Induction Class of 2001

Instructor - Math Department

Mr. Powell attended Wheaton College before joining the Army during World War II. After the war, he married Louise, came to Cincinnati and went to U.C. where he earned his B.S. and M.Ed. degrees. He taught at St. Bernard for 11 years before coming to Finneytown for the next 24 years where he set high standards in the advanced math classes throughout the 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s. He retired in 1984.

Following the death of one of their three children, Jim and Louise helped to establish a national support group called "Parents of Murdered Children," whose headquarters are here in Cincinnati.

Jim was most proud of his marriage, the success of his children and teaching. Jim said that he liked keeping in touch with some of the best students in the world! Jim enjoyed his vegetable gardening and working in an 8-acre woodland in Adams County. He passed away on February 20, 2011.

Class of 1968

When Melanie McNulty was a female athlete in the 1960’s, before passage of Title XI, there were no leagues, tournaments, or state championships for girls in any high school sport. Aside form activities in music, theatre, newspaper, yearbook, Y-teens and a folk-singing club, Melanie participated in every sport available to her, including basketball, volleyball, field hockey, softball and track. She also found time to be a board member, vice president, and president of the Girls Athletic Association.

Melanie went on to major in physical education and participate at the college level in three varsity sports a year during each of her four years at Ohio University. These sports included swimming, diving, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse and softball.

After graduation from college, and after passage of Title XI, she was able to compete as a coach in basketball, volleyball, track and field, swimming and diving. Her teams successfully competed in, and won, a league, sectional, district and regional championships, and participated in a State of Ohio Final Four game. This versatile leader also coached on the international level at the World Games for the Deaf. From 1985-1996, Melanie was named CHL (Cincinnati Hills League) Coach of the Year, and an A.P. "AA" Southwest Ohio Coach of the Year. She has also served her community as Recreational Director for Springfield Township. Her leadership and inspiration has influenced many young female athletes to develop their athletic talents and compete in ways she was unable to at their age.

Class of 1971

As a student at Finneytown, Mike Morgan’s athletic accomplishments distinguished him in basketball, football and track. These were recognized when he was awarded 1st Team All-League, 1st Team All-City, and Honorable Mention All-State. Mike attended the University of Cincinnati on a full four-year football scholarship.

For many years, Mike coached girl’s basketball and softball for the Finneytown Athletic Association. He was named NFL High School Coach of the Year, Southwest Ohio Head Coach for the East Team, and CHL Coach of the Year. Professionally he has taught elementary and middle school science. He also coached football, basketball and track for Deer Park, and at present is the Athletic Director of Deer Park City Schools.

He still devotes himself to youth athletics with unselfish dedication and models his sportsmanship in his everyday life.

Class of 1971

Dr. Glaser is a flutist who is known for her imaginative and coloristic interpretations. She has performed around the world, entertaining audiences in Japan, England, Switzerland, Scotland, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, and throughout the United States including Carnegie Hall. She has championed new music throughout her career, commissioning and premiering works by major new composers. Her recitals and CD’s have been broadcast on major music stations. She is the founder and artistic director of the Azure Ensemble.

Susan holds a doctorate from the Julliard School, was the recipient of a Fulbright Grant for study in Vienna, and has been flute professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

She currently serves on the faculty of NYU Steinhardt in Manhattan, and her master classes and recitals are in demand in the US and internationally.

Class of 1970

Mr. Mizelle began his music career at Finneytown, where he participated in concert, jazz and marching bands, men’s chorus, and three musicals. He also ran varsity cross country and track, and was an Eagle Scout. At Miami University, Steven distinguished himself in marching band and was the secretary of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Honorary Fraternity. He earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Executive Development Program of the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester, and has continued as a trumpet and voice soloist for 27 years.

Steve is a member of the American Marketing Association, and was named Grand Edison Marketer of the Year in 1996 for the launch of an advanced photo system. In his spare time, Steve has coached youth football, baseball, soccer and basketball, and has served as a scout and youth group leader.

Stewards of Finneytown

This dynamic duo has been involved in Finneytown Schools since the 1970’s. As community members and parents of two Finneytown students, their volunteer efforts spanned a variety of activities in the schools and the greater Finneytown community. Rhoda was the first parent representative to the Curriculum Council, and spent 28 years as a classroom volunteer tutoring reading, math, and language arts, primarily working with students with learning disabilities. She also helped with special projects including auditory testing, LD screening, and high school registration. Dick has served as tax levy committee member, as a Career Opportunities speaker, as chairman of the first Springfest, and as an actor in the Finneytown Area Summer Theatre.

Together they were active in Music Parents, are charter life members of the Finneytown Education Foundation, and received the fist dual Finneytown Education Association Friend of Education Award in 1991. Rhoda and Dick are founding members of the Finneytown Civic Association, for which Dick served three terms as president and Rhoda has edited the newsletter. Rhoda and Dick continue as friends of Finneytown and are great community role models.

Class of 1979

Rick was a well-rounded student at Finneytown, excelling academically, athletically, and theatrically. He was a member of the 1976 Ohio State Championship Soccer Team, and as team captain earned All-State honors. He served as captain of the basketball team and made All-City, All-League, and the AAU All-Star Team.

Rick graduated from the University of Indiana with majors in mathematics and economics. He earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Michigan, and is currently with Gradison McDonald Investments.

In 1994, Rick became president of the Finneytown Schools Education Foundation. In 6 years, the organization went from taking in roughly $7,000 annually, with total assets of $23,000, to taking in approximately $125,000 annually, with total assets of $250,000. In its hayday, scholarships and awards made on behalf of the FSEF totaled over $75,000. These included scholarships for seniors and grants for special projects for our schools.

Under Rick’s leadership, the Foundation also sponsored an annual Alumni Soccer Game, created and underwrote the Finneytown Schools Hall of Fame, helped plan and produce a parade to honor Finneytown Olympians Amanda Borden and Joe Hudepohl, and co-sponsored the Community and Alumni Plaza.

All-Star Instructor

A transplanted New Yorker, Nancy Perry came to Cincinnati in 1952 with degrees in French and English. She began teaching in the district in 1965 to fill a mid-year vacancy, and stayed until her retirement in 1993. Most of those nearly thirty years were spent teaching sixth grade.

After receiving a Master’s Degree as a Reading Specialist, she was asked to join the adjunct faculty at Xavier University, where she taught until recently.

After her retirement, Nancy to learned of the effort to create a foreign language lab at the high school. Recognizing the need, she agreed to be involved with funding the lab.

She also sponsored senior scholarships for several years. These were given each year to a graduating senior who had been a student of hers in the sixth grade and who had lived up to the potential she had seen six years earlier.

Nancy’s passion is teaching, and her vision is for every child to learn to be literate in a second language. Her role as benefactor of the language lab is a step in that direction.

All-Star Instructor

Bill was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, where he was a member of the Dayton Boys Choir, the National Cash Register Band, and winner of the Young Musicians Competition for which he performed as a trombone soloist with the Dayton Philharmonic Young Peoples Concert in 1952.

Bill earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and went on to earn a Masters of Education at Miami University. He also attended the University of Dayton and the University of Indiana.

Bill came to Finneytown schools to develop the music program from scratch, beginning at Finneytown Elementary School (now Whitaker) in 1956. He started the instrumental program and choruses, extended them into the high school, and completed a full music program with the addition of the strings program.

This pioneer headed the music department throughout his career at Finneytown, and was honored when the Board of Education announced that it would name the new performing arts center, The William R. Swartzel Performing Arts Center. Beyond Finneytown, Bill was district conference chairman, president, and secretary of District 12 Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA), and Instrumental Chair for the OMEA State Conference.

Steward of Finneytown