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DPEF to induct 4 into Hall of Honor
The Deer Park Education Foundation will honor four outstanding Deer Park High School graduates at the 2010 Hall of Honor inductions.
The Felton F. Waggoner Hall of Honor induction ceremony will be Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at DPHS-South Campus. This year's honorees are Marla Davis Chandler, Class of 1991; Shane May, Class of 1990; Gary Walters, Class of 1962 and Ann Rich West, Class of 1975.
Since its inception in 1997, the Hall of Honor has spotlighted the individual accomplishments of more than 60 DPHS graduates. These persons must have made significant contributions through their service or accomplishments to their profession or community at large and be positive role models for youth.
Chandler, a Language Arts teacher at Bonnette Junior High, has high expectations for her students. She helps them set goals and constantly assures them they can accomplish whatever they want to achieve. Marla also serves as an adjunct professor at University of Houston Clear Lake. She is very active at Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene and she has traveled to Riobamba, Ecuador and Bayaguana on work and witness trips. 
After graduating with honors with a BS in Mathematics from University of Houston, May returned to Deer Park to begin his career teaching calculus. Four years later, he was honored as Deer Park ISD Teacher of the Year. He is the academic decathlon coach in math, economics and physics, sponsors the Mu Alpha Theta honors math club and is part of the Adjunct Physics faculty at Texas Chiropractic College. 
Since graduating, Walters has become a renowned artist. Over the past 35 years, he has had numerous one-man art shows and has done six shows with his son, Jacob. His work is represented in many public and private collections throughout the United States. Walters has recently been nominated for the Governors Award for Excellence in the Arts for the State of Mississippi.
West and her husband, Ray have made a significant impact through loving and caring for not only their own children, but for foster children desperately needing a loving family and role models. Over the past 17 years, they have opened their home to 47 foster children, many of those having special needs. Because of her giving nature, she has offered many children the opportunity to live their lives with happiness, love and self-respect. The Hall of Honor Induction Banquet is the major fundraiser for the DPEF. Tables of eight range from $500 to $1,500 and individual tickets are also available.
Sherri Brown, director of the DPEF said because of the Hall of Honor festivities, donations and other fundraisers, the Foundation has given away $955,747 in innovative grant funds to DPISD faculty. Later this semester, the Foundation will give away its one-millionth dollar.
"We have great support for the Foundation, but there are still so many people who don't know what we do in making a difference in kids' lives," she said. "Deer Park provides a fabulous education for its students. The Foundation provides the means for teachers to go the extra mile to bring their textbooks to life."
For more information about the Deer Park Education Foundation and the Felton F. Waggoner Hall of Honor induction banquet, call Brown at 832-668-7037.