Post Messenger Recorder -

On the morning of June 5th, the School District of Belleville held their induction ceremony to honor, not just their 2021 Wildcat Wall of Fame inductees, but also included their 2020 inductees after a difficult year of struggling through the roadblocks a world-wide pandemic set in motion. Saturday offered a beautiful, blue-sky day to celebrate the life-long accomplishments of six very special people in the Belleville community. Despite this past year of hardship, family, friends, students, staff, school board members, and many more turned out with open arms to embrace the accomplishments of 2020 inductees: Kenneth Kramer, Carl Molter, and Betty Mellenberger Wolff; and 2021 inductees: Sharon Maas, John "J.P." Pamperin, and Steve Vogler.

These six individuals emulate the "Wildcat Way" with their years of service to the Belleville Schools and community and their overwhelming spirit of giving was palpable in the way each of them was remembered. Whether they served the community as teachers, support staff, coaches, or mentors, these six Wildcats simply used the gifts they were given to serve others - and their happiness came from finding the strength to serve their community and make a difference when they were called upon to do so. For this, each of them were honored on Saturday by plaques made by Belleville High School (BHS) art students Catherine Booth, Annika Esselstrom, and Madalynn Weber; as well as BHS Art instructor, Mr. Benash. Final plaques were then produced by Mr. Neumann's students in the STEAM lab, which included the detailed research projects BHS students did on the backgrounds of each of these inductees in preparation for the award ceremony. BHS students Karena Simmons, Ayisa Ceesay, Roxana Grunenwald, Alexandra Steckelis, and Risandi Bartle unfolded the lives of these new Wildcat Wall of Famers in brilliant detail before the caring community present - both physically and through a live-streamed presentation - and showcased how these six Wildcats used their gifts to make the world around them a better place.

2021 inductee Steve Vogler was a long-time teacher and coach for the School District of Belleville and he noted that much of his learning to serve others started from the values he developed as a boy. It was in his family that he learned to have a strong work ethic, and understand the importance of a team effort to get the job done, "There were 5 boys, so when you worked outside, the other half worked inside." He carried this strong sense of the importance of work and mentoring into his daily life as an adult teaching Physical Education and Science for 27 years. He also coached Wrestling, Baseball, and served as the Assistant Football Coach, all the while making a life for himself, his wife Bonnie, and their three kids in the beautiful community of Belleville.

Sharon Maas noted on Saturday in her 2021 Wall of Fame induction speech, "I have been an on the job learner since 1965," and she echoes the same strong sense of a good day's work being central to happiness as her former colleague, Steve Vogler. Sharon has worked for the School District of Belleville for more than 34 years, and began her work there in 1986. She has served in the area of technology and library services during her tenure, making everything tick behind the scenes seamlessly and without flaw. Sharon simply has devoted her life to making sure everyone who crosses her path is made stronger and successful and she does it most humbly. Social Studies teacher Chad Hodgson sums Sharon's career up simply in his words of gratitude, "During my 15-year tenure at Belleville High School, Sharon has made me look good in the public eyes too many times to count."

Lastly, John "J.P." Pamperin served as teacher and coach for 41 years for the School District of Belleville, teaching Physical Education and Health classes and coaching High School Volleyball and High School Boys Basketball, as well as Track and Field for both girls and boys. John says of his time as teacher and coach, he hopes when his students look at his life, they know this: "If you truly knew me, I hope you would see what is most important to me is relationships." John taught through the relationships he built - his service to others is legendary if you ask anyone who got the chance to work closely with him during his time in the Belleville Schools and Community.

Serving selflessly, these six 2020 and 2021 inductees have all emulated the words of 2020 inductee Betty Mellenberger Wolff as she expressed in her speech "Why can't I?" A message we can all learn from - just as we can all learn from the lives these Wildcat Wall of Fame inductees have spent their lives modeling for us. From their words and lives, we must learn not to be passengers in our own lives, but always active participants - because when we actively stand up to do a good day's work, we touch every life around us and make a community worth living in - it is the Wildcat Way!