The Arlington High School Alumni Association
Distinguished Colt Alumni     

To nominate a Distinguished Colt Alumnus or Alumna -
follow link to DCA Nomination Form

Since 1997 friends and family of Ex-Colts and members of the AHS Alumni Association have nominated former students or "Colts by Choice" to receive the Distinguished Colt Alumni Award.

The Board of Directors selects the annual recipients of the DCA Award.

This award is given to honor the Who's Who among Colt Alumni who have given tirelessly of their time and energy and/or through significant accomplishments in their careers and have brought honor to Arlington High School and our city.

Read more about the recipients of the 2009 DCS Award in the FALL 2009 Newsletter.

2009

James “Brad” Bradley, Class of 1939

In his nomination of Brad Bradley, Jim Ball shares this saying familiar to Brad’s admirers: If you haven’t been shot by Brad, you haven’t been in front of the best.”  Fortunately for those who have been shot by Brad, it resulted in photographs of outstanding excellence.

Following graduation from AHS and two years at the local college—North Texas Agricultural College in those days—Brad served in the Army Air Corps during WWII.   After the army, he began his illustrious career behind his camera—a career which isn’t over yet. In fact, when the Cotton Bowl game is played in Arlington next year, Brad will be in his home town on the sidelines of the game he has photographed since 1948. His talents gained him induction into the AT&T  Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame which will have its permanent home in the newest stadium in Arlington.

Congratulations Brad Bradley.

Kent Cherry, Class of 1952

Dr. Kent Cherry’s educational journey includes North Side and South Side Elementaries, Arlington High, Arlington State College, The University of Texas, UT Southwestern Medical School, and the US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. After serving as a flight surgeon and commander, Kent began his General Practice and surgery career in Arlington in 1962. From that date until 1997, he served as team physician for the Colt Football team. Although he observed many Colt victories in that time span, none ever matched the State Championship game he won as a player on the 1951 Colts.

In addition to serving a term as Chief of Staff at Arlington Memorial Hospital, Kent’s tenure on the staff at AMH is the longest on record.

Even after retirement, Kent continues his doctoring as a volunteer at Mission Arlington’s Medical Clinic.

Kent and Janet’s three children, Karen Cox, Kurt Cherry and Kathy Atkinson, graduated from AHS in 1976, ’79, and ’81.

Phyllis Hargrave Forehand, Class of 1951

After graduation from the University of North Texas, Phyllis followed legendary AHS journalism and English teacher—and junior high school namesake—Emma Ousley. After a 12-year hiatus from teaching, she finished her 29-year career as “Teach” where she was the mainstay of the Arlington High School journalism department, sponsoring both The Colt and the Colt Corral.

During her tenure, the AHS journalism staffs won numerous awards and many University Interscholastic League contests. Phyllis’ awards are too many to list, but her favorites are the Columbia University Scholastic Press Association Gold Key Award, the Max Haddix Texas Journalism Teacher of the Year, and the Legend of Texas High School Journalism.

“Daddy Teach”—as husband Ken was affectionately called by her students—supported her demanding schedule by delivering copy to publishers, driving students to UIL contests, summer workshops and state conventions.

Her children, Kim Burlette, ‘75 and Rusty Forehand, ‘77, worked on the journalism staff during their days at AHS and continue the Forehand teaching tradition.

Congratulations, Teach!
 

Paul Swartz, Class of 1959

Although born in Dallas, Paul, as the saying goes, got to Arlington as quick as he could. In 1954, he attended brand new C.B. Berry Elementary, and later Ousley Junior High. He entered AHS as a sophomore in 1956 at this campus way out on the edge of town on unpaved Park Row.

His graduation from UTA as an electrical engineer led to six years as Crew Chief in the Helicopter Aviation Battalion of the Army National Guard.

Debbie Forbes, Class of 1991, and Lori Gray, ’94, Paul’s daughters, turned whatever red blood cells he had left into Colt Green. Paul and his wife Betty have remained solid supporters of the AHS Volleyball program where Paul helped initiate the AHS Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1997 into which Lori was later inducted.

Since 1998, Paul has been an iron man for the AHS Alumni Association. He has used his 34-year experience in the clothing business to devise, display, and disperse an array of Alumni Products to the benefit of our Scholarship Fund. His energy, his product knowledge, and his love of Arlington High never fail.

Congratulations, Paul.

Jannette Workman, Class of 1954

Following her 12 years as a student in Arlington schools, Jannette attained her Bachelors of Business Administration from UNT in Denton and a Masters in Education from East Texas State in Commerce. On that educational foundation, she started a 37-year career as a 7^th grade Texas history teacher in Arlington.

Since retirement in 1996, she has turned her energies to volunteerism, always staying in touch with public education. As a member of the Kiwanis Club of Arlington, Jannette chairs the Teacher-of-the-Year committee and sponsors AHS Key Club members. As Scholarship Chair for the Alumni Association Board, she coordinates the application and presentation process for our Alumni Scholars, culminating in making sure the checks are waiting for the students when they enroll. She also has served on boards for the Retired School Employees of Arlington, the Arlington Historical Society and the Arlington Landmark Preservation Committee.

Her life as student, educator, and volunteer earned her the Leadership in Education Award from the AISD Education Foundation and today’s recognition as a Distinguished Colt Alumna.

Congratulations, Jannette.

1997
Tom and Anna Waynette Smith Vandergriff

1998
Tom Cravens
Barbara Nash Kight

1999
Bill Bardin
Cathy Bontley Brown

2000
Greg and Jane Crews Friess

2001
Michael Ditto
Natalee Davis Parr
Robert Perry Mills, Jr, posthumous
Jane Robin Ellis

2002
Tillie Lester Burgin
Carl Knox
Phillip Stork
Dean Corey, posthumous

2003
Robert Fielder, posthumous
Beverly Bohannon Reynolds
Gene Schrickel
John Webb

2004
William Conner
Gary Martin
Frank & Kathleen Bradford Smith
Margie Austin

2005
Alan Austin
Ben Pierce
Anne Ross Berg Seldon
Ernest & Kathryn Taylor Wilemon

2006
Charlie Key, posthumous
Charles & Wanda Roberson Marshall
Dorothy Thornton Rencurrel
Mike Wade
Mayfield Workman

2007
Tom DeFrank '63
Bill Hughes '48
Dinah Dalton Menger '77

2008
James Adams CBC
James Ditto, '48
Martha Wiggins Moseley, '66
Alvin Moseley, '65

2009
James "Brad" Bradley, '39
Kent Cherry, '52
Phyllis Hargrave Forehand, '51
Paul Swartz, '69
Jannette Workman, '54

DISTINGUISHED
COLT ALUMNI ARCHIVES