Your Bull Dog Alumni Association had an Outstanding year in 2024 – with much progress, many highlights – and one significant setback that will be a challenge to overcome.
Accomplishments:
Our Alumni Engagement continued to expand in 2024 with over 4500 Bull Dogs receiving our periodic newsletters and other announcements via email. We also have almost 4000 followers on our Facebook page.
Over 200 Alumni, Teachers and Friends stepped up in 2024 to provide donations or sponsorships. The number of donors and the total dollar amount of donations and sponsorships grew dramatically over 2023 and set new records for Bull Dog generosity.
Your Alumni Association used these financial resources to continue increasing the number and value of programs benefiting Bull Dog students and teachers.
Golf Outing: In May of 2024, we invited alumni and friends to participate in our inaugural Par 3 Golf Outing. We welcomed nearly 50 golfers of all ages and skill levels to the Columbus Par 3 course for a day of fun, food, and friends. We expect this event to grow in popularity in the years to come (mark your calendar for the 2025 outing on May 30th!). Barkes Weaver & Glick Funeral Homes, Edward Jones Financial Advisors, and Peter King Law sponsored the event and over a dozen other sponsors provided financial support or merchandise.
Scholarships: $15,000 in scholarships to 6 deserving 2024 CNHS graduates set a new record. We doubled the amount of the Sam Simmermaker Journalism and Communications Scholarship to $2000 – and doubled the amount of two John Carmichael True Blue Scholarships to $1000 each.
Student and Faculty Support Grants: In 2024, we provided 21 grants averaging $733 each to teachers or student organizations for projects that enriched the Bull Dog learning experience. These grants covered a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities from continuing education for teachers and competition fees for academic teams to special materials/or equipment for specific learning activities and support for special in-school and out-of-school learning experiences.
Teacher Appreciation Program: Our signature program continued to grow and improve in 2024:
We doubled the awards given to our Outstanding Teacher of the Year and Emerging Teacher of the Year to $2000 and $1000, respectively.- Our Teacher Appreciation Luncheon in May drew nearly 200 teachers, teacher’s assistants, administrators, and support staff. Attendees were served a tasty lunch and had a chance to win one of 5 $100 Amazon gift cards in a drawing.
- Our August Welcome-Back program for teachers and support staff gave over 150 educators an opportunity to choose $30-worth of Bull Dog Apparel or merchandise from a preliminary version of our on-line store (Sponsored and operated by the Tony London Company).
- Teachers new to Columbus North received additional gift certificates and coupons to welcome them to the community.
- Corporate and Alumni Sponsors funded a substantial proportion of our 2024 Teacher Appreciation Program.
- Full Sponsors: John & Amber Elwood, Becky & Brett Merritt, Russell Development Co., Cummins Inc., Centra Credit Union, Columbus Wealth/Jacob Martin, Southern IN Orthopedics, Bailey & Wood Mortgage/Keith Luken, and Farm Bureau Insurance/Bob Hendershot.
- Supporting Sponsors: Roberts Realty, Timbergate Golf Course, Taylor Bros Construction, Case Construction, Toyota Material Handling, & Zeller Insurance, LLC.
Thank You, Sponsors!
Bull Dog Alumni Hall of Fame: We welcomed 2 new members to our Hall of Fame in 2024. The induction ceremony, delayed by weather until November 1st, was well attended and included an entertaining and inspiring performance by the 25th Street Singers and delicious hors d’oeuvres prepared by Ashley Carmer and her CNHS Food Services staff.
Our 2024 Outstanding and Emerging Teachers of the Year (Lisa Enneking and Maria Sanchez Cisneros) were recognized and spoke briefly about what the awards meant to them. But, as always, the stars of the ceremony were the 2 new, distinguished inductees:
Maureen Grady, Class of 1957 – renowned nationally and internationally for her far-ranging and extraordinary career in nursing and health care education. She spent most of her nursing and education career in high level postings by the Catholic Church – including overseas positions for Catholic Relief Services in Thailand and Director of Pontifical Mission in Lebanon.- John M. Burnett, Class of 1974 – longtime community development leader with special impact in the areas of educational and economic development. He has been active in many community and workforce development organizations including Chairman and CEO of the Community Education Coalition, where he still serves as CEO Emeritus. He says his focus is to work for and with others to expand equitable Education and Economic Advancement opportunities in Columbus, as well as regionally and nationally.
All Bull Dog Alumni and friends are welcome to attend Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Mark your calendar for October 3rd, 2025!
Special Events: Your Bull Dog Alumni Association organized, funded, or participated in several special recognition events in 2024:
Served as the sponsor and host for the reception following the Shirley Lyster funeral on June 15. Over 100 students, colleagues, and friends of Miss Lyster attended and shared stories of the huge positive impact that she made in their lives.- On August 30, Sam Simmermaker, the voice of the Bull Dogs on radio for 64 years, celebrated his retirement from active radio broadcasting and was honored by the official naming of the Sam Simmermaker Press Box at CNHS’s Max Andress Field.
The 65th anniversary of the Columbus High School only undefeated football team of 1959. On September 13th, prior to the Bull Dogs football game, 11 players and 1 cheerleader from the 1959 team were honored.
Also on September 13th, the 2004 Bull Dog football team celebrated the 20th anniversary of their State Semifinalist season. 25 players and coaches returned to Max Andress Field and were recognized prior to the game.
- On December 20th at the North versus East men’s basketball game at Memorial Gym, the 10th anniversary of the 2014-15 Bull Dogs Girls Basketball State Championship was celebrated. Nearly all members of the championship team – including Patricia Roy Mental Attitude Award winner, Ali Patberg, were in attendance and all received a commemorative piece of the original Memorial Gym floor.
In memorium:
Despite all the accomplishments and highlights of 2024, many Bull Dog Alumni were deeply saddened by the passing of Shirley Lyster on June 7, 2024. Shirley was a guiding light to many students at Columbus High School and Columbus North High School during and after her 52 ½-year career. A substantial percentage of Bull Dog Hall of Famers have recognized Shirley in their Hall of Fame acceptance speeches as a major reason for their success. And many current and former educators in Columbus view Shirley as their model and mentor. In addition, Shirley was one of the organizers and a founding officer of your Bull Dog Alumni Association.
Please see the accompanying article memorializing Shirley’s life, written by her colleague and good friend, Kim Stover.