SAHS > Six inducted into 2007 Hall of Fame at Souderton Area High School

The sixth Hall of Fame celebration for outstanding graduates of Souderton Area High School was held Saturday, October 13 at the Indian Valley Country Club. The celebration recognized graduates who have demonstrated achievement in either letters and humanities, the arts, science and mathematics, education, business and/or a contribution to the health, welfare or human rights of the local state, national or international community. Those recognized must be graduates of Souderton Are High School and must be at least 35 years old.

The inductees were chosen by a Hall of Fame Selection Committee consisting of teachers, administrators, and community members. The 2007 Hall of Fame inductees are: Hope deFrenes-Class of 1976, currently residing in Schwenksville; Andria L. Derstine, Ph.D.-Class of 1987, currently residing in Oberlin, Ohio, Ed Eskandarian-Class of 1954, currently residing in Boston, Mass.; Rep. Robert W. Godshall-Class of 1951, currently residing in Souderton; Charles J. Stahl, III, M.D.-Class of 1948, currently residing in Rockville, Md.; and Jamie Moyer-Class of 1981, currently residing in Seattle, Wash. The inductees spent Friday, October 12 visiting their alma mater, touring the building, participating in an assembly focusing on the Elements of Success, concluding with lunch.

Hope deFrenes
Class of 1976

Hope deFrenes has been the co-founder and managing director of Montgomery Theatre in Souderton since it opened its doors in 1993. Mrs. deFrenes also coordinates and hosts the Theater’s poetry events and has been a driving force behind the Montgomery County Poet Laureate program. She has been an important initiator in Children’s theater, overseeing Montgomery Theater’s Young Actors Workshop. Mrs. deFrenes has brought years of experience and expertise to the Souderton Area High School Musical Theater Department as the costume designer. Her theatrical knowledge and connections throughout the community have led to outstanding costume design in district musicals. She works well with the students and always finds willing parents or other volunteers to help. Mrs. deFrenes uses the Montgomery Theater venue to help promote local restaurants and other businesses in addition to her participation in the Main Streets Revitalization Program. As co-chair of the Souderton-Telford Main Streets Art, History, Culture committee, Mrs. deFrenes models the enthusiasm, backed with action, needed to build a broader community. Mrs. deFrenes’s passion for the arts is unprecedented. She is a solid leader among arts administrators as well as a strong role model for the youth of our community.

Andria L. Derstine, Ph.D.
Class of 1987

Andria L. Derstine earned both her doctorate and masters degrees from the New York University, Institute of Fine Arts. She graduated magna cum laude in History and Literature from Harvard University. Dr. Derstine’s extensive experience in the History of Art includes serving as Curator of Western Art for the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College, serving as Assistant Curator of the Detroit Institute of Arts Department of European Art, and lecturing in the Department of Fine Arts at New York University. Dr. Derstine’s research adventures have taken her to Massachusetts, New York, Greece, and France. She is fluent in French and Italian, has a good knowledge of German, a beginner’s knowledge of modern Greek, reading knowledge of Spanish, and verbal ability with Luxembourgish. She researched and wrote copy for Let’s Go: Greece, Let’s Go: Italy, and Let’s Go: Europe, best-selling budget travel guides, which just scratch the surface of her published works. Dr. Derstine has a long list of graduate and post-doctoral fellowships, most recently the Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fellowship at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Dr. Derstine is the winner of the 2003 Dora Wiebenson Award, presented by the Historians of eighteenth-Century Art and Architecture for the best graduate student paper in the preceding year for a conference paper, “Statutes and Stature: The Accademia de San Luca, 1675-1725.”

Ed Eskandarian
Class of 1954

After earning a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Villanova University, Ed Eskandarian began his career as an engineer designing heat shield tiles for the space shuttle. After graduating from Harvard, he gained experience in product marketing as an account executive at Procter and Gamble at Compton. He then moved to Boston to become senior vice president of Humphrey Browning MacDougall, a six million dollar agency, and ten years later became president and CEO. HBM was bought WCRS and Ed became chairman and CEO of the new WCRS Diversified Communications, a $400 million agency with five offices. He purchased Arnold & Co., a $40 million agency and achieved his goals of building it into the strongest integrated marketing firm in the region. Today, Arnold Worldwide Partners is one of the world’s top 15 agency brands with billings of over $2 billion serving such prestigious clients as Fidelity Investments, Citizens Bank, Radio Shack, McDonalds, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Hershey’s, and Acushnet Golf Company. Mr. Eskandarian is heavily involved in both professional and community-wide board activity. He currently serves as an overseer for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He is on the Board of Directors of the Boston Chamber of Commerce and Boston Public Library Foundation. He is a trustee of the University of Richmond, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and is a Governor’s appointee to the Board of Directors of the Children’s Trust Fund.

Robert W. Godshall
Class of 1951

Two quotes from his yearbook are typical of Robert W. Godshall then and now. They are “always eager to help others” and “good leader.” A former teacher said, “These quotes sum up the life of Robert Godshall from his earliest days to the present as a State Legislator.” From Souderton High School he graduated from Juniata College and then did graduate work at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He returned to the family business, Godshall’s Hatchery in Franconia Township. He was elected State Representative for the 53rd District of Montgomery County in 1982. He has served as Chairman of the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee since 1995. His career in Harrisburg has been marked with many accomplishments along with “Legislator of the Year” awards from such varied groups as the Pharmaceutical Industry, the Cancer Society, the Dietetic Association, and the Orthopedic Association. Along with numerous service awards and citations for his work in the community, Representative Godshall was voted the area’s Outstanding Politician by the readers of The Reporter. He has authored many bills, which subsequently were signed into law. Most notable may be the Automobile Insurance Reform law, which Rep. Godshall co-authored in 1990, allowing auto insurance renewals that had previously been almost non-existent at unaffordable rates. Rep. Godshall served on the Souderton Area School District Board of Directors for 17 years including a term as president.

Charles J. Stahl, III, M.D.
Class of 1948

Dr. Charles Stahl has been a physician pathologist, forensic pathologist, and medical officer of the United States Navy. He received the Bachelor of Science degree at Ursinus College and the Doctor of Medicine degree at The Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. He completed a rotating general internship and residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at the United States Naval Hospital, Philadelphia. He also completed residency training in the special field of forensic pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC. He was assigned to the United States Naval Hospital, Guam, as Chief, Laboratory Service, and served as deputy Medical Examiner, Territory of Guam. Dr. Stahl completed 25 years of distinguished active service and after retiring from the Navy. He served as Chief, Laboratory Service, for the department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Professor of Pathology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University; and Assistant Chief Medical Examiner, Department of Health and Environment, State of Tennessee. Dr. Stahl was Chief of Staff for the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. He served as Chairman of the Clinical Executive Board and the Professional Standards Board. He was selected as the Deputy Medical Inspector for the Veterans Health Administration of the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs in Washington, DC and served in that position until he retired from Federal civil service. Dr. Stahl has demonstrated exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the fields of public service, forensic science, and education at the national and international levels. Dr. Stahl has been the Associate Editor and Editor of the Journal of Forensic Sciences. He is the author of over 65 publications. His numerous awards include becoming the fourth recipient of the Milton Helpern Laureate Award in the 32-year history of that organization. The award celebrated his “devotion to the profession of forensic pathology …and numerous contributions for improvement of death investigation in the United States.”

Jamie Moyer
Class of 1981

After graduating from Souderton Area High School in 1981, Jamie attended St. Joseph’s University, before he was drafted in 1984 by the Chicago Cubs and began his professional league baseball career. While attending Spring Training in 1998, Jamie and his wife, Karen, met Erin Metcalf, a remarkable young woman who developed liver cancer at the age of 15. Erin had a compassionate heart, and when she was hospitalized she often expressed concern for the other children there as well as their siblings. The Moyers developed a special friendship with Erin and her family. In June of 2000, when Erin died at the age of 17, the Moyers wished to honor Erin and her caring spirit. Acknowledging Erin’s love of children and her desire to help others, Karen and Jamie felt that a grief camp for children would be an appropriate tribute. They said, “”Camp Erin is a dream come true. It’s a real gift for children who have lost a loved one. It allows a child to process their loss. It’s an opportunity for each child to meet others who are going through exactly what they are, and to know it’s all going to be ok!” The Moyer Foundation, has committed to the endowment of the many Camp Erin’s. The Moyer Foundation, co-founded by Jamie and Karen Moyer in July 2000, has raised over $3 million and provided assistance to more than 150 different organizations. The Moyers have been involved in supporting cancer patients and research since 1993. For Jamie, charitable work provides perspective amid the highs and lows of professional sports. He and his wife not only lend their names, but their time and energy. Jamie is the recipient of two of baseball’s most prestigious off-field awards: the Roberto Clemente Award, given to a high-achieving player who also represents humanitarian commitment, and the Hutch Award. Jamie Moyer was acquired from Seattle by the Philadelphia Phillies in August 2006, where is has continued to make his hometown proud.