The University Laboratory School Foundation hosted its ninth annual alumni recognition event, Cubs 2008, on Saturday, March 22nd at the Shaw Center for the Arts.  

Close to 250 guests gathered to celebrate with U-High graduates Kathryn Shaw Grigsby ’65 and Steven Soderbergh ’80 as they were inducted into the Alumni Hall of Distinction and Coach Jeanne Jendrzejewski (“Miss J”) and Paul H. Spaht ‘64 as they were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.  Grigsby was recognized for her extraordinary community service and numerous community awards as well as her executive leadership of the indispensable United Way agency, Hospice of Baton Rouge, for over 20 years.  Soderbergh was honored as an prolific producer and writer and as an outstanding director of 17 films.  Soderbergh has acquired numerous awards, honors and nominations from organizations as distinguished as the Academy of Motion Pictures (the Oscars) and the Cannes Film Festival (the Palm d’Or.)   He was also commended for his passionate support of film and screenplay preservation and numerous organizations providing services for people with learning, developmental and physical disabilities.   Ms. Jendrzejewski, a recently retired University High School cross-country and swimming coach, was recognized for her teams’ numerous championships, her renowned accomplishments as an educator for University High School and for urban youth through the LSU College of Education’s L.S.Y.O.U. program, and for re-organizing the U-High swim team in 1983 after a 10 year lapse. U-High swimming during her tenure has won numerous state champion and state runners-up teams and produced a number of individual champions at state, college, national and Olympic levels. Mr. Spaht, a recognized local attorney, was a U-High all-sports leader, team captain, state and district champion, and an exemplary high school and college student in the early 1960’s, earning numerous academic honors at the high school and collegiate levels, and inspiring over a decade of U-High graduates by his example in athletics and scholarship.

In addition, a posthumous one-time award, “the Cub Laurel”, was presented to Andrea Clesi for the impact the WBRZ-TV “Buckle Up for Tony” campaign had upon the community as a proactive response to the untimely passing of her son Gathian “Tony” Fertitta, Class of 1998.  Acceptance remarks in Tony’s memory were given by his classmate Spence Maxcy.

The evening began with cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres in the Brunner Gallery at 6:00 p.m.  Displays in the foyer  highlighted the achievements of each of the honorees with memorabilia from the inductees’ personal and professional lives. 

The induction ceremonies began at 7:00 p.m. in the Manship

Theatre. Connie Miller, University Laboratory School Foundation Chair, shared news of the Foundation’s successes over the past year.  Dr. Wade Smith, University Laboratory School Director, reported the school’s academic and athletic achievements and introduced the numerous members of the Halls in attendance at the function:  Dr. Wylie Barrow ’39, Margery “Tyke” Johnson Olinde ’45, Shelby McKenzie ’57, Jimmy Field ’58, Betty Bollinger  Huxel ’59, Dr. Carlos Spaht ’60, Steve Carter ’61, Bridger Eglin ’61, Janie Spaht Gill ’62, Bill Mathews ’65, Sharon Walker Mathews ’65, Dr. Gray Barrow ’78, Brian Kinchen ’83, Dr. Andrew Roberts ’87, Dr. Chad Loup ’89, Coach Jimmy Gilbert, Coach Willis Stelly, and Mrs. Cissie Furr representing her husband Coach Gerald Furr, who passed away in November 2007.  Smith also honored the memory of Mr. Richard Gill ’61, who was buried earlier that day.  Gill was a member of the U-High Alumni Hall of Distinction and a strong supporter of LSU, the Tiger Athletic Foundation, and University High.  Dr. Susan Bankston, Class of 1980, served as the keynote presenter for the evening.  Dr. Bankston introduced each of the incoming Alumni Hall of Distinction and Athletic Hall of Fame honorees, providing life histories for the audience.  After Connie Miller presented each honoree with his/her award, each of the honorees made acceptance remarks, delighting the audience with funny as well as heart-felt memories of their high school years, classmates, teachers, families, and lessons learned as University High School students.

The event was organized by Cindy Tyler Rice ’84, and committee members Louise Slack Bruce ’71, Leigh Anne Netterville Howell ’86, Julie Roof Lewis ’81, Diana Mann, Jenny Norton Phillips ’94, and Jeffrey Rice, with staff assistance from Melissa Argrave, Alumni Relations Manager, Megan Bourgeois, Development Assistant, and Mila Sexton, Development Director.

Since the 2000 inaugural event was held, the University Laboratory School has been honored to induct the following alumni as Alumni Hall Of Distinction Members: Congressman Richard H. Baker ’66, J. W. “Bill” Cocreham ’44, Elizabeth Ashley (Liz Cole) ’57, Carolyn Kent Rovee-Collier, Ph.D. ’59, A. Bridger Eglin ’61, Janie Spaht Gill ’62, Richard Gill ’61, Kathleen Hildreth Harris ’83, L. M. “Monty” Harrison, Jr., D.D.S. ’52, Betty Bollinger Huxel ’59, Cheney C. Joseph, Jr. ’60, Richard Lipsey ’57, Sharon Walker Mathews ’65, W. Shelby McKenzie ’57, Ellen Bryant Moore ’28, Margery “Tyke” Johnson Olinde ’45, Carlos G. Spaht II, Ph.D. ‘60, John A. Thomas M.D.  ’59, and Dr. James “Jimmy” Vick ’60. 

University High School is also pleased to have inducted the following alumni into the Athletic Hall of Fame: Bradford Banta ’89, Gray W. Barrow, M.D. ’78, Wylie C. Barrow Sr., D. D. S. ’39, Oliver Brown ’83, Steve Carter ’61, James Field ’58, Coach Gerald P. Furr, Coach James M. “Jimmy” Gilbert, Darryl Hamilton ’82, Gerald F. Joseph, Jr., M.D.  ’63, Lee C. Kantrow ’63, Brian Kinchen ’83, Chad L. Loup, M.D, ’89, Doug Moreau ’62, Hamilton F. Richardson ’51, Dr. Andrew Roberts, M.D., ’87, Johnny Robinson ’56, and Coach Willis Stelly.