Westerville South High School’s newest inductees into the Alumni Hall of Fame are Jennifer Coleman Winters, James P. Gaul and Christine Raimonde Evenson.
Westerville South High School inducted three alumni into its Hall of Fame at a luncheon and ceremony held on April 28 – Christine Raimonde Evenson, James P. Gaul and Jennifer Coleman Winters. The school’s Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee selected those honored from a pool of applicants who graduated at least 10 years ago, have demonstrated success in their career, and have made significant contributions to their community.
Superintendent John Kellogg meets with the Student Advisory throughout the school year. He praised the pupils for their honesty and respectful perspectives that help identify and find solutions to district-wide concerns. He also thanked this year’s group of Hall of Fame inductees for the example they have set.
Christine Evenson graduated from Westerville South in 1971. During high school, she was a member of the National Honor Society and the Thespians, where she held the positions of secretary and then president. She was also a Girls’ State alternate. Evenson received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Education and Foreign Language Education from The Ohio State University. In 1991, she was hired by Westerville City Schools as an English teacher. During this time, she developed a curriculum and received a grant to offer American Sign Language (ASL) as a foreign language course. Because of her efforts, Westerville became one of the first districts to offer ASL. Evenson moved on to become Coordinator of the Columbus State Interpreting Program in 1999, but her ties to Westerville’s ASL program have remained strong. She has received several awards and has served on multiple committees, presented at conferences and workshops, and has been published.
James P. Gaul is a 1999 graduate of Westerville South. While in high school, he was an honor student, a four-year varsity letter winner in cross-country and track and field, and was included in the Top 10 best performances in the school’s history. He received a Bachelor of Science from Otterbein and will complete a Master of Arts Exercise Science degree from Ashland University this summer. He currently teaches Social Studies and is CASS coordinator for Westerville South’s International Baccalaureate program. In addition, he is head coach for both cross-country and track and field. Gaul gives back to the community by volunteering at races, helping with school levies, and working with Westerville Bridges. In 2006 and 2007, he served as a volunteer and chaperone, taking students to New Orleans as part of the Katrina Rescue Relief program.
Jennifer Winters graduated from Westerville South in 1998. She was a member of Student Council and was a Color Guard squad leader. Her awards include the Westerville South Cats Math Award, and the Bowling Green State University Business Owners Award. She was also chosen to attend the American Legion’s Girls’ State. Winters earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio Dominican University and a Master of Arts from the University of Dayton. In 2003, she accepted a teaching position in Pickerington where she focused on inclusion for special needs students, along with helping them learn practical employment and daily living skills. She also developed a peer collaboration program to give typical students the opportunity to work with pupils with multiple disabilities for course credit. Winters began working for Westerville City Schools in 2015 and currently serves as Special Education Coordinator. She is a Daisy Scout Leader, a Special Olympics coach and an Easter Seals volunteer.