After her address to the entire student body, Hallie Stephens Drake, class of 2003, walked down the halls of OPRF reminiscing about the location of old lockers.  Stephens Drake, (entertainment host and producer), Jerry Saltz (Pulitzer-Prize winning art critic) and Josh Wood (event and party planner), accepted this year’s Tradition of Excellence Award, which honors alumni for doing great things outside of their years as a student. During two school-wide assemblies, they spoke about their time at OPRF and the things they have achieved since graduating. The Student Council planned and attended an after-ceremony brunch to honor the recipients. Stephens Drake was the only speaker able to attend in person.

Principal Lynda Parker said she “absolutely love(s) this event,” because of how “beautiful” the room looked. The tables were covered in orange and blue tablecloths and decorated with plates and utensils. A table of food, including pork sausage, egg potato casserole and more was set out for Stephens Drake, her guests and Student Council representatives.The process of choosing the honorees was left to the Student Council. The group received the information of alumni who had been nominated, usually from friends and family. Junior Charlie Pozesky, Student Council public relations officer, said from there “we all narrowed it down to three.” As student body president in her time, Stephens Drake was involved in the choosing of the Tradition of Excellence honorees herself, making it a “full circle moment,” to be honored, she said.