Medford Sun

By AUBRIE GEORGE | The Medford Sun
The deadline to submit nominations for a new Shawnee High School initiative that aims to recognize accomplishments of school alumni, former staff members and supporters has been extended until February.
The district will accept nominations for the inaugural class of the Shawnee High School Academic Hall of Fame until Feb. 15.
According to a statement on the Lenape Regional High School District’s Web site, school officials are looking to select academic hall of fame inductees based on at least one of the following criteria – job-related achievements; professional honors and awards; professional affiliations or publications; civic or community involvement; personal achievements or accomplishments; or positive impact on the communities within the school district.
The academic hall of fame has been established in celebration of the high school’s 40th anniversary.
School officials said the initiative is meant to honor the foundation of excellence, which the school was built upon in 1970 and continues today.
“It’s two-fold. It’s to recognize the accomplishments of some of our alumni as well as highlight those accomplishments to our current student body,” Shawnee Assistant Principal Ben Lamberson said. “It’s a positive example for our students as they strive to make a positive impact on their community.”
Lamberson said the academic hall of fame is a fairly new initiative in the district, but Shawnee is not the first school to establish an academic hall of fame. 
Lenape High School established one last year, he said.
Eventually, all schools within the Lenape Regional High School District will establish an academic hall of fame to honor members of their communities.
Originally, nominations were due in mid-January but Lamberson said he decided to extend the deadline to allow more time for as much participation as possible. 
Those who are nominated for induction will receive an application they are asked to fill out if they are willing to continue being considered.
“It’s just a short questionnaire that gives us a little more background information,” Lamberson said.
Those applications are due in late  February. After that, a committee will review all of the nominees and, by March 15, make a decision on who will be inducted into the inaugural academic hall of fame class.
Those who are officially selected will be honored and officially inducted during the school’s annual Academic Awards Program scheduled for June 7.
In addition, inductees’ names will be permanently displayed on a plaque at the high school in order to serve as a visual, positive example for Shawnee students for years to come, school officials said.
A new class of inductees will be selected every four years for each high school that has established an academic hall of fame.
The deadline for nominations is Feb. 15. Anyone is permitted to submit a nominee for consideration.
Alumni nominees are eligible for selection 10 calendar years following graduation from Shawnee.
Nomination forms are posted on the LRHSD website, www.lrhsd.org, and are available at the main office of each district high school.
For questions about the Shawnee Academic Hall of Fame, contact Lamberson at (609) 654-7544, ext. 4461 or through E-mail at blamberson@lrhsd.org.
Residents may also request a form through mail at Shawnee High School Academic Hall of Fame, 600 Tabernacle Road, Medford, NJ 08055.

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