Racine, Ohio: January 27, 2024. Southern Local School District inducted two new members into their Hall of Fame. Tonight's inductees were Mr. Denny Evans and J Scott Hill. Superintendent Anothony Deem led the induction ceremony.
“Once again I stand before you with great pride in presenting the Southern Local School District Hall of Fame Class—the Class of 2024.
On January 9, 2013 the Southern Local Board of Education unanimously voted to establish the Southern Local School District Hall of Fame. The purpose of the Southern Local School District Hall of Fame is to recognize Southern Local School District graduates, employees, and major contributors who have distinguished themselves by their individual contributions in scholarship, athletics, career, community service, and or society as a whole.
Individuals can be nominated by anyone, but must be approved by the selection committee. The committee voted on and confirmed two candidates for this year.
Now, I bring to you the 2024 Hall of Fame Inductees.
Our first inductee is a man of great integrity and strong in faith. He stands unselfishly giving of his time and self to community and church projects and is of strong moral character. He has been a long-time member of the Community of Christ Church and is an Elder there. He will fight hard for what he believes in as he has done for 34 years of service on the Southern Local School Board.
The record of 34 years stands for itself. In politics you often make enemies and often lose friends and support. He did not. He was well-liked and effective, and stood for what was right, winning all of his elections easily. He served as the Southern Board of Education president for many years.
He was a 1966 graduate from Racine High School, where he played various sports, but excelled in football, a sport that he heavily supported over the years at Southern Local. He was involved with multiple fundraisers, and projects that resulted in new equipment for players, new bleachers, new scoreboards, and a new press box both as a citizen and as a board member.
The Hall of Fame awards those that have given to Southern Local. He may fit the mold more than anybody both past and present through his years of loyal dedication to the district. Some of the greater achievements include the building of two new schools—Southern Elementary and Southern High School.
He was part of a board with five others that was involved in tough decision-making during a crisis time when Southern was on the verge of going into the loan fund back in the 1980’s. The State had declared that once Southern Local went into the loan fund, there would be a county-wide consolidation. He was adamant that this would not and could not happen. He led the charge to tighten the budget and keep the district in the black. His effort was one of the greatest forces in this charge. Ultimately, during that time Southern did not go into the loan fund and the district remained solvent and exists today greatly because of him.
After graduation he worked for the Ohio Fuel Company until January of 1968 when he received his draft papers. He attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in Jan. of ’68. While on leave, on April 6, 1968, he married his high school sweetheart, Linda Adams. He would spend the next few months at Fort Eustis, Virginia where he was trained in helicopter repair. In August of 1968 he was sent to Vietnam where he served his country for a year.
He returned state-side to Hunter Army Airfield at Fort Stewart, Savannah, Georgia, where he would remain for a year-and-half to finish out his Army career. While serving in the Army he earned the Expert Rifle M-14 Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with/ 60 Device, and 2 Overseas Service Ribbons.
This decorated hero continues to have a dedication to God and Country. In May of 2018, he was selected to fly to Washington D.C. on the Honor Flight. On Veterans Day 2020 Southern Local honored him as a special honoree. He continues to be an active part of the Racine American Legion and participates in their military services around the region. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and currently serves on the Veterans Service Commission of Meigs County.
After his military service, he returned to Meigs County, where he went to work for Adams Drilling Company, then began a 30-year stint at Southern Ohio Coal Company, where he served as Vice President of the United Mine Workers Local 1857 for 16 years, one of his many leadership positions where he was able to help his fellow man.
After service, he and Linda started their family of 3 children, Becky, Michael, and Jamie and later would add to that by raising his niece Melanie Adams. Together they have 4 grandchildren; Jordan, Gracie, Andrew, and Kayla and 1 great grandchild, Austin. His mother, Carolyn, now 95, still lives in Minersville.
Displaying stelar citizenship skills and integrity, he was on the Meigs County Chamber of Commerce for four years, and helped with Southern Athletic Boosters. He has been an avid Southern Local Sports fan and has actively supported teams his entire adult life. But sports were not all he regarded highly. He knew that Southern needed to maintain high academic standards to provide students with the best opportunities after graduation.
He was on the board that started the Southern Local Academic Banquet because he knew Southern Local was much more than sports. He vested much time in keeping programs that he felt were important, even if it cost a little more. He adopted the philosophy of doing what’s best for kids.” He also was part of having a “Student of the Month” each month at the board meeting.
Not once will you hear an “I did this or I did that”. He is humble, but if you know he was a part of something, you knew he was part of getting it done, and getting it done right.
Please join me in honoring Mr. Denny Evans.
Our next inductee graduated from Southern High School in 1990. While at Southern, he participated in football and Racine’s Junior Firefighter Program. He attended Hocking College and the University of Rio Grande studying business. He is a fourth generation farmer who grew up working beside his late father, Roger Hill, and his uncles who taught him the trade of the business. In 1995, he purchased the Hill Family Vegetable and Greenhouse Farm from his family and continues running the farm today. He has also been employed at the Syracuse Racine Sewer Department as a Class 1 Operator since 2007.
In 1993, at the age of 20, he realized he had an interest in serving the community and was elected to the Racine Village Council. He served one full term on council and was re-elected for a second term. Just as this term began in 1997, he was appointed as the Mayor. He is starting his 27th year as the Mayor of Racine and is currently the longest serving mayor in the history of the village. He is grateful for our supportive community, motivated council members and the outstanding village employees who are vital to the everyday functions and success of the village.
As the mayor of Racine, he has overseen several village improvement projects and serves on multiple community committees. Since his time as the Mayor, Racine has built a new water treatment plant and added a new water distribution system. The Village has annexed 80+ acres for development and created a reinvestment area adding new housing and streets within the village. A new fire station has been built along with multiple upgrades to the municipal building and refuge building. The village has received sidewalk improvements and enhancement projects with a new two million dollar project starting this spring. He is currently working with various organizations and government agencies on a large Community Revitalization project and has other future projects planned.
An aspect of the community he is particularly proud of is Racine’s Starmill Park. Since he has been Mayor, many additions and improvements have been made to this popular park that is visited by people all over the region. Through his time in office, a skate park, additional playground equipment, two new shelter houses as well as new and updated ballfield lighting have been added to make the park more entertaining and appealing. The Splash Pad at Starmill Park, officially named, “Kathryn’s Kove”, has been a remarkable and extremely popular addition to the park. Added in 2019, this part of the park is always bustling with activity with people of all ages during the warmer months of the year.
Starmill Park is also the place for some of the Village's most exciting community events that he loves to help with and be a part of. He truly enjoys making Racine a better place for people to live and visit and these events are some of the most unique things Racine offers. With the help of some amazing community members, Racine is able to host “Party in the Park” every September where food and craft vendors are available along with free live-music entertainment in the evening. Party in the Park has hosted many popular artists such as Jake Owen, Morgan Wallen, and Bucky Covington. He and the Party in the Park Committee also work really hard to make sure any money earned from the event goes back to local groups and organizations. Fourth of July events are also held at Starmill Park as well as the annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade.
In 2013, he earned an Economic Impact Award from the Meigs County Chamber of Commerce and he was awarded the Meigs County Community Pillar Award from the Meigs County Chamber of Commerce in 2018. He is always working closely and successfully with state and local government officials to help bring needed resources into Racine.
He is a proud member of the Racine Volunteer Fire Department which recently celebrated its 125th Year Anniversary. He has served as a firefighter for over 30 years holding various roles such as the Lieutenant Captain and Assistant Chief and is the current President. He just received his 25th year pin from the Pomeroy-Racine Masonic Lodge #164 and is a member of other various community organizations such as the Party in the Park Committee. He is also a member of the Meigs County Community Improvement Corporation and The Mayor's Partnership for Progress with 32 other counties. It’s safe to say he is a vocal and avid supporter of Meigs County and especially the Village of Racine.
Please join me in honoring Mr. Scott Hill.“
Congratulations to both Mr. Denny Evans and Scott Hill, as well as their families. If you would like to nominate a person to be inducted into our HOF, please pick up a packet from the school office, or request it through email by emailing daniel.otto@southernlocal.net.
Thank you to those that served on the HOF Selecton Committee, Southern Athletic Boosters, Tricia McNickle, Daniel Otto, Beth Bay, Jenny Hendrix, Elizabth Johnson, and Katie Sayre.