Alumni Hall of Fame
Resource
Welcome to the NHS Alumni Hall of Fame!
Do you have someone in mind who has made the citizens of Newport proud by their accomplishments during and after their time here at Newport High School? Please fill out the nomination form to see if they will be inducted into the NHS Alumni Hall of Fame!
Please take a moment to read about our past recipients of the Alumni Hall of Fame Award below.
Cheyenne Jackson, Class of 1993
Cheyenne Jackson has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2022
Cheyenne Jackson was nominated for the NHS Alumni Hall of Fame under the categories of The Arts and Humanitarian Endeavors. Here's why: after getting his start in musical theater at NHS, Cheyenne went on to have a very successful career in theater, television, and movies. He branched out from NHS, starting in theater in Sandpoint, ID, Doeur d'Alene, ID, Spokane, WA, Seattle, WA and then eventually New York City where he played numerous roles on Broadway. Since then he has performed his own concert in various venues across the country, and has appeared in multiple TV shows including the current show, Call Me Kat, on Fox. He is also now producing and branching out in the industry in other ways.
Cheyenne has always represented NHS with upstanding character, particularly when it comes to being the voice for the LBGTQ+ community. He has spoken out against inequality and has been interviewed for several magazine articles, giving encouragement and hope for other LBGTQ youth. He uses his social media platforms similarly. He is a great person who has a great career, which NHS helped him to launch. He is proud to be from the small town of Newport, and is thankful for what NHS allowed him to start experiencing in the area of musical theater. Thanks, Cheyenne Jackson!
Kervin Waterman, Class of 1984
Kervin Waterman has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2022
Kervin Waterman was nominated for the Newport High School Alumni Hall of Fame due to his distinguished military service. He is known to have exceptional character and ethics and has represented NHS with pride through his 33-year career in the U.S. Air Force. For a full article on Kervin's career, please click here. We are proud to call him one of our own and glad he came home when he retired. Thank you for your service, Kervin Waterman!
Lola Rickey, Class of 1975
Lola Rickey has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2022
Lola Rickey was nominated for her years of both community service and her exceptional contributions to the Newport School District. She has been active in the Newport & Pend Oreille County communities her entire life.
Lola started out as a 4-H member, joined the Newport High School FFA team, and has since become leader of the Bare Mountain Bandits 4-H club for 40+ years. At the Pend Oreille County Fair, Lola started off competing, and has served as the Horse Department Superintendent for 10 years, as well as volunteered at the POC Rodeo for 30 years and wherever else the need for volunteers was needed. Lola has also served as the Newport Rodeo Queen, has been a member of the Newport Rodeo Association, and also served as its director. She has been a ProWest Rodeo Association member/director/timer for 17 years, as well as an Inland Empire Barrel Racing Association member & officer. Lola is a 54-year Gold Card Member of the Washington Barrel Racing Association and is a volunteer of the 509 Showing Circuit, which is an agricultural association for youth.
Lola has been a Diamond Lake Grange #507 member (7th degree) for 48 years, starting in her teens. She has served as Secretary/Treasure for decades and through this position she has been able to coordinate the donation of dictionaries to every 3rd grade student in Stratton Elementary School during those years. Lola is also active in Pomona Grange.
What really makes Lola stand out is her service years at Newport School District (38 years) and Newport Community Hospital (17 years) as a Speech Pathologist. She cared dearly for each of her students & patients. She has also been an active member of the Newport High School Alumni Association for many years, promoting scholarships for graduating students and other ways to give back to the school district. Thank you, Lola Rickey!
Dale Chamberlain, Class of 1948
Dale Chamberlain has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2021
Dale started his career at Safeway at the age of 15 when he claimed to be older and became a box boy at the original Newport Safeway Store located on Main street. In 1950, Dale moved to Sandpoint where he was the Produce Manager and then Assistant Manager. In 1955, Dale was asked to move back to Newport to be the Store Manager at the troubled Safeway store where he had earlier started his career. In 1990, after a 45-year career with Safeway, Dale retired.
Dale loved Newport and the community where he grew up, raised his family and lived most of his life. He was a member of the American Lutheran Church since 1955. He held many offices within the church, volunteered to help build the parsonage (which is now the Miner office), the addition of a Narthex to the old church and he located the property and helped to construct the new church at its present location. Dale volunteered for 32 years on the Newport Fire Dept. and as Dale always said, “they never lost a lot”. Dale was active in the Booster Club where he served as the President and spent 9 years on the Newport Planning Committee.
Jim Sewell, Class of 1933
Jim Sewell has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2021
Jim Sewell is a Newport High School Alumni from the Class of 1933. He graduated from Washington State College (WSU) in engineering and was an avid Cougar fan. Jim enjoyed the outdoors, loving to boat, fish, hunt, garden, and go the the family cabin on Diamond Lake. Jim joined his father, Harold, in his civil engineering business in 1945. He was the PUD engineer for many years, the local engineer of Box Canyon Dam, and many other projects. He was active in the United Church of Christ in Newport and the Newport High School Alumni Association. He was a past state officer of the Knights of Pythias. He was an Eagle Scout in his youth and honored with the Silver Beaver Award for his involvement as an adult in Boy Scouts of America. He was also involved in the Spokane chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineering.
OB Scott, Class of 1947
OB Scott has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2021.
In 1945, Orville B. (OB) Scott left High School to join the Navy during World War II. After his honorable discharge, he returned to Newport to finish his senior year of high school. He was active in school playing on both the football and basketball teams. He was President of the FFA (Future Farmers of America), President of the Letter N Club, and served as the student body President. OB graduated from NHS in 1947.
OB supported the schools of Newport through the years. He served on the Newport School Board. He started his career as Deputy Assessor in 1950 and then resigned to work at the Diamond Match Company where he remained until his retirement in 1983. As a member of the local American Legion, OB was elected Commander in 1951. He was a member of the local Kiwanis Club and elected President in 1977. He also served on the Pend Oreille County Draft Board in 1981. He was elected Pend Oreille County Clerk holding this position from 1987 to 1988. In August of 1998, he was appointed as interim County Clerk, filling his old position once again for four months. He was a member of the Free & Accepted Masons of Newport. OB was a volunteer for the Newport Fire Department. In later years he was a member and treasurer of the Hospitality House where he enjoyed meeting friends for morning coffee and potluck meals. OB was a lifelong and active member of the United Church of Christ. OB was a NHS Booster member for years and years even after his own children had graduated. He was an especially valuable member during the early 1980's when it was difficult to pass a levy. There were a couple years when, if not for the Booster Club, there would not been any money for sports at NHS if not for the Maws and Paws and people like OB. OB was irreplaceable as a Museum Volunteer for the Pend Oreille Historical Society.
Shawn J. Sundseth, Class of 1987
Congratulations to Shawn Sundseth, the 2018 Recipient of the Newport High School Alumni Hall of Fame Award!
Shawn entered the Air Force on July 23, 1987. He has deployed in support of Operation Provide Comfort in Adana, Turkey, in 1992 and is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War.
Over the years he has been stationed at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Schriever and Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base in Alaska and Fort George G. Meade Air Force Base in Maryland. He received training through the Information Systems Radio Operator Course, International Radio Frequency Management School, Associate of Applied Science in Information Systems Technology Management program, and the National Defense University Senior Enlisted Joint PME Course.
Along with the Merit Medal, his other major awards include: Air Combat Command's Spectrum Manager of the Year, 2005, Pacific Air Forces' Spectrum Manager of the Year, 2009, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Southwest Asia Service Medal with one service star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He retired from active duty on October 1, 2012 and continues to work as a contractor in communications at Fort Meade.
John Hall, Class of 1960
John Hall has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2017
John Hall had a distinguished career in law following his graduation from Newport High School. John attended Gonzaga University and upon completion of his degree worked in the Washington Attorney General’s office in Olympia. John later purchased a law firm in Chehalis, WA where he practiced and also served as the City Attorney for Chehalis and other small communities.
In 1988 John successfully ran for the position of Superior Court Judge in Lewis County, a position he held until his retirement in 2007. John is married to his wife Margaret and they have two sons and a daughter.
Don Ellersick, Class of 1956
Don Ellersick has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2017
The late Don Ellersick is being inducted for numerous accomplishments in his professional life. Don attended Washington State University on a football scholarship. While playing football Don achieved multiple awards and was drafted to play in the NFL. In his career, Don played for the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, and Green Bay Packers.
Don had a successful career outside of football, receiving his B.S. degree in Civil and Structural Engineering and his Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering. Don had a successful career as a civil engineer. The high school football stadium in Newport is named in his honor.
Lyle Balderson, Class of 1949
Lyle Balderson has been inducted into Newport High School's Alumni Hall of Fame, June, 2017
The late Lyle Balderson is being inducted for his exemplary accomplishments in his athletic and professional endeavors. Lyle was an exceptional track and field athlete who after serving four years in the Navy, returned to Eastern Washington College and set the Evergreen Conference records in the 100 and 220 yard dashes. Lyle would compete and place at a national level.
After graduation from college, Lyle would serve as Assistant City Planner in Pasco, WA, was a member of the Montana State Planning Commission, served on the Columbia Region Association of Government, directed the Cowlitz Planning Department, and ultimately directed the Spokane Planning Department until his retirement in 1998. Lyle passed away in 2015.