Ishpeming Public School Halls of Excellence

07/27/2026

"It Takes a Village"

It truly takes a village to raise successful graduates, and it takes that same village to celebrate them when they come home.

Nowhere is that more evident than in Ishpeming.

Earlier this month, we had the privilege of welcoming many of our graduates back home as we celebrated another remarkable class of inductees into the Ishpeming High School Halls of Excellence.
Together, we honored individuals and a group whose achievements, service, leadership, and commitment have made an enduring impact on Ishpeming Public Schools and our community.

An event of this magnitude doesn't happen by accident. It is the result of countless people working together, all sharing the same goal: honoring excellence and preserving the rich tradition of Ishpeming.

Our deepest gratitude begins with our incredible Halls of Excellence Committee:
Kathy Gischia ('70), Dave Leverton ('73), Bob Nadeau ('73), Lori Boase ('74), Jan Bertucci ('76), Brian Sarvello ('76), Diane Gauthier ('81), Mark Dellangelo ('95), Briana Bancroft ('99), Holly Jackson ('03), Holly Letson (IHS Teacher), and Ethan Corp ('25).

Their passion, countless volunteer hours, and unwavering commitment ensured that every detail reflected the significance of this special evening. Their dedication continues to elevate this event year after year.

A heartfelt thank you also goes to our outstanding hosts.
The Induction Ceremony was held at Ishpeming Public Schools' beautiful W.C. Peterson Auditorium, one of the Upper Peninsula's premier performing arts venues. We are grateful to the district administration, office staff, maintenance and custodial crews, business office, and especially Technology Director Jason Annala, whose behind-the-scenes work helped everything run seamlessly.

Our Reception was once again held at The Mather, one of Ishpeming's most treasured gathering places. Special thanks to Liisa Peterson, Bill Anderson, and the entire staff for their exceptional hospitality. Since moving the reception to The Mather, the experience has become even more memorable for our inductees and guests.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to our outstanding caterers. Thank you to Mama Mia's Restaurant, owner and IHS alumnus Kyle Rundman, and fellow alumnus Dylan Larson of Rare Earth Goods & Café for providing an incredible meal that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

Events like this are only possible because of generous community support. We are deeply grateful to this year's sponsors:

Ishpeming High School Alumni Association
Gauthier Insurance
Bell Auxiliary
IHS Class of 1999
Karen & Phil Nardi
Jim & Jan Bertucci
Ishpeming Ski Club
1995 State Championship Boys Basketball Team
Lance Gauthier / I-Build Construction
Friends of the Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library
Congress Pizzas

Your generosity helps ensure that the Halls of Excellence continues to recognize the remarkable people who have shaped our school and community.

Finally—and perhaps most importantly—we celebrate our current Ishpeming High School students, whose talents and professionalism added something truly special to the evening.

Thank you to Erynn Pettigrew ('26) and Jimmy Decaire ('26) for designing the beautiful awards presented to our inductees, and to Mr. Henseler's Industrial Technology students for bringing those designs to life.

Thank you to our:
• Ticket Takers/Greeters: Emma Maki ('27) & Frankie Stetson ('28)
• Ushers: Dax Kakkuri ('27) & Madden Gauthier ('30)
• Singer: Bella Carson ('27), accompanied by IHS Music Teacher Anna Marozov
• Sound Technicians: Tasha Valenti ('26) & Aubriana Higgins ('30)

And a very special thank you to the students who interviewed and introduced our inductees with such poise and professionalism:

Kole Bancroft ('27), Nora Jo Anderson ('28), Blake Sullivan ('30), Marie Salisbury ('27), Davis Hyatt ('28), Rachel Ricketts ('27), Maddison Longtine ('29), Miley Morcom ('29), Tessa Lawson ('27), and 2026 graduates Janelle and Lydia Seelen.

The Halls of Excellence is about much more than recognizing extraordinary alumni. It is about connecting generations, celebrating our shared heritage, inspiring today's students, and reminding all of us what makes Ishpeming so special.

To everyone who volunteered, sponsored, attended, or supported this year's event in any way—thank you.

This truly was a community celebration, and it could not have happened without our village.

This video welcomed everyone hoe to Ishpeming HS, especially our 20...

07/15/2026

Long Overdue Thanks

It’s hard to believe that two weeks have already passed since this unforgettable night for the Hematites. Time has certainly gotten away from me, but I didn’t want another day to pass without thanking everyone who helped make this the greatest Ishpeming Public Schools Halls of Excellence celebration yet. This is the first of several of our thank-yous.

First and foremost, thank you to our inductees. Every year, I’m humbled by the remarkable character of the people we honor. Just as they have since our very first induction class, nearly every inductee responded with the same simple question: “Why me?”
Rather than focusing on their own accomplishments, they spoke about the Hematites who inspired them to pursue excellence. What many of them failed to recognize is that they honored those heroes in the greatest possible way—by living lives of integrity, service, and achievement that inspired the generations who followed.

Some inductees, like John Voelker, achieved national recognition. Others quietly transformed countless lives through education, leadership, service, or their unwavering commitment to our community. Still others carried the Hematite Beacon Light with them wherever life took them, representing Ishpeming with pride across the nation and around the world.

And then there were the Ishpeming Blue Notes Drum & Bugle Corps.

Most of us are fortunate enough to belong to two families—our own family and our Hematite family. For the Blue Notes, there has always been a third: the Corps. Watching more than one hundred former members travel from every corner of the country to celebrate together was a powerful reminder of the lifelong bonds they share. It also helped explain why the Blue Notes became one of the most decorated drum and bugle corps in history. Their legacy is measured not only in championships, but in friendship, loyalty, and a shared love for one another.

I’ll admit that our committee felt an enormous responsibility this year. We wanted to honor this extraordinary group in a way that reflected the gratitude our community has for the pride they brought to Ishpeming over so many years. Judging by the incredible turnout and the overwhelming support in the auditorium, I believe our community accomplished exactly that.

To everyone who attended the ceremony, thank you. We asked our community to show up and demonstrate its appreciation, and you exceeded every expectation. Your presence made the evening even more meaningful for our inductees and their families.

Congratulations once again to every member of the Halls of Excellence Class of 2026. Thank you for representing our school, our community, and the Hematite tradition with such distinction. We are incredibly proud to call you Hematites.

Now it's time to begin looking ahead.

We encourage everyone in our school and community family to nominate deserving individuals and groups for the Ishpeming Public Schools Halls of Excellence Class of 2027. Nominations only take a few minutes to complete, and once someone is nominated, they remain in consideration for future classes. Multiple nominations also help our selection committee understand who our community believes should be recognized.

You can submit a nomination here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScA5zj-EzcAMUoL0HrqpTKUR0fF4T5UWuqElEIqYvns0uAivw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114246660336945638349

Nomination forms are also available on the Ishpeming Public Schools website.

I’ll conclude our thank-yous tomorrow.

God bless, and Go Hematites!

07/15/2026

Thanks again, Holly Letson, for telling this important story and honoring Ella’s important place in one of our most cherished traditions, Ishpeming High School’s commencement ceremony. Often imitated, never matched. I know she is smiling down from heaven with Hematite pride.

My little side project this summer…redoing a display case in the IHS main foyer to honor Ella MacInnis, Class of 1898 - author of “Hail, Beacon Light.”

Two big things I learned about her life during my research: she loved literature and gardening, so that is why you see elements of both in the display 📚🌺

07/09/2026

Every Halls of Excellence celebration reminds us how fortunate we are to be from this school, this town, this Hematite Family! But our story deserves to be shared with everyone who passes through this town. Welcome to my latest mission:

**WELCOME TO ISHPEMING... THE CITY OF CHAMPIONS**

Every day, thousands of people drive through our community.

Too many never realize they're passing through one of Michigan's most remarkable small towns.

This is a place where excellence isn't an accident—it's a tradition that has been built over generations.

🏈 **Nine State Football Championships**

🏀 **Four State Basketball Championships**

🥁 **Eight State Champion Blue Notes Drum & Bugle Corps**

⛷️ **Nine World Champions. Nine Junior Olympic Champions. Twenty National Ski Jumping Champions.**

Very few communities our size can tell a story like that.

**We should tell it.**

Imagine entering Ishpeming and immediately seeing a beautiful "Welcome to Ishpeming – City of Champions" billboard celebrating the athletes, musicians, coaches, volunteers, families, and citizens who built this incredible legacy.

It wouldn't simply welcome visitors.

It would remind every resident—and every young Hematite—that they are part of something extraordinary.

Our children deserve to grow up surrounded by reminders that excellence is part of who we are.

Our visitors deserve to know they are entering a community with a history unlike almost any other.

And our alumni deserve to see that the accomplishments they helped build continue to be honored.

**One Town. One School. An Unmatched Tradition of Excellence.**

Let's celebrate our past.

Let's inspire our future.

Let's proudly tell the story of Ishpeming—the **City of Champions.**

07/03/2026

Obviously, we didn't consider height when assigning students to introduce inductees.

07/02/2026

Four and a half years ago, I stood before the Ishpeming Public Schools Board of Education to pitch a vision of what the Halls of Excellence could become. Last night, that vision became reality.
Since its inception, the Halls of Excellence has grown steadily each year. Last night, however, that growth didn't just continue—it soared.

I can't thank our Hematite Family enough for the incredible support you have shown this event from the very beginning. Seeing a packed auditorium on one of the warmest evenings of the summer was both humbling and inspiring. Watching a small army of Blue Notes members return home from the four corners of the country—and everywhere in between—to celebrate their induction was truly remarkable. And seeing our current Ishpeming High School students play such an important role in honoring the more than 125 years of Hematite excellence represented by this year's inductees gave me tremendous pride and confidence in the future.

I probably shouldn't have been surprised by any of it, but I was.

I also cannot adequately express my gratitude to the members of our Halls of Excellence Planning Committee. Their countless hours of dedication, creativity, and hard work made last night possible. They never seek recognition, but they deserve every bit of it.

Halls of Excellence Committee
Kathy Gischia (1970), Dave Leverton (1973), Bob Nadeau (1973), Lori Boase (1974), Jan Bertucci (1976), Diane Gauthier (1981), Mark Dellangelo (1995), Briana Bancroft (1999), Holly Jackson (2003), Holly Letson (IHS Teacher), Ethan Corp (2025)

Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, supported, and believed in this vision. Together, we are preserving our history, celebrating excellence, and inspiring the next generation of Hematites.

I am blessed. My Hematite heart is full.

If you were unable to attend last night, you can watch the event now on NFHS at: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/ishpeming-high-school-ishpeming-mi/evtfa0aacea0e

07/01/2026

You don’t achieve excellence without an uncommon commitment to each other. These Blue Notes members came together from across the country tonight!

07/01/2026

A full house and a full Hematite heart!

07/01/2026

Reminder: If you would like your certificate ready for you at tonight's Induction Ceremony, please compete the Google form by 1:00 p.m. today (Wednesday), to give me time to print them. Thanks!

Please complete this form if you would like a personalized certificate of induction into the IPS Halls of Excellence. Those who complete the form by 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1st, will have a certificate waiting for them at the Induction Ceremony.

06/30/2026

Attention Ishpeming Blue Notes members:

If you would like a personalized Certificate of Induction into the IPS Halls of Excellence, please complete this Google form. Those who complete the form by 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1st, will have a certificate waiting for them at the Induction Ceremony.

Blue Notes Certificate of Induction Form:

Please complete this form if you would like a personalized certificate of induction into the IPS Halls of Excellence. Those who complete the form by 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1st, will have a certificate waiting for them at the Induction Ceremony.