Heritage Awards

The Orchard School
Heritage Awards

Each year, The Orchard School recognizes individuals who personify our mission to develop and educate the whole child through outstanding achievements and contributions within our community.
 
Candidates are selected from nominations submitted by you, our broader Orchard community, and this year we received a record number of submissions. We extend our sincere gratitude to all who took the time to submit one or more nominations and to the many deserving nominees who have all gone above and beyond in the spirit of Orchard.
 
The Orchard School Awards include six Heritage Awards, three Julie Wingate Service to Students Awards, and the Orchard Legend distinction. The Heritage Awards include the Distinguished Alumna/us Award, the Distinguished Friend Award, the Bruce A. Chalker '65 Distinguished Volunteer Award, the Gordon H. Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award, the Exemplar of Excellence Award, and the Distinguished G.O.L.D. (Graduate of the Last Decade) Award. The Julie Wingate Service to Students Award is presented to one Early Childhood/Elementary School faculty member, one Middle School faculty member, and one staff member. During Orchard's centennial year, the distinction of Orchard Legend was added to this list of honors.

Please watch the video below as members of our community announce the recipients of this year's Heritage Awards, Julie Wingate Service to Students Awards, and the distinction of Orchard Legend.
 
Mark your calendar and plan to stop by the Dignity Center on March 14th from 5-6 PM to honor and celebrate each of our honorees. There will be light refreshments and an opportunity to share your personal wishes of gratitude and congratulations with them.

2023-24 RECIPIENTS:




2022-23 RECIPIENTS:
THE ORCHARD SCHOOL HERITAGE AWARDS

Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award
Established in 1985. In recognition of an alumnus/a who personifies the mission of The Orchard School by developing knowledge, confidence and character essential for a life of learning, leadership and positive contribution to society.
 
Distinguished Friend Award
Established in 1985. Recognizes an individual who lives the values expressed in Orchard’s mission by nurturing and supporting the school. 
 
Bruce A. Chalker ’65 Distinguished Volunteer Award
Established in 1993. Honors someone who shares extraordinary time and expertise with Orchard, engaging our community through leadership and service.
 
Gordon H. Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award
Established in 2002. To honor and recognize an individual whose commitment, dedication and advocacy have served The Orchard School for 25 years or more.

Exemplar of Excellence Award
Established in 2016. In recognition of an individual whose work has made a major impact on The Orchard School. This individual displays Orchard's core values along with an outstanding commitment to the school, its students, and fellow members of the Orchard community. The winner of this award demonstrates a passion for Orchard that sets a standard for all to emulate. 

Distinguished G.O.L.D (Graduate Othe Last Decade) Award
Established in 2020. In recognition of an alumnus/a who has graduated from Orchard in the last ten years and has made a significant impact in the community, their education, or career while maintaining Orchard’s Core Values. This alumnus/a sets the pace for future generations of Orchard Alumni leaders and life-long learners. 

OTHER AWARDS GIVEN BY THE SCHOOL

ORCHARD LEGEND AWARD
An Orchard Legend is someone who has been dedicated for decades to The Orchard School. Their deep roots and commitment to Orchard are honorable, altruistic, and inspiring. The recipient of this milestone award demonstrates unmatched loyalty to advance the School’s mission and philosophy. They provide countless hours of service, share strong institutional wisdom, and continue to further the vision of our nine founding mothers. An Orchard Legend is the complete embodiment of the phrase, Owls Forever.

JULIE WINGATE SERVICE TO STUDENTS AWARD*
The Julie Wingate Service to Students Award recognizes two teachers (one in Early Childhood/Elementary School and one in Middle School), as well as a staff member from the past year. 

*These awards are given by Head of School Sherri Helvie in honor of Julie Wingate, who served 32 years as an Orchard teacher always putting Orchard students at the center of all of her work. 


Previous Heritage Award Winners

List of 8 items.

  • Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award

    1985-86Ambassador Richard Fairbanks '54
    1986-87Stephen Wainwright, Ph.D. '45
    1987-88Page Losche Morrison '65
    1988-89Mary Vance Tent '28
    1989-90Robert Breunig, Ph.D. '60
    1990-91Florence Gipe Krahn '29
    1990-92Judith Preston Davis '32, Patricia Jameson Cochran '33, Jane Adams Appel '33, Nancy Sewell Wollen '41 & Catherine Stout Bayse '65
    1991-93Stuart Lowery '77
    1992-93Marianne Williams Tobias, PH.D. '54
    1993-94Eleanor Appel Golden '37
    1994-95Philip Hahl, Ph.D. '48
    1995-96Alice O'Neal Dye '40
    1996-97William Barnes Calwell '62
    1997-98No Award
    1998-99Robert D. Robinson M.D. '45
    1999-00Martin S. Moore '49
    2000-01Margaret Morris Haviland, Ph.D. '75
    2001-02Anne (Dede) Neal Petri '69
    2002-03Jonathan Birge '53
    2003-04Ann Johnston Dean '34
    2004-05Victor Jose '36
    2005-06No Award
    2006-07Jarpn Henrie-McCrea '97
    2007-08H. Roll McLaughlin '37
    2008-09Jennifer Trainer Thompson '69
    2009-10Scott Stokes '89 & Robyn Stokes '92
    2010Fitz '68 & Jane Elder '69 Kunz
    2011No Award
    2012No Award
    2013No Award
    2014No Award
    2015-16Bo Elder '65
    2016-17Abigail Boldt '13 & Eibhlin Ewald '15
    2017-18Class of 1945
    2018-19Alan Henderson '87
    2019-20Alumni Heritage Association Pioneering Members: Ann Dean, Patty Cochran, Jeanette Stokely, Ruthie Linsmith, Don Hippensteel, Susie Gould, and Jim Richter
    2020-21Mary Bookwalter '62
    2021-22  Adrianne Slash '98
    2022-23  Zach Baker '94
    2023-24  Max and Lauren Eiteljorg '05
  • Distinguished Friend Award

    1985-86Sprague & Sherry Gardiner
    1986-87Vera Hunte
    1987-88Fred Lorenz
    1988-89Alfred Stokely
    1989-90Gordon H. Thompson
    1990-91Helena Marlowe
    1991-92Robert D. Gruen
    1992-93Herb Sweet
    1993-94Josephine Crane Nelson
    1994-95Evelyn Fortune Bartlet
    1995-96Harrison & Sonja Eiteljorg
    1996-97Sue Anne Gilroy
    1997-98No Award
    1998-99John Schaust
    1999-00Morris L. Maurer
    2000-01Cecy Griffith
    2001-02Gwen Fountain
    2002-03Caterina Cregor Blitzer
    2003-04Ann Johnston Dean '34
    2004-05Bill Wick & Lucy Holliday Wick '40
    2005-06Bob & Helen Haddad
    2006-07Pat Van Valer
    2007-08Fred & Mary Caito
    2008-09Jeff & Sara Dugdale
    2009-10No Award
    2010-11No Award
    2011-12No Award
    2012-13No Award
    2013-14No Award
    2014-15No Award
    2015-16Suzanne Fehsenfeld
    2016-17Cathy Rooney
    2017-18Philip & Dorothea Genetos
    2018-19Jen & Jeff '75 Cohen
    2019-20Julie Richter
    2020-21Ann Merkel at National Bank of Indianapolis 
    2021-22   Jamie Merisotis & Colleen O'Brien
    2022-23   Kristy and Mario Garcia
    2023-24   Heather Tosh
  • Bruce A. Chalker ’65 Distinguished Volunteer Award

    1993-94Dr. Bruce A. Chalker '65
    1994-95Diana Chambers Leslie
    1995-96Needham & Mary Lou Hurst
    1996-97Philip & Dorothea Genetos
    1997-98No Award
    1998-99Deborah Nelson
    1999-00Barbara & Joseph Cronin
    2000-01Mary Allen, Jane Harvey & Mary Alice Moon
    2001-02Kerry Dinneen & Sam Sutphin '68
    2002-03Mike Layden
    2003-04Abby Smith
    2004-05Patti Halloran
    2005-06Lisa Hurst
    2006-07Ruthie Adams Linsmith '54
    2007-08Dana Cristee
    2008-09Jennifer Wagle '87
    2009-10No Award
    2010-11No Award
    2011-12No Award
    2012-13No Award
    2013-14No Award
    2014-15No Award
    2015-16Alex Wilmore
    2016-17Elliott Pruitt
    2017-18Ann Murray
    2018-19Kristy Cross Sherman '88
    2019-20Orchard in Bloom Co-Founders Cathy Hurst Meyer and Nora Hiatt
    2020-21Rick Roberts
    2021-22   Sarah Edwards and Dawn Batson
    2022-23  The Turner Young Family
    2023-24  Mercedes Cruz
  • Gordon H. Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award

    2002-03Gordon H. Thompson 
    2003-04Betsy Dustman
    2004-05Peg Sharples
    2005-06Marcia Fidler
    2006-07Donna Bonifield
    2007-08Steve Thompson '63
    2008-09No Award
    2009-10No Award
    2010-11No Award
    2011-12No Award
    2012-13No Award
    2013-14No Award
    2014-15No Award
    2015-16Jody Baker
    2016-17Jonathan Birge '53
    2017-18Alice Lorenz, Helen Holdeman & Linda Norton
    2018-19Diana Shellhaas
    2019-20Deb Brown and Mike Brown
    2020-21Karen Dean
    2021-22  Julie Wingate
    2022-23  Linda Appel
    2023-24  Bo Elder '65
  • Exemplar of Excellence Award

    2016-17Marcia Fidler
    2017-18Deborah Thornburgh
    2018-19Steve Thompson '63
    2019-20Dan Appel
    2020-21Alyce Edwards
    2021-22     Vicky Prusinski
    2022-23    Andre Kirtz
    2023-24    James Layne
  • Distinguished G.O.L.D (Graduate Of the Last Decade) Award

    2020-21     Sophia Pruitt '17
    2021-22     Ethan ’13, Eli ’17, and Gavin ’19 Franklin
    2022-23    Courtney Jones '13
    2023-24    Claire Curran '20
  • ORCHARD LEGEND

    2022-23 Peg Sharples
    2023-24 Jody Baker
  • Julie Wingate Service to Students Award

    2021-22 The Entire Orchard Faculty
    2022-23 Linda Gelhausen, Linda Appel, Nicole Neucks
    2023-24 Ana Grillo, Scott Weaver, Majella Scheer 
Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students: The Orchard School values diversity and seeks talented students. Orchard admits students of any race, color, national origin and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Orchard does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or age in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and athletic and other school-administered programs.