2024 Teachers Hall of Fame Inductees

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French, Spanish, Business, Drivers Education, Typing and managed the high school bookstore. 

Bill was born in Parker City, Indiana in 1927, and graduated from Albany High School in 1935. Drafted into the Army near the end of WWII, he was stationed State Side in the Paymaster Office, because he was the only member of his unit who could type. 

After the war he attended Ball State Teachers College where he met his future wife, Alice. They were married Christmas Eve, 1949, and celebrated 69 years of marriage. They moved to Sunrise, Wyoming, after graduation where he taught French, Spanish, Business, and Driver Education - through mountains and endless grassland.

Returning to Indiana in 1954, Crown Point quickly became ‘home’ as Bill settled in at the High School and taught French, Spanish, Business, and Driver Education, while also managing the High School Bookstore, and serving as Attendance Director. Bill focused on ways to expand the Business Department at the High School. 

He concentrated on the purchase and maintenance of printing machines and soon was providing all in-house printing through the Business Department. In 1974, Bill was named Business Manager and Treasurer of the CPCSC. 

In 1979, Bill and his wife moved to Aurora, Indiana, where he was to be Business Manager/Treasurer of S. Dearborn County School Corporation. Bill and Alice were enjoying their new home and were active in community affairs, but in 1990, they returned north to be near their daughters. 

During his life, Bill was active in the Indiana State Teachers Association, First United Methodist Church, and Rotary International. He enjoyed photography, playing pinochle and euchre, square dancing with the Crown Point Squares, and was always ready to go when anyone suggested a camping trip. Bill passed away April 8, 2018, and is survived by his daughters Claire (Lawrence) Williams, Sue Segally, and Julie (Billy) Naylor-Nolas; and their grandchildren

 Latin 

Ruth graduated from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa and received her Masters degree from IUN and Valparaiso University.

Her teaching career began in Crete Illinois at Hubbard Trail Junior  High teaching Latin1 and then in Crete-Monee High School.  She taught in  Illinois for 5 years. Ruth then taught at Taft in Crown Point and at  Crown Point high school for 37 years until her retirement in 1995.

Ruth really enjoyed teaching Latin and the Latin program grew and  grew. It was eventually second highest enrollment next to Spanish. Ruth  was elected Indiana Latin teacher of the year, twice. Her students won  many awards and held state offices in the Indiana Junior Classical  league.   

After Ruth’s husband passed away from Cancer, she became very involved  with American Society and served as chairman of Crown Point Relay for  Life for four years.

Ruth was then called to work in a bilingual school in Roatan,  Honduras. The second year she was there she sent boxes of textbooks,  they had none. Their principal asked if Ruth could put in a library at  the school. Ruth had put a very small library in Flowers Bay, where she  lived in Roatan. Crown Point Rotary Club decided they would like to help  with the school project. The Rotary were able to get an international  grant. They started collecting books for a library and with the help of  many; they were able to send 10,000 books. They now have a very nice  library at the school. Ruth works in the library every year that she is  in Roatan.

Ruth states the work she does in Honduras is very fulfilling, She has  been able to give many scholarships to students and see many students  graduate.

Ruth remarried and her husband Art also loves the island and is a  great help. They will return this year for the nineteenth year.

 Music Band Director 

Carl V. Smolik was born in March of 1923 in New Castle, IN. Like his  father, he started playing musical instruments at a young age.  At the  end of high school, when WWII broke out, Carl was drafted into the U. S.  Army. During the war he played in the Army Band and entertained the  troops all over Europe.

When the war ended Carl went to Ball State Teacher’s College where he  earned BS and MA degrees in Music. His first teaching experience was in  Spiceland, IN.  Four years later, in 1954, he moved his family to Crown  Point where he taught music for eleven years. During that time the high  school band earned many honor in District and State Competitions. The  best honor of all was when the band was invited to perform at the 1964  Midwest National Band Clinic in Chicago. Each year, only a hand full of  bands were selected to perform in this prestigious event.

Shortly after that, Carl left teaching, but he never left music. He  became the District Manager of sales for the Selmer Musical Instrument  Company. During the next 25 years he traveled Pennsylvania, New York and  New Jersey providing quality band instruments to school music programs.  In that role, Carl was considered as one of the top salesmen year after  year.

Carl passed away in 2005, and his wife of 58 years, Janelle Bailey  Smolik passed away 15 months later. They left behind three children:  Steve Smolik, Sheri Williams and Kathy Dempster-Hood with a total of 6  grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

 English & World Culture

Diane was born and raised in Gary, Indiana. She graduated from Lew  Wallace High School in 1967 where she was a member of the National Honor  Society, Girls’ Club Secretary and French Club Secretary. In 1969 she  married John Lange, moved to Crown Point and attended Indiana  University. She completed her coursework in three years earning a  Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in English and minor in  French. Her student teaching at Taft Junior High led her to begin a full  time teaching position the following semester. She remained at Taft  from 1970 until 1978. During her tenure at Taft, she sponsored several  school plays and served as activities director. She completed her Master  of Arts in Liberal Studies at Valparaiso University in 1975.

John and Diane became the proud adoptive parents’ of a beautiful baby  born in February of 1978 and she resigned to become a stay-at-home mom.  However, she returned to teaching the following semester on a part time  basis traveling between Taft and Crown Point High School. Crown Point  Community School Corporation provided many professional development  opportunities to participate in gifted and talented education. She truly  loved freshmen and the opportunity to give them a nurturing learning  environment. She partnered with Denise Vance to develop a course  entitled “World Cultures” for freshmen and a peer resource course to  provide academic assistance. Diane also sponsored SADD and Operation  Snowball. She worked Saturday school intervention and was a member of  the Crown Point High School crisis team. She remained at Crown Point  High School for 28 years.

Diane’s family enjoyed camping and fishing. Perennial flower gardening filled her summers. Diane’s husband passed away in 2007.

Eventually Diane had the opportunity to shape the Alternative  Achievement center. AAC was an off-site educational program for students  who needed a non-traditional path to graduation. Serving the students  at AAC for 12 years was the most rewarding endeavor of her career. After  40 years in the Crown Point schools, she retired in 2011 with a heart  full of cherished memories of her students and colleagues.

Math, Algebra, Advanced Algebra, Football Coach, and Athletic Director

Brad was born in Tampa, Florida; in 1951 he was raised in Portage  Indiana, and graduated from Portage High School in 1969, earning three  letters in both football and baseball, finishing third in his class of  411. He knew then that he wanted to teach math and coach football. Brad  received his B.S. degree in math from Valparaiso University.

Brad was a math teacher and assistant football coach at Portage from  1973-1977; he also was defensive coordinator of the 1977 3A State  Champs. Brad was named the head football coach at CPHS in 1978 and held  that position for sixteen years. He taught Advanced Algebra, Algebra,  and Basic Math. During his tenure at CPHS, Brad was the assistant coach  of the North All-Stars in 1985 and head North All-Stars Coach in 1988.  Brad also served as assistant athletic director from 1989-1992 and  athletic director from 1994-1996. Brad then moved to Highland, where he  was head football coach and assistant athletic director at Highland High  School from 1996-2001; he served as athletic director from 2001-2003.  Brad became supervisor of student teachers at Purdue University in 2009  and 2010, which earned him the “Outstanding Supervisor of Student  Teachers” award by the Association of Teacher Education in Indiana. Brad  finished his career in the classroom at Fountain Central High School  teaching Advanced Algebra.

Brad was inspired to develop the Academic All-State Award in Indiana  high school football. He was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of  Fame in 2007 and received the “Outstanding Contributor to Amateur  Football” award. He was a founder and executive director of the Indiana  Youth Football Skills Academy, which provided proper instruction to  hundreds of elementary players.

Brad’s older daughter, Jennifer, who is a teacher in IPS, lives in  Brownsburg with her husband Corey Back and sons Monty and Miles. His  younger daughter Karen is a nurse at Regional Hospital, lives in Terre  Haute with her husband Derek Hescher (a CPHS grad); son Ryan and  daughter Anna. Allison, Anna’s twin sister, passed away in 2014. Both of  Brad’s daughters are proud graduates of CPHS.

Social Studdies, Coach for Football, Wrestling and Track

Budd graduated from Lowell High School in 1958, where he participated  in football, wrestling, track and baseball. Budd is an elected member  of the Lowell Athletic Hall of Fame. He graduated Indiana State  University in 1962 earning a B.S. degree in social studies and physical education. He returned to complete his M.S. in 1967. He taught at Cedar Lake, Lowell, Griffith, Hammond, and Crown Point.

While at Crown Point  High School, he coached football, wrestling, and track. He also served  as Student Council Sponsor, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Sponsor, Social Studies Department Chairman and Assistant Principal. Budd has  written a book, RESTORING THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE, about the early  schools in the Lowell-Cedar Lake area. He is currently working on a  booklet for the Colfax Masonic Lodge in Lowell. Budd is a sixty-four year member of Indian Trail Grange in Lowell. He is also a member of the  Camp Porter Sons of the Civil War Society in Valparaiso and of Three  Creeks Historical Association in Lowell.

Budd has been married to his  wife, Cindy, for forty-six years. They have four children, Jerilynne,  Terry, Rhett, and Ben, and ten grandchildren.

Mathematics Education and Basketball Coach

Mr. Isley was raised on a farm in Shelby County, Indiana.  He  graduated first in his class (of 6) from Mt. Auburn High School, and  then attended DePauw University, receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1934.  While at DePauw he played center on the basketball team, in the  days when there was a center jump after every basket, and the typical  final score was something like 26-22.  He taught and coached basketball  at Mt. Auburn and Kokomo high schools and was inducted into what was  then the Army Air Force with the coming of World War II.  He served in  the Air Force in the U.S. and Asia during the war and continued in the Air Force Reserve, retiring from the service in 1969 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. 

Mr. Isley received his master’s degree in education  from Indiana University in 1946, and also in that year began teaching in the Crown Point schools.  He taught math, primarily algebra, at the  high school.  As a teacher, he was known for giving quizzes 2-3 times a  week and for calling all his students by their last names.  He retired  in 1978 with 33 years of service. 

 Along with teaching, he coached  basketball at CPHS, primarily freshman basketball, and also was the starter for high school track meets for many years.   He was an active  member of the Crown Point Kiwanis Club and the First Presbyterian  Church. He and his wife, Virginia, had two children, Jane and John, and  three grandchildren. The Isleys’ enjoyed an active retirement mostly in  Crown Point with winters in Florida and lots of golf, barbecues, bridge,  and friends in both places.  

Mr. Isley died in June 2000 at age 87.   Mr. and Mrs. Isley established an endowment fund with the Crown Point  Community Foundation from which the proceeds are given to benefit the  Crown Point Community Schools.

Biology, Life Science and Varsity Coach

Mr.  Schaeffer grew up in Hammond, Indiana and graduated from Hammond High  School in 1950. He attended Indiana State University from 1950-1954  earning his BS in Education. While at Indiana State he was on the  football team playing both offensive guard and defensive linebacker.  During his senior year of college, Mr. Schaeffer served as captain of the football team and was awarded MVP.  Mr. Schaeffer joined the US  Marine Corp and was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, achieving  the rank of 1st Lieutenant. 

His career at CPHS started in  1957 teaching biology and life science. During his time at CPHS he was  also head coach of the boys’ varsity football team from 1963-1971. Mr.  Schaeffer has four children; Eric, Laura, Ilene and Evelyn and four  grandchildren. In his retirement, he enjoys playing golf, traveling to  northern Wisconsin and attending the sporting events of his  grandchildren. 

Physical Education and Cheerleading Sponsor

Charlotte Ann was born on the 20th of February, 1939 in Greencastle, Indiana. Charlotte graduated from  Clayton High School in 1959. In 1963 Charlotte graduated from Indiana  State Teachers College in Terre Haute where she earned her Bachelor and  Masters Degrees. 

She joined the staff of Taft Junior High School in 1963  where she met Dan Johnsen and they wed in 1968. Both joined the staff at CPHS in the latter 1970’s. Charlotte taught physical education and  was a sponsor for cheerleading. 

She enjoyed attending and supporting all  the school sporting events. She was a member of the John Purdue Club.  She loved Purdue sports. She and Dan attended over 150 straight football  games over a 13-14 year stretch including 12 bowl games. Charlotte was a  member of Tri-Kappa Sorority in Crown Point and belonged to the Gary  Sportsman Club. 

 English
Born and raised in Ohio and Iowa, Deborah Cuffia graduated from Central  High School in Sioux City, Iowa, and attended Indiana State University,  earning a BS in education with a major in English. Deborah also  completed her MS in education at Indiana University with a concentration  in reading and her administrator’s license from Indiana Wesleyan University. 

After teaching reading to high school students for one year  in Robinson, Illinois, Deb moved to northwestern Indiana and began  teaching at Crown Point High School, where she happily spent the  remainder of her career. During her tenure at CPHS, she taught 9th and  10th transitional English, 9th and 10th regular English, and senior  college-bound English literature and world literature for 32 years. 

In addition to coaching varsity girls’ tennis for 16 years, she also chaired the School Improvement team for 6 years, was English Department  Chair for 12 years, and assistant principal for 6 years. Deborah is  married to Jim, has a daughter Kristen, a son-in-law Phil, and three  grandchildren. 

Algebra, Pre-Calculus, and AP Calculus
Mrs. May began her teaching career at Taft Junior High School in 1970.  After maternity leave, she started teaching at Crown Point High School  in 1977. She continued teaching at the high school until she retired in  August of 2009. 

During her teaching career she taught all levels of  mathematics and was the math department chairperson for twenty years.

Nancy and Tom May both graduated from Cannelton High School in  Cannelton, Indiana. They went on to Indiana State University and earned  their BS and MS degrees. Tom and Nancy have two children Jennifer and  Jeff.

Biology & Chemistry Teacher and Coach
Mr. Ruby came to Crown Point in 1943 after teaching at Fountain City and  Centerville, Indiana.  

He held a liberal arts degree from Earlham College  and MA from Ball State Teachers College. He taught biology and  chemistry at Crown Point. 

Mr. Ruby was an active member in the Crown  Point Community. He emphasized to his students scholarship, honesty,  integrity, and good sportsmanship. 

For over 25 years at CPHS,  Carl Carnahan was a dedicated teacher, mentor, role model, and coach who inspired students and athletes to be their very best. 

Over his career  he coached a variety of sports including basketball, football,  wrestling, and baseball. In 1948, he was chosen to be the first Athletic  Directors at CPHS.  As baseball coach, he took the lead in building the  high schools first baseball field with donations from NIPSCO. He built  the entire backstop with his own sweat and energy. He was the first  wrestling coach at CPHS and played an integral part in establishing the  schools successful wrestling program. 

After his retirement, the Carl N.  Carnahan Regional Wrestling invitational was established in his honor  and he was inducted by his peers into the Indiana Wrestling Coaches Hall  of Fame, His dedication and commitment to the young people of Crown  Point were monumental. 

Janelle Haack taught special  needs students for twenty-nine years. After graduating from Ashton,  Illinois High School, she received her bachelor’s degree in elementary  education from Arizona State University. She began her career teaching  third and fourth grade students in Phoenix. After completing a master’s  degree in special education, she accepted her first position as a  special needs teacher at Alhambra High School in the Phoenix Union  District.  She taught four years there, where she was also work-study  coordinator. 

Relocating in Crown Point in 1972, she taught the first  MIMI-I classroom at Crown Point High School. During this time she became  certified to teach students with learning disabilities by attending  Northern Indiana University.  She taught twenty five years at CPHS from  1972-1997. 

Mrs. Pruitt  grew up in Crown Point and was an alumnus of Crown Point High School.   She is proud to say that she is the only person to have attended Taft  Junior High and Crown Point High schools, and to have spent her entire  teaching career in the same buildings. Lucy graduated with the great  CPHS class of 1958, then went to Ball State University and in 1962  earned a B.A. in Foreign Language in Education. She began teaching  Spanish and French at CPHS in September of that year. Later, in 1973,  she received her M.S. in education from Purdue University Calumet.  

Besides teaching at the high school, she also taught Spanish and French  in the elementary school summer enrichment program for eleven years,  three years in Highland, and eight in Crown Point. In addition, she was  the Foreign Language Department Chairperson from 1975 to 1996. 

Her  husband, Bill, and she were married in 1963 and celebrated their 50th  wedding anniversary last July. They have two sons, Mike and Dan, six  grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. After taking early  retirement from the Crown Point school system in 1996, they moved to  Brown County in southern Indiana. In 1997 Mrs. Pruitt began working at  the Brown County Public Library and will complete seventeen years there  in July. 

 Educator and Coach

Mr. Keller was an educator, athlete, scholar,  husband, father, U.S.  Navy Veteran, humanitarian and a friend to all  that knew him. He was a  1948 graduate of Calumet City high school in  Illinois.

He was Illinois all-state football in 1947 and  captain of the  football team. Russ was an outstanding wrestler. He was a  member of the  National Honor Society. Russ went on to graduate from  Indiana  University (Cum Laude HPER-IU) in 1953. He helped organize the  first  ever “little 500” at IU and served as team captain for the winning  1951  team. Russ served in the United States Navy. Russ was also  inducted  into the Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame.  

A seven acre park in Crown  Point, along with the sports complex at Colonel Wheeler Middle  school  is named after him.  Russ taught and coached at Crown Point high school  then followed that with a stint at Taft Junior high school.

Art Teacher, Teacher Mentor, and Crown Point High School Administrator

Paul  is a native of Hammond, born November 29, 1928, to parents John  and  Mary (Thiel) Georgas. He is a graduate of Hammond High School.  Paul  entered Indiana University, Bloomington, in the fall of 1950, and  majored in art education. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954 and a Master of Arts degree in 1959, both, from the Bloomington campus.   He, also, attended Purdue University Calumet and the Chicago Academy of   Fine Arts.

English, Sponsor National Honors Society, Inklings Advisor 

Ms. Lauterbur was an English teacher, Sponsor of the  National Honors Society and the Inklings advisor. 

Ms Lauterbur  gives advice to both current students and faculty. 

To students: “Set  Realistic goals in terms of your abilities and have the determination to  achieve them.” 

To faculty: “Keep in mind you are working with  individuals.” 

Alfred J. Gruber 1959-1987

Social Studies Teacher, Department Chair, Photography Club Sponsor, FTA Sponsor

Al and his wife Joanne, moved to Crown Point in 1959.  In September, Al began his teaching career at Crown Point High School, after serving in the United States Army and graduating from Ball State University.  During his tenure at CPHS he taught Geography and US History.  He served as Department Chair, coordinating the efforts of the Social Studies Department. Al utilized his Army training to demonstrate Morse Code on a telegraph for many of the Social Study's classes.  

Al was a teacher so committed to his profession that he gave it his last full measure of devotion, to instill in his students a sense of the past, and a commitment to their educational goals and community endeavors.

Sadly, Al’s teaching career came to an end on June 25, 1987, when he lost a courageous battle with cancer.  Al and Joanne were blessed with 2 children, Julie Gruber Woodburn, CPHS Class of 1977, and Wayne Gruber, CPHS Class of 1980.

 Math and "Voice of the Bulldogs" Home Game Announcer

One of Mr. O’Brien’s  fondest memories of CPHS is “… the consistently high professionalism of  the faculty and the mutual respect of students and staff.” Mr. O’Brien  will also be remembered as the “Voice of the Bulldogs” for being the  announcer at all home Basketball and Football games for many years. The  job, he jokingly said, he got because he wasn’t coaching any sport and  had the free time.