Garden City High School Hall of Fame To Honor Two Former Graduates

Garden City, KS(westernkansasnews.com) The Garden City High School Hall of Fame Committee has selected Melinda A. Hitz, local inductee, and Alan P. Stoecklein, out of town inductee, to be inducted into the Garden City High School Hall of Fame on Friday, May 11, 2018, at 7:30 p.m., in the Garden City High School Commons Area, 2720 Buffalo Way Blvd. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.

Tours of the high school will be offered at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 11th, and a buffet dinner will be served promptly at 6:30 p.m. in the high school Commons Area, prior to the induction ceremony. Reservations for dinner are required. Cost of each dinner is $12.00, payable in advance. For dinner reservations or more information, call Roy Cessna, Garden City Public Schools, at 620-805-7014.

Melinda A. Hitz is a 1975 graduate of Garden City High School. She received her associate’s degree from Garden City Community College and is a graduate with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree from Fort Hays State University in Business with an emphasis in Accounting. Mrs. Hitz is a Certified Public Accountant and is currently the Director of Finance for the City of Garden City. She has received numerous national awards for her job for the city. She has also given back to the community through her participation in many associations and organizations that she has served on in the state and community.

Alan P. Stoecklein is a 1973 graduate of Garden City High School. He graduated from Garden City Community College, received Kansas Police Officer certification from the Kansas Law Enforcement Center, and has a Certified Public Manager certificate from KU. He had a successful and tenured career in law enforcement working in Ulysses, Garden City and for the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP). In the KHP, he was a Trooper, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Acting Colonel and was selected by Governor Parkinson to act as Interim Superintendent of the Patrol from December 2010 – February 2011 during transition of Governors. He was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel as Assistant Superintendent for the 800-member Agency from February 2011 to September 2014. He retired in 2014 after 34 years of dedicated service for the Kansas Highway Patrol.

GCHS Hall of Fame Background

In 1984, an idea was conceived among administrators and Board of Education members of the school district, to recognize past graduates of GCHS who had gone on to distinguish themselves through outstanding accomplishments. This idea was brought into action the following spring, when the first members of the Garden City High School Hall of Fame were inducted. The purpose for the formation of this select group is twofold: It is to honor past graduates of the school for their accomplishments in their chosen professions.
It is also to present positive role models to the current graduating seniors as well as to the rest of the student body.

It is the Hall of Fame’s purpose to communicate to Garden City residents and the rest of the world that Garden City High School produces graduates who are second to none.

Each year two distinguished graduates of Garden City High School are added to the Hall of Fame. To date 64 people have been inducted into the Garden City High School Hall of Fame.