2026 Weston McEwen Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Inductees Dr. Robert Coppock, DeWayne Dunlap, Leonard Pittman, Molly Tucker Hasenbank, and 2015 Softball Team!!

2015 Softball Team

A group of people stand together, holding certificates, in a gymnasium.

Three people stand together, one using a walker, in a gymnasium setting.

Dr. Robert Coppock

Three people stand together on a gymnasium floor, smiling at the camera.

DeWayne Dunlap

Three people stand together on a gymnasium floor, smiling at the camera.

Leonard Pittman

A woman receives an award, flanked by two other people in a gymnasium.

Molly Tucker Hasenbank

Weston-McEwen Hall of Fame

The Weston-McEwen High School Hall of Fame recognizes graduates, athletic teams, coaches, and faculty members of Athena High School, Weston High School, McEwen High School and Weston-McEwen High School who have achieved and demonstrated high levels of success in their post high school careers.
The criterion for the Hall of Fame Inductees are:

Individual
- An individual must have gradutated or attended the majority of his/her high school career at one of the four high schools names in the mission statement.
- An individual is eligible for recognition ten years after his/her high school graduation.
- An individual must have shown post graduate success and achievement in any or all of the following areas:
  - Education
  - Athletics
  - Community Service
  - Business
  - Military
  - Arts & Entertainment
Teams
- Teams are eligible for recognition ten years after the achievement for which they are being recognized occurred.
- A team must have had post league success.
- A team must have brought recognition to one of the four high schools.
Faculty
- To be recognized the faculty member must have taught at one of the four high schools.
- The faculty member must have had a distringuished career in the field of education.
Coaches
- To be recognized a coach must have coached at one of the four high schools.
- A coach must have a distinguished career in the field of athletic coaching.

Graduated from one of the above-mentioned high schools having attended at least 3 years, or
Attended school in the district for at least 10 years; but graduated from another school.
An employee who made a major and significant impact in the district and community during their tenure. The employee must have been in the district for a minimum of 10 years.

Nominations are being accepted until December 1, for the next inductee class.

Graduates & Students - Present - 2002

WESTON McEWEN

2006 MOLLY TUCKER HASENBANK

WM hall of Fame Induction January 23, 2026 Molly Tucker Hasenbank grew up on the family farm on Weston Mountain, graduating with honors from Weston McEwen in 2006. She was a four-sport letterman, lettering in cross country, basketball, where she was a member of the 2005 2-A state championship team her junior year, and second team all-conference her senior year, captain of both the tennis and track teams, and competed in the state track meet as a member of the 4X4 relay. Molly was a member of the national honor society, and served as a student body officer. She attended the University of Idaho, where she was to earn two degrees. First was a bachelors of science in Political Science graduating 2010 cum Laude. She pursued her second degree at The University of Idaho College of Law. Molly continued to excel academically, when she graduated 4th in her class, Magna Cum Laude, receiving her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree. While attending law school Molly married her high school sweetheart Clell Hasenbank, and they decided to move back to the family farm on Weston Mountain when they finished college. She passed the Oregon Bar in 2013, and became an associate and then a partner in the Monahan, Grove, and Tucker law firm in Milton Freewater. Just a few of her many activities of giving back to the local area. Molly serves as the Milton-Freewater Municipal Court Judge. She is a member of the Umatilla County Budget committee, and has served on the County Planning Commission. Molly is active and a past president of the Milton Freewater Rotary. When two of our major regional hospitals, Kadlec in the Tri-Cities, and Providence St. Mary in Walla Walla, combined their Community Mission Boards to create (SEWA) Southeastern Washington Community Board, Molly was chosen to be the Chair. Locally she coaches youth volleyball, basketball, and track. She is active in the Weston Community Church, helping among other things with Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas Food baskets. She is the mother of four young children, Hattie, Lena, Tucker, and Bea. She and her husband Clell, are also cattle ranchers, with a growing 100 cow herd operation to manage on their family Century Farm. Molly we are pleased you came back to your roots, and we are pleased to induct you into the WM Hall of Fame.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN MOLLY TUCKER HASENBANK

Graduates & Students 1998-70

1998 Amber Weatherspoon

1998 graduate of Weston-McEwen High School
attended Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho
- Bachelors of Science Kinesiology
- Minor Sports Medicine, Psychology
Occupation: Patient Access & Scheduling Manager
- Shriners Children's Orthopedic Hospital
Athletic Awards/Honors High School
- 1995
  - Honorable Mention Columbia Basin Conference -Basketball
  - Honorable Mention Columbia Basin Conference -Volleyball
  - 4th place finish 2A state track & field - long jump
- 1996
  1. 2nd team all-conference Columbia Basin Conference Basketball
  2. 1st team all-conference Columbia Basin Conference Volleyball
  3. 5th place finish 2A state track & field 4x400 relay
  4. 3rd place finish 2A state track & field 300m hurdles
  5. State Champion 2A state track & field Javelin
- 1997
  - 1st team all-conference Columbia Basin Conference Basketball
  - 1st team all-conference Columbia Basin Conference Volleyball
  - 1st team All-State 2A Volleyball Tournament
  - 5th place finish 2A state track & field 4x400 relay
  - 4th place finish 2A state track & field javelin
  - 2nd place finish 2A state track & field 300m hurdles
  - Blue Mountain Sports Awards - Female Athlete of the Year
- 1998
  - 1st team all-conference Columbia Basin Conference Basketball
  - 1st team All-State 2A Basketball tournament
  - 1st team all-conference Columbia Basin Conference Volleyball
  - Blue Mountain Sports Awards- Female Athlete of the Year
Athletic Awards/Honors: Lewis-Clark State College Volleyball
- 1998
  - Frontier Conference Champions
  - Frontier Conference Honorable Mention
  - Team 3rd place finish NAIA National Volleyball Tournament
- 1999
  - Frontier Conference Champions
  - Frontier Conference - 2nd team all-conference
- 2000
  - Frontier Conference - 2nd team all-conference
- 2001
  - Frontier Conference Champions
  - Frontier Conference - 1st team all-conference
  - NAIA all-region selection
2017 Inductee into Lewis Clark State College Athletic Hall of Fame
Current Records held at Lewis Clark State College Volleyball
- Single Season:
  - 3rd Block Assists (116)
  - 4th Total Blocks (138)
  - 8th Hitting Percentage (.357)
- All Time Career Leaders
  - 1st Block Assists (314)
  - 2nd Total Blocks (373)
  - 5th Solo Blocks (59)
  - 8th Kills (1121)

1992 Colby Cummings Knifong

High School:
- 1992 graduate of Weston-McEwen High School
- honor student, member of the pipes and drums, danced in the Higland Lassies, participated in FFA, was a Girls State delegate and enjoyed the Drama Club
- OSAA Scholar Athlete in 3 sports
  - Cross Country
    - state qualifier 4 times
    - all-state honors
  - Track & Field
    - was on an all-state world tour team that competed in Russia & Sweden her sophomore year
    - in her junior & senior year she was District Champion in 4 different events
    - qualified for state all four years of high school
    - earned state medals in the 1500 meters, high jump & the 300m hurdles
    - still holds the high jump record at WMHS
  - Basketball
    - led a local team to a gold medal in the State Games of Oregon held during the summer before her junior year
    - Columbia Basin Conference scoring & rebounding leader her junior & senior years
    - averaged more than 20 points a game her senior year
    - 1st team all-conference junior & senior year
    - district most valuable player senior year
    - led the 1992 WM girls basketball team to the state finals where they took 2nd place with a record of 25-1
    - 1st team all tournament
    - chosen 1st team all-state class 2A by the high school coaches association
    - The Oregonian Newspaper 2A girls all-state team
    - chosen to play in the Shrine All-Star team
    - first ever WM athlete to win the Blue Mountain Sports Award when chosen for the 1992 Female Athlete of the Year
College:
- attended Linfield College on a basketball scholarship
- started & played for the Wildcats for 3 1/2 seasons spending part of her junior year studying in Costa Rica
- was one of Linfield's scoring & rebounding leaders
- still holds the all-time steal record
Occupation:
- taught 4th grade at Gold Beach, OR following graduation from Linfield College
- moved to Enterprise OR to teach where she met & married Ken Knifong
- currently teaches 6th grade in Enterprise
- coaches her two sons in soccer

1992 John Shafer

1990 graduate of Weston-McEwen HS
3 sport letterman
- football, basketball and tennis
attended Eastern Oregon College to be on the Alpine Ski Team
- spent two years on the team
after Eastern Oregon, he transferred to Boise State University

After college, he started coaching tennis at Weston-McEwen High school for 8 years
- had several district championships while coaching there
- had the rare opportunity to coach alongside his mother, Dale Shafer
- he eventually took over the program when his mom & Karen Albert decided to retire
Earned a degree in Criminal Justice
had a long career with the Umatilla County Sheriff's Office where he rose to the rank of Sergeant
he served on numerous boards and committees in this position
he is a graduate of the Oregon State Sheriff's Association's Command College, Oregon Executive Development Institute and the Department of Public Safety Standards Training's Supervisor School
as the agency's first aid/CPR instructor, he wrote multiple grants that allowed the Sheriff's Office to have Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in each of the patrol vehicles including Search and Rescue
During his career with the UCSO, he volunteered his time to many organizations
- 4-H leader for 9 years
- served on the Board of Directors for East Umatilla County Health District for 10 years
- was on the Athena City Council for 10 years, serving six of those years as the Mayor
- in his role as Mayor, he was instrumental in bringing the Bank of Eastern Oregon to Athena when US Bank decided to leave town
  - he is very proud to carry the debit card with the TigerScot logo on the front of the card, he is quick to point out that every time he uses that card the district gets 5 cents
In 2018, he was elected as the newest Umatilla County Commissioner
he is the current Board Chair and serves on many different committees at the state level with he Association of Oregon Counties
he is also a Vice-Chair of the Public Safety Committee at the National Association of Counties

He is very passionate about his roots at Weston-McEwen, he is an excellent addition to the hall of fame

1982 Scott McLean

Graduated form Weston-McEwen High School in 1982
- Salutatorian of his graduating class having been on the honor roll all four years
- was an outstanding athlete being selected as best male athlete in the class of 1982
- three-sport letterman earning a varsity letter in football, two years in basketball and one year in baseball
- on football was team captain and was selected Columbia Basin all-conference both his junior and senior seasons
- was chosen to play in the 1982 Oregon East-West Shrine All-Star Football Game
- was a student body officer, member of the photo club, WM club and played saxophone and clarinet in the band
- was a member of the National Honor Society
He attended Whitman College from 1982-1986 where he graduated with honors earning a degree in Political Science
- he was an officer in the Sigma Chi Fraternity
- played rugby
- was elected Whitman Student Body Vice President
- he wrote for the Whitman College Newspaper the Pioneer
Following graduating from Whitman, he enrolled at Rutgers University in a Political Science PhD program, receiving his PhD in 1984
- He taught one year at Whitman and then joined the facility at Quinnipiac University where he has taught for the last 25 years
- Professor McLean has not only taught but has been the Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Political Science for most of that time
- His research interests center on political thought, psychology and civic education
- he was named Quinnipiac University Center of Excellence Outstanding Faculty Member in 2018
- his professional biography is extensive
  - his political commentary has been featured in the national and international media on parties, elections and public opinion on: NPR, CNN, Fox News, The New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and the London Financial Times
  - he has co-authored two books on political issues
Has always loved music and it all began with his time with the Weston-McEwen band
- he played in the wind and jazz ensembles at Whitman all four years
- he became interested in rhythm and blues and continues to enjoy performing in public as a harmonica player and vocalist
- he is a member of the Connecticut Blues Society
He is a member of the Summerfield United Methodist Church where he serves as Church Council Chair
He is a board member of the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen
He lives with his wife Lisa and son Charlie in New Haven Connecticut

1977 Liz Cahill

Graduated from Weston-McEwen High School in 1977
- was a member of the first year class when Athena and Weston combined schools
- a gifted athlete, she earned 12 varsity letters, lettering all four years in volleyball, basketball and track ~ she was the first Weston-McEwen athlete to accomplish this
- she was a member of the 1974-1975 girls basketball team that took 4th in state, again this was the first TigerScot girls' team to compete and place in the state tournament
- her senior year she was captain of the basketball team and selected both the most valuable and best offensive player
- she was chosen as the best female athlete in the class of 1977
- student leadership was also part of her high school resume`, she was president of the junior class and her senior year was president of the student council
Receiving an athletic scholarship, she attended Blue Mountain Community College where she played both volleyball and basketball
- she earned four letters and special recognition for basketball
- she majored in History and minored in English as was on the Deans list
- she graduated with her BMCC Associates Degree
Following BMCC she attended Oregon State University
- at OSU she spent two years as a cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps
- upon graduation with a degree in History, she was commissioned 2nd LT in the United States Air Force
She served 5 years active duty and 10 years in the Air Force Reserves
- she earned her expert marksmanship ribbon and outstanding unit citation
- she complete the Air Force POW/Survival School at Fairchild Air Force Base, which was significant for her and her credibility as an intel officer working with air combat crews, at the same time there were not that many female officers in that role
- her last active duty station, Offutt AFT in Omaha NE, Officer Cahill was a watch officer in the underground intel center, two stories below ground, gathering intelligence for the military including the Strategic Air command
  - her command tracked Soviet nuclear bus movements and briefed the commanding General every morning regarding the time of impact to Washington D.C from possible missiles launched from Soviet Yankee class subs sitting off the east coast.
  - her active duty career was helping to keep America safe
  - before she separated from the military with the rank of Major, she earned a master's degres at Sam Houston State University
She returned to Eastern Oregon and began her teaching career in Helix in 1998 and coached the Grizzly's volleyball team
In 1992 she began teaching at MacHi in Milton-Freewater
retiring in 2016 completing 24 years of teaching
She and her spouse Dianne Groff both taught at MacHi and since her retirement they enjoy outdoor activities and keeping track of extended family members
in 2010 she was awarded Teacher of the Year receiving the ESD Crystal Apple Award

1970 Major Ken Sampson

Graduated from McEwen High School in 1970
- was a member of FFA, serving as Reporter, Vice President and President
- participated in speech contests, thespians
- served on the student council
- Played cornet in the Band and guitar in the Stage Band
  - his senior year he was chosen musician of the year
Began his college career at Columbia Basic College
- earned his Associates degree in Agri-Chemical Business
- graduated with a 3.93 gpa
Enlisted in the military
- Joined the Army as an Armor Crewman & graduated top of his class
- was assigned to an Armored Cavalry Squadron
- was singled out to attend Officer Candidate School
  - graduated with honors, received his commission and became a tank commander
- went on several deployments
- decided to pursue another childhood dream which was to fly
  - applied for and was accepted to attend the US Army's Flight School in Fort Rucker Alabama
  - he went from commanding 52 ton battle tanks to flying Huey Helicopters
  - he also flew Blackhawks with the 101 Airborne Division, and Chinooks in Alaska on the Army's Elite High-Altitude Rescue Team
  - the unit he commanded established the world record for high altitude mountain rescue on Mt McKinley at over 20,000 ft
- during his military service he attended numerous schools including Airborne at Fort Benning Georgia where he learned to jump from perfectly good airplanes, even jets
- his military assignments took him to countries on three continents including several hot spots or police actions
- had a military career that lasted 38 years
- he retired with a rank of Major
He found time to complete a bachelor's degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University graduating with a 4.0
He has been a University professor and an instructor pilot
He has also been active in the communities and churches where he has lived
Married to wife Vickie and they have two children
He quoted: "The seeds of citizenship and of a Christian faith, planted by my parents, so many caring teachers and the Athena community leaders, germinated in me a deep love for God, for family and for my country. The love could only be demonstrated through service"

WESTON McEWEN DeWAYNE DUNLAP

WM Hall of Fame Induction January 23, 2026

DeWayne Dunlap is being inducted into the WM Hall of Fame both as an individual and coach, which rarely happens. DeWayne graduated from McEwen High School in 1986. He was an outstanding athlete, and a multisport letterman. He played football all four years, and was team co-captain and all league linebacker his senior year. In 1970, a McEwen coach and teacher researched all of the athletic statistics dating back to McEwen High School’s first year of existence. In basketball, DeWayne was ranked fifth all time in season points scored with 421, and fourth all time for a career scoring with 906 points. He averaged 17.5 points per game, and that was before the existence of the 3-point line. He was basketball captain and MVP his senior year, and was all-league both his junior and senior year. In addition, he did track and baseball. Dewayne was a student body officer, raised sheep in FFA, and a member of the letterman’s club. At graduation DeWayne received the Bob Pinkerton Award for the outstanding senior athlete. Following graduation he joined the Navy, during the Viet Nam war. Thank you for your service. He and his wife Shelley chose to return and raise their family of two sons in Athena. Last May they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They started Dunlap Landscaping in 1985, which they still operate today. DeWayne was a 30 year Round-Up volunteer, and a founding member of the Wheatstock Music Festival. In 1986 Dewayne began his coaching career as a little league coach. A couple of years later found him coaching U-12 soccer. In 1998 he helped begin and coached youth basketball in the Athena-Weston area. Next year he added the Athena Bears youth football to his coaching schedule. The 1990-91 basketball season, found DeWayne coaching the WM boy’s C team to an 11-2 record, and in 1991 he began a three-year head coaching stint for the WM boy’s basketball. During those three years his teams won the district title twice and placed second a third time. They advanced to state tournament all three years. DeWayne’s two sons, Raines and Morgan were also outstanding WM athletes, with Morgan now serving as the TigerScot head football coach. DeWayne’s grandson Jace is a WM senior, the third generation of Dunlap family athletes, to play basketball on this gym floor. Pretty special. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN MR. DeWAYNE DUNLAP

Graduates & Students 1969-24

LEONARD PITTMAN
WM Hall of Fame Induction January 23, 2026

Leonard Pittman grew up in Athena, where his family owned the local grocery store. His childhood was pretty normal except for one thing. As a boy he had the ability to build things very well such as tree houses, caves in the banks of Wildhorse Creek, and difficult balsa wood airplane models. He built props for the eighth-grade play. At McEwen High School, Leonard was an outstanding athlete, lettering in both football and baseball. He was elected class officer three different years and participated in FFA raising sheep. He graduated in the class 1963. It was no surprise to anyone who knew Leonard, that civil engineering would be the kind of degree he would pursue at the next level. He received a tuition scholarship to Eastern Oregon College. Eastern did not offer a major in civil engineering, which necessitated transferring to Oregon State University, two years later, and graduating in 1968, with his civil engineering degree. While at OSU he was asked to join Tau Beta Phi, the honorary national engineering society. In addition, Leonard became a life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The Washington State Highway Department (WDOT) recruited Leonard during his senior year at OSU, and in 1968, he formally began a career of building transportation infrastructure for the next 33 years. He started his professional career working out of Walla Walla as an Engineer 1. Two years later he was promoted to Engineer 2. After four years of experience, he could take the rigorous 8- hour competency test for the Professional Engineer license, which he passed with flying colors. This license allowed him to seal and take responsibility for engineering designs and projects. In 1977 he was promoted to Engineer III, which moved him to Yakima, to work as the Regional Hydraulic Engineer. In 1981 he was promoted to Engineer IV, working on pending plans for I-82. Further promotion to Engineer V occurred in 1985, to the Head Project Engineer in Yakima. His last and final position was the South-Central Regional Administrator for the Washington Depart of Transportation with over 500 employees under him. He retired in 2001, after a distinguished career. If any of you have ever traveled on I-82, or gone to Seattle via Snoqualmie Pass, or driven to Lewiston, ID, you have traveled on highways built with Leonard Pittman’s engineering expertise. Leonard is a lifelong, skilled, and active hunter and fisherman. He has competed for the Yakima Rifle Association shooting small bore rifles. He coached the Yakima junior rifle shooting teams, winning the state championship four years in a row. At the national level during those four years, they won two silver medals. Leonard has been married to his high school sweetheart Beverley for 63 years. They have two children, six grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. From building forts and treehouses on the banks of Wildhorse Creek in Athena, to highways, bridges, and transportation infrastructure throughout Washington, we induct Leonard Pittman into the Weston McEwen Hall of Fame. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, Mr. LEONARD PITTMAN.

WESTON McEWEN DR ROBERT COPPOCK

WM Hall of Fame Induction January 23, 2026

Dr. Robert (Rob) Coppock was raised on a family farm in Adams, OR. He attended Adams Elementary grade school and McEwen High School graduating in the class of 1963. Rob was a three-sport letterman competing in Football, Basketball and Baseball. He was Student Body President, Salutatorian of his graduating class, and a four-year member of the Honor Society. Shorthorn cattle were his FFA project, where he also participated in public speaking, parliamentary procedure, and livestock judging. Rob played trombone in the band for four years, and participated in thespians, glee club, he served on the high school annual and newspaper staff. Dr. Coppock was a decorated academic holding degrees from: A Bachelor of Science in Physical Science from Washington State University: a masters degree in Public Affairs from the University of Washington: and a doctorate in economics from the University of Wuppertal in Germany. His career included research positions at the International Institute for Environmental Studies in Berlin; the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC, where he received the highly acclaimed Individual Performance Award, as well as the Group Performance Award. Dr. Coppock served as the assistant director and head of the German-American Academic Council in Washington DC Later in life he decided to give back and attained his mathematics teaching certificate from Virginia Tech, which enabled him to teach honors math at Edison High School in Arlington, VA, from 2005 until his retirement in 2011. Rob had a passion for travel, mountaineering, sports, marathons and motorcycles. In May of 2004, he was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. He fought the disease as he led his life, but passed away 10 years later on February 14, 2014. It is with great honor we induct Dr. Robert Coppock into the Weston McEwen Hall of Fame posthumously, and to receive the award is Rob’s older brother Larry Coppock, who is also a WM Hall of Fame member. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN DR. ROBERT COPPOCK CLASS OF 1963

1963 Dr. Craig Taylor

raduated from McEwen High School in 1963
- lettered in track
- was class officer
- member of student council
- participated in science fairs and competitions (it is in high school where his lifelong interest in science began)
- during his freshmen year he won the high school science fair by assembling a chicken skeleton from a bird that had died on his farm
He also had a love for all things mechanical, having constructed a hot rod from parts he collected and assembled in his father's farm shop
- it would be the combining of his love for science and mechanics that make him one of the leading reserach oceanographers in the world today
He grew up on a farm north of Athena on Waterman Road with family roots that run deep in Umatilla County
- his great grandfather was Sheriff Till Taylor who in July 1920 was mortally wounded by a group of prisoners in a jail break
- Till Taylor Park is named for him in Pendleton
Following graduation, he went to Eastern Oregon University
He then transferred to Portland State University receiving a BS in 1967 and a masters in 1969
He continued his education with a second masters at the University of Illinois in 1971, then a Microbiology PhD in 1973
It was at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts that he did his postdoctoral studies
He never left Woods Hole, spending his entire professional career at this world-famous research institution
- from 1982-2015 he held the position of tenured Associated Scientist
- since 2015 he holds the prestigious position of Emeritus Resident Scholar
- over the course of his career he has had 70 peer-reviewed publications
  - on such published work was titled "Sampling Apparatus for Collecting Samples from Underwater Hydrothermal Vents and the Marine or Limnological Water Column" shows the complexity of his research
- his research interests include:
  - Ecology and physiology of marine sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms
  - development of automated instrumentation for the time-series measurement ofchemical and biological properties in oceanic and coastal environments
  - instrumentation for collection of contamination and exogenous DNA-free microbial samples
  - dynamics and microbiology of oceanic carbon monoxideoxidation.
- one his more famous inventions was the Submersible Incubation Device or SID
  - such a device was needed to do some very important research but it didn't exist so he designed and built it
  - he combined his technical skills and his scientific understanding to build the SID
  - he stated "it takes time to evolve an instrument that really can withstand the ocean, and for scientists to realize the value of it. Scientists need the kind of information these machines provide. Now their need coincides with the technology, which has matured to the point where it is actually useful."
  - This is but one example of the accomplishments of 2 decades of research and technology Dr Craig Taylor has contributed to the field of Science

1960 Donna Callaway Ball

Graduated from McEwen High School in 1960
- participated in cheerleading, member of Girls' League, Editor of the School Newspaper the Highlander, member of Honor Society and participated in student council
- was a Highland Fling Dancer and two years President of the Highland Lassies
- the FFA boys chose her their Sweetheart and she was selected as a Umatilla County Fair Princess
- very active musically and had a beautiful voice
- she was also very active in the Athena Christian Church
She began her college career at Northwest Christian College, she did her post graduate work at Phillips University, Oregon College of Education and the University of Oregon
She taught in Enid Oklahoma, Burley Idaho and settled permanently in the Portland area
She taught numerous grade levels, including kindergarten, grade school and middle school
In addition to K-8 teaching, Donna's career also included a parallel and illustrious 43 years at Mt. Hood Community College where she earned the respect of both students and faculty, receiving the "Distinguished Teacher Award"
She also served as adjunct professor for Portland State University, Lewis and Clark College and Boise State University
She has received countless awards, certificates and recognition, including the Oregon Educational Association Award of Excellence
Her work included multiple state and national educational grants and teaching incentives, including the Gresham-Barlow Foundation Technology Lab, featured on cable television at OMSI, where she spent a year as a prestigious Teacher in Residence
She acted for a time as a science curriculum writer for the Oregon Public Broadcasting International Teacher Training Institute
Some of her community involvement included Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz volunteer, Portland Youth Philharmonic Parent volunteer, Hot Meals for the Homeless and Director of Children's Educational programs at Saint Peter and Paul Episcopal Church
Was married to her husband, Barry Ball, and has two sons
After a heroic battle with cancer, she passed away in the spring of 2017

1954 Louie Henry Dick Jr.

Graduated in 1954 from McEwen High School
Played and lettered in three sports at McEwen High School
Attended Eastern Oregon College
Joined the Marine Corp for four years from 1955-1959, and he came home as a sergeant with an honorable discharge
Louie spent his working career at the USDA Forest Service 1959-1985
He married Marie Alexander in 1960 and they were married for 51 years
Louie was a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, serving both as treasurer and vice-chairman for the Board of Trustees
Has been a member of the forest and range committee, farm committee, Natural Resources committee, Tribal Water Committee, Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Tiicham Conservation District
He was also active with the American Indian/Alaska Native Employees Association for NRCS as an elder and the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame board.
Louie and Marie were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006
Awards/Recognition:
- 1978 for Intermediate Air Operations for Wallowa Whitman National Forest
- 1979 Certificate of Merit from USDA
- 1983 Effective Instructional Training for USDA FS
- 1986 Appreciation for Whitman Sesquicentennial Committee participation
- 1989 Pendleton High School award
- 1982 25 years of service as a federal employee with eh USDA
- 1983 Intro to Indian Culture at the Umatilla-Morrow County
- 1992 Tribal Leadership award with the CTUIR and Appreciation for the Bureau of Land Management
- 2000 Hells Canyon Preservation Council Award
- 1991 Umatilla Co. ASCS Office Service to Agriculutre
- 1993 US Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District
- 2005-2005 Oregon Soil and Water Conservation District
- 1997 United States Department of Energy Richland Operations office
- Blue Mountain Elk Initiative Signing Ceremony
- 2004-2005 Intertribal Council
- 200-2012 Elected to Oregon Soil & Water Conservation District
- 1990-1994 Wallowa River Wild & Scenic
- 1996 Recognition Award for American Indian/Alaska National Council
- 2001 Certificate of Participation for AIANEA for NRCS In Albuquerque MN
- 2002 Certificate of Participation for AIANEA for NRCS in Cherokee, NC
- 2005 Land Use Planning Completion
Has two sons, Lance of Cayuse and Dallas of Thornhollow
He passed away on October 19, 2011

Staff & Coaches

HOF Staff Tony Villanueva Sr.

Tony Villanueva Sr.

Tony has a long, distinguished record in teaching, administrative, and coaching excellence. He is truly a wonderful human being. He has the rare ability to develop rapport with any age group. He conveys a feeling of warmth and acceptance to everyone and truly makes an impact on those around him.
"Vince" is not actually Tony's given name; it's a nickname given to him by students and players out of love, admiration and respect after the great coach Vince Lombardi. Even in retirement, "Vince" is still a wonderful mentor to many.
General Information:
- Born of immigrant parents from the Basque area in Northern Spain. Raised in Emmett, Idaho, where he attended schools from grades 1-12, graduating in 1954
Education:
- High School:
  - Honor roll, band 4 years, Letterman's club, Spanish Club, various class offices, Student Body Vice President, Football letter 3 years, Baseball letter 4 years, Basketball letter 3 years, All Conference in all 3 sports, All District in Baseball, District leading scorer, Baseball All State 2 years
- College:
  - College of Idaho 3 years football, basketball, baseball
  - Had the privilege to play with future NFL player R.C. Owen of the San Francisco 49ers and Elgin Baylor of the LA Lakers, both students at the time
  - University of Nevada Reno 1 year, graduated with a degree in Spanish, Deans list
Teaching:
- Emmett Junior High School - Spanish & Coached
- Emmett High School - Spanish & Coached
- Fairmount High School - Boise - Spanish & Coached
- McEwen High School - Spanish & Coached
  - started the "M" club for letterman ~ the club sponsored many activities such as Saturday morning movies for kids & Christmas parties for those in need
  - started the first student trips to Mexico
  - after 6 years at McEwen he became principal the year discussions began on a merger with Weston High School. After successful discussions, a trial merger began the following year
  - Sherman County: Superintendent 2 years
  - Emmett School District: remained at Emmett until retiring after 36 years in education
Accomplishments:
- Teacher of the Year: Emmett High School
- Teacher of the Year: Boise School District
- Administrator of the Year - 5 years, Emmett School District
- Speaker for the National Migrant Education Convention
- Sports Writer for the Messenger Index Newspaper - 9 years
Coaching Accomplishments:
- Little League -Babe Ruth-American Legion for 15 years in Emmett
- Director of Summer Recreation Programs in Emmett - 6 years
- Started 1st softball program for girls
- Started the Little League programs for all age groups for boys
- Varsity Football Assistant - 4 Varsity Championships-Emmett
- Head JV Coach 18-1 record, 2 Championships
- Freshman Basketball Coach - 2 Championships
- Head JV Football - 1 year, 7-1 record, Champions-Payette
- Head Football Coach - 39-12 record, 1969 Champions McEwen
- Head JV Basketball Coach - 5 years, 102-3 record, 4 Championships McEwen
- Head Baseball Coach - 3 years, 1973 CBC Champions-McEwen
- While at McEwen & Weston-McEwen set 6 National High School Football records

Sports Teams

WESTON McEWEN 2015 SOFTBALL TEAM

WM Hall of Fame – Induction January 23, 2026

The 2015 Weston McEwen TigerScots Softball team. This team, was a veteran team returning nine players, five of whom were starters from a team that had gone deep into the 2014 state playoffs with a 25-2 record the previous year. With starting pitchers Jessica Lambert and Taylor Entze in the circle, the veteran team won the first five games handily, before losing a close game to 3A Harrisburg. The start of league was tough, dropping a double header to both highly ranked Pilot Rock and Union. The team rebounded to win 12 games in a row. On May 19th the TigerScots played The Rockets again in a seeding game losing 2-1, which gave them the third seed from the district heading into State. They hosted Oakland in the first round winning 9-2. A sacrifice fly by Taylor Entze and a tworun homer by Keagan Shepard in the first inning set the tone, and Jessica Lambert finished with 15 strike outs in her one hit performance in the circle. In Round two the team traveled to Bonanza, who had beaten them the previous year in the semi-finals. The TigerScots avenged the loss with a 7-3 victory in a game punctuated by homeruns. Jessica Pease hit a massive homerun in the 3rd inning and Taylor Entze hit RBI homers in both the fifth and seventh innings to power the offense. The pitching battery of Lambert and Peal combined for 11 strike outs in a two-hit performance. For the second year in a row, it was off to the semi-finals. The #5 TigerScots would face off with the #1 ranked Union Bobcats. The Bobcats had won the two previous games in league competition. The game was played at Eastern Oregon University, and saw the visiting Weston McEwen team take the lead, scoring one run in the top of the first with a single by Entze, followed by a Lambert single, and a RBI by Megan Coffman. Two more runs scored with singles by Ashley Hill and Katie Schroeder, combined with some Union miscues. Lambert pitched a three-hit shutout for a 3-0 win. The 2015 season had but one game left, the 2015 State Championship game, which would be held at the Oregon State University Softball Field on June 5th. Their opponent was the Pilot Rock Rockets, who had advanced to the Championship game on the other side of the bracket. The TigerScots jumped out to a two-run lead in the third inning when Keegan Shepard doubled and scored McKayla McAllister, pinch running for Jessica Lambert, and Taylor Entze who had both drawn back-to-back walks. Pilot Rock scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning and the score remained 2-2 till the final inning. In the bottom half of the seventh inning Pilot Rock scored a run and won 3-2. Weston McWeen finished second in the 2A State Softball Championships. Team members were Isabelle Dillow, McKayla McAlister, Katie Schroeder, Ashley Hill, Keagan Sheparrd, Jessica Lambert, Emma Burke, Megan Coffman, Taylor Entze, Charmayne Bennett, Jessica Pease, Sydney Peal, Krista Peralaz, and Whitney Roggerio. Head Coach Jeff Griggs, Assistant Coaches: Dense Sampson, and KC Ashley.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE 2015 Weston McEwen TigerScot Girls Softball Team.

2005 Girls Basketball

25-1 record for the season & brought home the 2A State Championship trophy
averaged 58.5 points per game, while holding opponents to 33 points
Coached by Head Coach Jeff Griggs
Team Awards:
- Columbia Basin Conference Sportsmanship Award
- Blue Mountain Officials Association Sportsmanship Award
- 2A Dairy Farmers State Top Ten Academic Award for GPA
- Umatilla County Team of the Year
- Union Bulletin Team of the Year
- 2005 District, League & State Champions
Individual & Coaches Awards:
- Kayla Johnson - Umatilla County Athlete of the Year
- Darcy Thompson & Kayla Johnson - Umatilla County Scholar Athletes of the Year
- Kayla Paredes & Kayla Johnson - CBC District 1st team
- Darcy Thompson & Wendy Baker -CBC District Honorable Mention
- Kayla Paredes & Kayla Johnson-2A State All Tournament 1st team
- Kayla Johnson - 2A State Player of the Year
- Coach Jeff Griggs - 2A Coach of the Year & Union Bulletin Coach of the Year
Many of the girls on this team started playing basketball together in elementary & middle school. In 2001 they sat in the middle of the gym and verbalized this goal. Four years later their determination, hours of hard work and skill paid off as preparation met with opportunity and dream became a reality.
In the summer of 2004 the team played a June schedule of 26 games, while going to team camp and playing in multiple tournaments. Undefeated in 2A summer play they entered the 2004-2005 season confident and driven. For some of these athletes being on and winning the first ever state volleyball championship in the fall, gave them even more confidence.
A mid-season loss on the road was the fuel to ignite the passion that carried them into the state tournament. Following that loss, the intensity of practices was even higher. Every Wednesday they would scrimmage the JV boys, because their coach told them "if you can beat those boys, you're ready to win the state title". They did both.
In the first round of the brackets they hosted the Wapiti league champion Enterprise and won by 24 points. In the State ranking they entered the State Tournament ranked #2 but were placed by random draw in the bottom half of the bracket with the #1, #3 and #4 ranked teams in the State.

Hall of Fame

2026 Weston McEwen Hall of Fame

Weston-McEwen Hall of Fame

Graduates & Students - Present - 2002

2006

2006

2005

2002

Graduates & Students 1998-70

1998

1997

1997

1995

1992

1990

1986

1986

1985

1983

1982

1979

1977

1975

1974

1972

1971

1970

1970

1986

Graduates & Students 1969-24

1969

1969

1967

1966

1966

1965

1965

1964

1964

1964

1964

1963

1963

1963

1963

1963

1963

1963

1962

1960

1960

1959

1959

1958

1958

1954

1953

1952

1950

1939

1924

Staff & Coaches

HOF Staff Charles Simpson

HOF Staff Elvin Taylor

HOF Staff Tony Villanueva Sr.

HOF Staff Loran Monaco

HOF Staff Shawn White

Sports Teams

2015

2005

2004

1997

1996

1994

1992

1983

1978

1975

1964

1963-1964