • DECA State Finalist - 3 years
  • School Newspaper - 2 years, Sports Editor
  • Talon Team - 2 years
  • Band
  • National Honor Society

2011

Delaine (Jackson) Salt
  • All State Orchestra - 3 times
  • All City String Orchestra
  • Girls' State


David Hammer
  • All State Choir
  • All State Band


Steve Diamond
  • All State Orchestra, Symphonic & String Orchestra
  • Chess, Digits, Latin, Radio, and Science Clubs
  • Honor Society

Linda (Carlson) Batsell
  • All State Band - 2 years, Concert & Honor Bands, Symphonic Orchestra
  • Pep Club
  • Golden Theater
  • Future Teachers
  • Honor Society

Linda Buchanan
  • All State Band - 2 years, Concert, Honor & Pep Band, Orchestra
  • Mixed Chorus

Brian Brooks
  • All State Choir, Les Jongleurs
  • State Debate - 2 years, 3rd Ranked High School Debater in the United States, 1st Person in Colorado to qualify for National Debate Tournament all four years of high school, National Speech Tournament finalist in extemporaneous commentary and impromptu speaking , State Champion of the American Legion Oratorical contest State Champion - 2 years, Colorado State Champion and 5th place nationally in the VFW Voice of Democracy Contest
  • Boys- State
  • News Editor of The Eagles Cry
  • Lead Roles in three EHS drama productions

Stephanie (Booth) Smith
  • All State Choir - 2 years, Les Jongleurs
  • Varsity Cheerleader
  • Yearbook Editor
  • Girls State

Don Vancil
  • All State Band
  • Concert Band
  • State Debate
  • Science and Bowling Clubs
  • Golden Theater
  • National Honor Society
  • National Merit Scholarship
  • Bausch Lomb Science Award

Byron Stayskal
  • All State Band
  • All State Orchestra

Connie Sharp
  • Digits Club
  • Future Teachers
  • Debate
  • Golden Theater
  • Journalism
  • Literary Magazine (editior)
  • Girls- State
  • National Honor Society

Jo Ann (Schecter) Tomsic
  • All State Band
  • All City Band & Orchestra
  • Brass Choir
  • Orchestra
  • Marching & Honor Band
  • Wind Symphony
  • Latin Club, Alphians
  • National Honor Society

Carla Plonkey
  • All State Choir - 2 years

Sheila (Niemczura) Ryan
  • All State Orchestra - 3 years, All City Orchestra - 2 years
  • Latin Club, Talons, Student Council
  • Girls- State
  • National Honor Society

Mary Ann Niemczura, Ph.D.
  • State 4-H Champion in Foods Preparation and Reserve Champion in First Aid and Safety,
  • Pueblo County Champion in Sewing & Modeling
  • 2nd Colorado Jr. Miss - 2nd Place
  • Debate and Math Clubs
  • Girls- State
  • National Honor Society

Nominations

Nominations for the Activities Hall of Fame will be accepted through January 1 of even numbered years. Click on the button below to open the nomination form.
Nomination Form
Copyright 2019, Pueblo East High School Alumni Foundation. All rights reserved.