Milton Hershey School Inducts Top Alumni into 2019 Spartan Hall of Fame

Milton Hershey School honored its newest group of distinguished alumni on Friday, Sept. 27, before fellow graduates and guests, for its 2019 Spartan Hall of Fame Awards.

The ceremony celebrated the achievements of six alumni, an athletic team, a retired coach, and a retired music teacher in the areas of athletics and visual and performing arts.

To be considered for induction into the Spartan Hall of Fame, an individual must be nominated and then approved by a selection committee. Nominees must have demonstrated good citizenship as students and since graduation.

Athletic inductees included:

• Dave Hurdle ’82 – Dave was a three-year football starter from 1979 to 1981. He was a team leader in tackles, assists, fumbles caused, and quarterback sacks. Dave was a member of the 1980 football team which became the Class A State Champions. Dave also earned three letters in football at Shippensburg University.
• Charles Peterson ’82– Charles was an outstanding track and field athlete — earning gold medals for the 200-meter at the district and state levels. He also set the MHS school record and state record at the time. Additionally, he earned multiple gold medals in the 4×100 relay and the 4×400 relay.
• Georgiana (Boima) Perryman ’99– Georgiana was an all-star athlete at MHS. She played field hockey, basketball, and was on the track and field team all four years of high school. She was co-captain for all three teams her senior year and got to play on the All-Star Teams for field hockey and basketball her senior year. Her 4×100 relay team won gold at states in 1999.
• The late Alfred “Al” T. Gibble – Al served as a teacher and coach at Hershey Industrial School and Milton Hershey School for 20 years. He was the head basketball coach from 1935 to 1950, and coached football from 1934 to 1950, both in the assistant and head coach roles. He became the HIS Athletic Director in 1950 and was the first MHS Director of Student Home Life. His impact is felt to this day. Student home Gibble is a testimony to his impact on HIS/MHS.
• 1982 Boys’ Track and Field Team– The 1982 state championship track and field team was a team of champions. Through their effort, determination, and persistence, they won the Capital Area Conference championship, the District 3 championship, and the AA state championship. They were led by head coach Bob Schelhorn and assistant coaches Leroy Galloway and Lew Webster.

Visual and Performing Arts inductees included:

• Ron Moll ’85– Ron is a legend in the Milton Hershey School Visual and Performing Arts program. He was a member of the Spartan Players, a writer and actor for Spartan Players Children’s Theatre, and served as president of the Spartan Chapter of the International Thespian Society. He also participated in the MHS Glee Club and went on tour with the group in 1985. After graduating from MHS, Ron received acting awards from the Bucks County Playhouse and Pocono Playhouse Drama Festivals.
• Alexander Dissinger ’09– Alexander distinguished himself as a leader during his time at MHS and thrived in all areas of his extracurricular activities. He performed with New Horizons, Spartan Marching Band, Chapel Choir, and in the Family Weekend shows. In addition to his VPA activities, Alexander was the president of National Honor Society, a member of the SGA Executive Branch, and on the swim team.
• James Stankunas ’11– James was heavily involved in the MHS Visual and Performing Arts department — even from an early age. He sang with New Horizons, Varsity Choir, Praise Band, Gospel Choir, and Susquehanna Youth Chorale during high school but started with band in elementary school. While in high school, he participated in choir at the county, district, and regional levels, and was selected to perform with the All-State and All-Eastern Choirs. He also was nominated for a Hershey Theatre Apollo Award for his role as Huck Finn in “Big River” and went on to the National High School Music Theatre Awards in New York City.
• Cristal Sheaffer– Cristal is a retired music teacher. During her time at MHS, Cristal had a deep impact on her students and the music and performing arts program at MHS. She taught at the elementary and senior high levels, led New Horizons and Senior Choir, and produced the Parent Weekend Shows. She was the CORE Educator of the Year in 2016, the WGAL Rotary Teacher Impact Award winner during the 2016-17 school year, and led New Horizons in its performances for U.S Congressmen and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.