Reunion Information News
2006 Hall of Fame
Honoring former students
CHICAGO HEIGHTS: Bloom Trail grads earn place in school's hall of fame
Times Correspondent
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Saturday, September 30, 2006 12:35 AM CDT
CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Raul Garza admits that he was an average student in high school.
But Garza said he never felt like there wasn't a place for him at Bloom Trail.
Several years after graduating from the high school, the 42-year-old Sauk Village native has found a permanent place of honor at his alma mater. He and four other alumni will receive recognition for their accomplishments and distinguished careers during a ceremony Nov. 4. They are the newest members of the Bloom Trail Hall of Fame.
"This is something for (our students) to aspire to, to one day be recognized at that level," said Bloom Trail Principal Ron Ray, who is also a Hall of Fame committee member.
Garza, who earned a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees, said he didn't figure out his educational and career paths until after he joined the Air Force. Garza is chief operations officer and general manager at Aunt Martha's Youth Service Center in Chicago Heights.
"Kids, even nowadays, have so many competing priorities and challenges in life," the Chicago resident said. "Ideally we want our kids to do well in high school and excel, and if it makes sense for them, go into college and pursue a degree."
Dr. Delma-Jean Watts, another Sauk Village native and inductee, said although she was successful in high school, she graduated with only a vague direction in mind. She completed her residency this past June at Brown University's Hasbro Children's Hospital and is now a practicing pediatrician.
Becoming a physician demands a "full-life commitment," said Watts, 30, who lives in Providence, R.I.
Success means "doing something I love to do, but also doing something I feel like is giving back to a community," she said.
The positive impact of Bloom Trail teachers is still evident in his work today, said inductee Dr. Daniel Burbach, a Chicago Heights native, practicing psychologist and published author who lives in Manitowoc, Wis.
"Those teachers who helped me think about my writing skills helped me to develop a good foundation for subsequent learning," said 46-year-old Burbach.
"I would caution (students) to stay focused on what's right and what's important, as opposed to many who have a sense of entitlement and feel the world owes them something," Burbach said.
Inductee Victor Elizade, 38, a mentor to University of Michigan master's degree students seeking careers in the entertainment industry, said lasting achievement depends on more than just talent, especially in Hollywood.
"You must be grounded in life," said Elizade, chief financial officer and managing partner at Tango Entertainment in Santa Monica, Calif., a DVD distribution company. "You must be grounded in your values."
Dr. Vincent Gills, who is serving a residency in ophthalmology at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, also has been chosen to join the Bloom Trail Hall of Fame. He could not be reached for comment.