March 28, 2024

30th Annual EPHS Hall of Fame Induction

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The 30th annual East Providence High School Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 20th, 2013 at the Venus de Milo Restaurant in Swansea, Massachusetts. The event is open to the public and tickets are available at the high school main office and at Martin and Riverside Middle Schools. Tickets are $40. each and include a full dinner. Reception is at 12 noon and dinner at 1:00 p.m. Tickets can also be obtained from Don and Linda Carlson by calling 401-433-3693. Tickets can be obtained through Monday, October 14th, 2013. Hall of Fame inductee, Dr. Kenneth R. Walker, EPHS class of 1949, retired East Providence school administrator, Rhode Island College professor and current Chairman of the R.I. Parole Board will be Master of Ceremonies.

The Hall of Fame was created and initiated by former Superintendent of Schools, Myron J. Francis, Class of 1947, and was instituted in 1984 in conjunction with the East Providence High School Centennial Year Celebration. Francis was also 1947 EPHS class president. The Hall was designed to recognize distinguished TOWNIE graduates who have brought honor to themselves and to the high school.

The five 2013 inductees are: Bill Corsair (McGroarty), 1959; Michael McGuinn, 1967; John "Sandy" Gorham, 1970; Mark Hellendrung, 1986; and Nathan B. Lovett, 2008. Corsair (McGroarty) was recently inducted into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame. He has multiple RI radio credits from the '60's and '70's including a number one rated Noon to 3 PM show on the former WICE radio station. After West Point training, McGroarty served in Vietnam, receiving the Bronze Star and Combat Air Medal among others. He received the Humanitarian of The Year Award in 2000 by Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo. McGuinn is a retired East Providence teacher. McGuinn taught at Martin and Riverside Middle Schools. He helped to create, design and co-teach a collaborative math and instructional lab for students with special needs plans. He coached Bryant College basketball and was a member of the Providence College Division I team. He was a first team all-state basketball player at EPHS in 1967. McGuinn also won all-division honors on the Townie football team and played outdoor track, winning All-State honors. He was an elected member of the Smithfield school committee and town council, serving as council president. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserve Commission. Gorham is a physical education teacher and successful coach at East Providence High School. He was a standout athlete while at EPHS in football and swimming. Gorham has won more state football championships than any other football coach in EP history. He has coached football at EPHS since 1993. He also coached swimming winning undefeated state titles. He was an assistant softball coach at EPHS and a winning softball head coach at Barrington High School. He has numerous other coaching roles including head coach for Barrington Football winning one Super Bowl there in 1986. He has received numerous statewide awards including RI Aquatic Hall of Fame, RI Football Coach of the Year in four different years with the RI Male Coach of the Year award twice. Gorham was also inducted into the RI Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Providence Gridiron Hall of Fame. He received a distinguished faculty award from the National Honor Society. Hellendrung was a National Honor Society member while at EPHS and a two time All-State athlete. He was recognized for superb academic and athletic performance. He excelled in football and baseball. He received the Dartmouth Book Award and the Secretary of State Award. While at Brown University he was captain of the baseball team. Successful in business he became president of Nantucket Nectar and accepted the challenge to rebuild Narragansett Brewery as President and CEO. He is a major sponsor of civic organizations including the EP Heritage Days. Lovett is an automatic inductee to the EPHS Hall of Fame by virtue of his Journal-Bulletin Honor Roll Student-Athlete award upon his graduation from EPHS in 2008. This award is given to the single boy or girl with the highest combination of academics and athletics. The hall of fame by-laws mandate that this highly singular and prestigious award to a graduating senior, ensures hall of fame induction 5 years from graduation. EPHS has the distinction of having more Journal Honor Roll students than any other school in Rhode Island. Only LaSalle Academy is tied with EPHS for this distinction. Lovett is currently a Legal Assistant in Washington, DC. He has been an instructor at Brown University and assisted at the Brown Athletic Center, Providence Superior Court, and was a mentor for special needs students in Providence, RI. While at Brown, Lovett was an Ivy League champion and 3 time All-Ivy selection for football. He was academic all-Ivy and an ESPN Academic All-District. He received the award for the Brown senior player with the highest academic standing on the team.

The Hall of Fame Committee invites all to help honor these 2013 inductees by attending this year’s ceremony. Any EPHS graduate is welcomed to join the Hall of Fame Committee. Anyone can nominate someone for Hall of Fame consideration. For further information please email bob_rodericks@yahoo.com.

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  • genetg

    I am sue they are all worthy. But all white males? Really?

    Wednesday, September 25, 2013 Report this

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