Designed to recognize the hard work and talents of past and present Milton Hershey School®  community members who have brought honor to the School through athletics and visual and performing arts, the Spartan Hall of Fame program provides inspiration to MHS students and staff of today and tomorrow.

Spartan Hall of Fame inductees were hosted by cabinet members of the MHS Student Government Association. Seated, from left, Ron Bender, William Zeitz, Levi Filepas, Gordon Gerhart, and Korto (Dunbar) Lyons. Standing, from left: Students Sara Sechrest, Alyson McAtee, Lindell Swinson, and Alexis Quinn, John Hanawalt, Edith (Hutchins) Penn, student Paul Lyons, George Eiceman, Ed Ruth, student Nicole Velez, MHS President Tony Colistra, and students Deleila Alloui, Manny Garcia, Ashlynn Trimmer, and Kayvon Asemani.

Visual & Performing Arts

Ronald Bender 1955

Music

• Sang vocal solo, "The Old Lamp Lighter," on the School stage at The Main, Grade 5
• Played clarinet, Marching & Concert Bands, 1950-53
• Played 2nd tenor saxophone, Jazz Dance Band, 1953-55
• Accompanist for traveling, award-winning Glee Club, 1951-55
• Played accordion to accompany Glee Club during stage events and caroling, 1954-55
• Played Rachmaninoff's "Prelude in C Sharp Minor" Senior Class Day, 1955
• Associated with practically every school activity ... excels in the mastery of the piano keyboard -- The Acropolis yearbook, 1955

Melvin Garner 1940 (deceased)

Music

• Acropolis staff aide
• Played trombone, Band, Grades 9, 10
• Spartan Orchestra, Grades 9-12
• Symphony Orchestra, Grades 9-12
• Choir, Grades 11, 12
• Glee Club, Grades 11, 12
• Monitor, Grade 12

George Eiceman 1993

Music

• Jazz Band, Grades 9-12
• New Horizons, Grades 9-12
• Varsity Band & Chorus, Grades 9-12
• District Chorus & Band, Grades 9-12
• County Chorus, Grades 9-12
• Regional Band & Chorus, Grades 10-12
• Susquehanna Youth Chorale, Grades 10-12
• Lebanon Valley College Honors Band, Grades 10-12
• All-State Band, Grades 11, 12
• All Eastern Band, Grade 12
• Harrisburg Youth Symphony Orchestra

Edith (Hutchins) Penn 1995

Music

• Jazz Band, Grade 9
• Chamber Choir, Grades 9, 10
• Varsity Band, Grades 9-12
• New Horizons, Grades 9-12
• Varsity Choir, Grades 9-12
• Acropolis, Grade 10
• Indoor Color Guard, Grade 11
• Drum Major, MHS Marching Band, Grades 11, 12
• Honors Choir, Grade 12

William Zeitz 1947

Music

• Won the State Championship as best baritone-bass soloist and was presented with full scholarship to Lafayette College, Grade 12
• Sang Soprano in Choir, Grade 5
• Glee Club: Grade 6-12Baritone Bass Soloist, 8th Grade Graduation
• Octet, Grades 10, 11
• Quartet, Grade 12
• Played trombone, Marching Band, Grades 9-12
• Spartan Orchestra, Grades 10-12
• Bass soloist for Hershey Rotary Club, Evangelical United Brethren Church

Athletics

Levi Filepas 1945

Football, Basketball, Wrestling

• Lettered in football, four years
• Lettered in basketball, three years
• Heavy weight wrestling champ
• Heavy weight boxing champ
• Captain, County All-Star Football Team
• Participant in the County-City Game, which became East-West Game, the start of the Big 33 Football Game

Gordon Gerhart 1944

Football, Basketball, Baseball

• Lettered in Football, three years
• Lettered in Basketball, four years
• Lettered in Baseball, 2 years
• Part of a contingency of students and coaches who convinced the school to restart a football program in 1943, mid-season, following the program's having been suspended during wartime.
• Captain and quarterback of 1943 team; team won 3 of the 4 games they played, losing only what turned out to be the inaugural Cocoa Bean Game to Hershey High School by one touchdown
• Invited to Philadelphia Athletics tryouts, 1943

John Hanawalt 1970

Football, Basketball, Track

• Multi-year letter winner in football, basketball, track
• Split end and cornerback in football, point guard in basketball, quarter miler and part of the mile relay team that set a School record
• Captain, basketball & track teams
• Caught 3 touchdown passes in one varsity football game
• Set single-season record for steals and assists with over 100 in each category, Grade 12
• Finished second in the league in the quarter mile; track team was league champion, Grade 12
• Member, MHSAA Mile Relay Team that set School record and won the league championship
• Part of 1969-70 basketball team that was league champion, finishing 19-4
• Co-captain of undefeated freshman basketball team, 15-0
• Selected for Bata Shoe -- Pennsylvania All-Star Basketball Team
• One of the all-time best players as a point guard, again for his leadership ability. -- Coach John Cook

Korto (Dunbar) Lyons 2000

Track

• 1st place: hurdles in conference; 2nd place, 100 hurdles in district; 6th place, 100 hurdles in state; Grade 10
• 1st place: 100 meter, 100 hurdles, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay at district level, Grade 11
• 1st place: 100m, 200m, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay at district level; 1st place: 100m, 200m, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay at state level, Grade 12
• Team won states all 4 years

Edward Ruth

Cross Country Coach

• Initiated cross country as a varsity sport at MHS, 196
• Initiated girls cross country team in 1978, in which newly enrolled girls were able to participate
• Coached cross country for 14 years, 1967-1980
• His team won 61 straight dual meets and went undefeated for 6 years.
• In 1980, the MHS team led by Coach Ruth was later listed by the National Federation of State High School Associates as having the 5th longest series of dual meet victories in the nation at that time.
• Coaching record for boys cross country team: 121 wins, 18 losses, 2 ties
• Led MHS team to 6 Capital Area Conference Championships, 7 Capital Area League Run Championships