Every year, the school’s foundation, The Blue & Gold Foundation, holds a dinner to induct faculty, staff, and alumni into the Blue & Gold Hall of Fame (which is displayed on the wall just outside of the auditorium doors). Current and former school employees, as well as local community members, attend this dinner. This year marks the 18th annual dinner, and what a night it was!

CHS Principal Gail Barnes kicked off the night by awarding Lucretia Gant the prestigious Dianne Clark award for her hard work and dedication to every student she encounters.

“She works 24 hours, day-in and day-out, coaches, she does TSA, and she takes kids everywhere. And those kids who come out of that program, they’ve come out so polished. They know so much, and you [Ms. Gant] set them up for success,” said Barnes.

Next to be recognized, Ace Hardware Store in Chamblee received the Business Champion award for their work with the local Boy and Girls Scouts, schools, clubs at CHS like SGA, churches, and neighborhoods of Chamblee. The store, owned by Stacey and Brian Fisk, has been in the area since 2018, and helped the community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing tests and masks for locals.

The Lifetime Service Award winner for 2024 and a Blue & Gold Hall of Fame inductee was Leah Carden Jennings (‘70) who has committed her life to serving military families and veterans. Jennings feels passionately about supporting and destigmatizing the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that veterans return from battle with. She hopes this legacy is carried on at Chamblee and nationwide because of how important the cause is.

“Let’s not forget these boys and girls in war, let’s honor them,” said Jennings. “My hope is that somebody younger will take up the gauntlet and carry on what I’ve started.”

Another inductee, Barry Anderson (‘86), was an avid high school athlete at Chamblee. He played college football at North Carolina State, and in November 2020, he was a part of the first all-black officiating crew for the National Football League. Anderson still works as an NFL umpire on the weekends, but in 2022, Anderson became the first black court administrator for Chamblee’s municipal court. He cherished his time at Chamblee and still remembers former teachers, faculty, and administrators.

“I’m not going to the Hall of Fame by myself. I’m taking all of y’all with me,” said Anderson.

Inductee Charlie Jabaley (‘06) talked about how Chamblee shaped who he became. After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 10th grade, Jabaley decided he was going to chase every dream, no matter what it took. His teachers said he wore a suit to class and told his classmates one day he would be a millionaire. 

“This is a celebration for my inner child,” said Jabaley. “I wish I could just pull up a chair to that 17-year-old in high school and tell him ‘it’s gonna be ok.’”

After high school, Jabaley went on tour with multiple rap artists as a manager and cameraman, lost 125 pounds, reversed his brain tumor, completed an IronMan competition, was featured in a Nike Super Bowl ad, and is now a sponsored Nike athlete and successful CEO. 

After the dinner, Charlie Jabaley gave, in an interview, advice to current Chamblee High Schoolers. 

“People from Chamblee are legendary. We have superpowers,” said Jabaley. “So go chase every freaking dream, because they’re all going to come true. Dream so big that they call you crazy because… if you’re going to live a life, you might as well live a very interesting one.”

The next inductee of the night was Dr. Ruth Westby Leemis (‘06) who was an incredible swimmer and member of the National Honor Society during her time at Chamblee. She attended Emory University and swam in college, becoming the most decorated school swimmer there. Now, Leemis works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta in efforts of drug and suicide prevention. The current principal, Gail Barnes, was a teacher when Dr. Leemis was a student at CHS.

“[Gail Barnes was a] once-in-a-lifetime teacher in my life,” said Leemis. “I am so grateful having gone to Chamblee.”

Health teacher and swim and volleyball coach, Lorri Reynolds, introduced former teacher and principal, Dr. Rochelle Patterson Lowery. She spent six years in active duty in the Air Force before starting as a teacher at Chamblee in 1994. After her days as a teacher and principal and overseeing the construction of the new school building, Lowery took a job at DeKalb County. Dr. Lowery is now retired, but all the alumni and current/ former teachers sitting in the ballroom remembered Dr. Lowery as the kind, compassionate, and straightforward principal. She said she misses all her students and fellow teachers and cherished her time at the high school.

“There were no teachers throughout the district who could compare to Chamblee High School,” said Lowery. 

Overall, Lowery spoke very fondly of the school, and her speech touched every person in the audience. 

“Time lost cannot be regained. We gotta just keep on growing and keep on learning,” said Lowery. “If you serve in a place long enough, you will experience highs and lows, good and bad. And even though I experienced all that, I love Chamblee High School.”

Nearing the end of the inductions, Shannon Nolan Harris (‘92) introduced Susan Hostrup Montgomery (‘72). Montgomery was Ms. CHS during her time in high school, and after a few years at North Georgia College, dropped out to work at Coca Cola, where she would work for 33 years. Later, she finished her degree at Kennesaw State University with one of her former college friends. Now, Montgomery is heavily involved in volunteering, specifically at her church, Chamblee First United Methodist church. She serves in the Elizabeth Foundation and for Habitat for Humanity. In her speech, she encouraged students to volunteer and experience the world how others do. 

“All US students should see how people in other parts of the world live,” said Montgomery. 

She said Chamblee High School inspired and blossomed her love of helping others. 

Former students Katherine Nunn Anderson (‘72) and Rick McDonald (‘78) both spoke about the last Hall of Fame inductee, former teacher A.K. Moseley, who passed away in 1990. AK Moseley was a history and economics teacher at Chamblee who was known for weaving stories into his lessons, including stories of his time as a Navy soldier in WWII and stories from his hometown, Ninety Six, South Carolina. 

“[He was a] larger-than-life figure at Chamblee High School,” said Anderson.

“Mose” was also known to give nicknames. Little did he know his former students would still remember these nicknames to this day. And when students in his class would slack off, McDonald still remembers what Mr. Moseley would say.

“Y’all are just a bunch of old, sorry bums,” said McDonald, imitating Mr. Moseley. 

“Mose bum” became a popular bumper sticker after this line amongst CHS students in his time. 

AK Moseley was promoted to assistant principal, but he went back to the classroom after a year because he missed the interaction with students. 

“[Moseley] was a man of character [and] never met a stranger,” said McDonald. “Mose made learning fun and interesting.”

Rick McDonald accepted AK Moseley’s 2024 Blue & Gold Hall of Fame award.

Gloria Dunklin closed the ceremony, thanking all the inductees and attendees.

“Keep being who you are and know that you are a shining star,” said Dunklin.

The Blue and Gold Foundation Hall of Fame is meant to honor and remember amazing former faculty, staff, administrators, and students of Chamblee High School. These 2024 inductees are sure to inspire and encourage students for years to come. As many of the speakers at this year’s dinner recognized, Chamblee is a place like no other. Chamblee is a place for growing, learning, dreaming, and creating, and it won’t stop at the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is merely a wall of honor. The real magic is happening in the halls of the school, where future Hall of Famers are walking right now.