As students, faculty, staff, and visitors walk through the entrance of Chamblee High’s Fine Arts Building, they pass the Chamblee High School Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors alumni and staff who have made an impact within their community and carried the pride of Chamblee throughout their careers. As of November 6, 2025, seven more names have been added to the wall of plaques. The inductees were honored at a celebratory dinner hosted by the Blue and Gold Foundation, Chamblee’s fundraising committee.
“Tonight we are celebrating our Chamblee alums, our dedicated educators, and the incredible supporters who make the work of the Blue and Gold Foundation possible,” said Principal Gail Barnes during her opening speech. “Your generosity and commitment to help us create opportunities go far beyond the classroom, enriching the lives of every student we serve.”
The first highlight of the night was the honoring of Margaret Major, the recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Service Award. This award honors individuals who have shown dedication and service towards the school and community.
“Chamblee High School is shaped by the tireless efforts of parents and volunteers pouring their hearts into our school community. Margaret Major is the embodiment of that skill,” said Mallory Bailey, who introduced Major. “She rallied support from neighborhood businesses, planned homecoming, festivities, and created welcoming events like middle school night at football games… But Margaret’s impact didn’t stop there. She volunteered in the attendance office, served on the PTSA, and helped organize college fairs, all while raising two children as a single parent and serving as a full-time college professor.”
Margaret Major served as a parent volunteer during her children’s time at Chamblee. During her speech, she explained what led her to take up such responsibility.
“I discovered a school filled with passionate, educated, dedicated administrators, talented coaches, driven students, and an incredibly caring community… Like so many parent volunteers, I never did it for recognition. I did it because I believed in helping build something that would last, not only for my own children, but for every student who walked the halls,” said Major.
The first inductee of the night was cameraman Steve Angel. During his career, he filmed for the NBA Draft, Golf on CBS, The Masters, College Football National Championship, Super Bowl LVIII, and three Olympic Games. Angel was recognized for his work with twenty-six Emmy nominations and ultimately five wins.
“Being a cameraman isn’t just about capturing beauty. It’s about braving chaos. In 2010, during game four of the ALCS, a broken bat flew towards Steve. He didn’t flinch. He kept filming through a shattered lens as Alex Rodriguez dashed towards home plate. That lens, $20,000. That footage, priceless… because that’s what he does. He shows up, he captures the truth, and tells the story,” said Lorri Reynolds during her speech.
Angel believes that the mindset a person has when following their dreams is just as important as the work they do to achieve it.
“Believe in yourself, try really hard, and develop a work ethic, which is part of what I got at Chamblee,” said Angel, when offering advice to current students. “Don’t let people tell you that you can’t do anything. You can do anything you want to do.”
Inductee Adam Buchanan was honored because of his accomplishments in genetic studies and his career as a research scientist, working with families to find the possibility of cancer within their genetics. Buchanan connected his achievements to the many lessons he learned during his time at Chamblee, specifically the lesson of embracing failure.
“Being able to fail in a supportive environment is the kind of thing that allows you to take risks going forward, and a lot of what I do is taking risks,” said Buchanan. “I have all sorts of things that never work out the way they’re intended to. But that’s okay. Knowing how to respond to [mistakes], being able to take that step back and evaluate what went well, and being able to then do a little bit better next time have really been critical components of doing the kind of work that I do.”
The next inductee, Monica Dewey, is an opera singer who has performed on many notable stages, such as the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Cologne Opera. Additionally, she has won the First Prize in the International Hilde Zadek Voice Competition in Vienna and was named National Semi-Finalist for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, amongst other awards. During her speech, Dewey spoke about her appreciation for the music program at Chamblee.
“My four years at Chamblee High School truly revolved around that choir room. I’m so grateful that I had a place where I felt like I belonged, where I could use my crazy opera voice and be encouraged, and I could make beautiful music with people I would have otherwise never met. I learned that kindness can lead a room, that music can connect people who have nothing in common, and that singing can take you around the world,” said Dewey.
Dewey noted some of the lessons she learned from her time at Chamblee.
“I learned at Chamblee that four years can go by really fast, so make the most of your time,” said Dewey. “Make as many connections as you can, explore all the activities, and all the interests that you have, because it’s going to serve you down the road.”
Following Dewey’s induction, Lisa Carr Kinemore was the next to be honored for her service on the Georgia Board of Education. During her speech, she explained how Chamblee’s faculty inspired her.
“I remember the first day I walked into Chamblee High School. It was so daunting. We were changing classes. It was so big, and I was very shy. I didn’t talk to anybody,” said Kinemore. “Then I started communicating with different people, especially the faculty of the teachers at Chamblee High School. The administrators, the counselors, the teachers, they were always very helpful and very encouraging… because of what [the educators] have done, I am doing what I do.”
Faculty member Mr. Brian Ely introduced the next inductee, former faculty member Kurt Koeplin, who passed away in 2022. Ely brought up memorabilia to the podium during his speech, reminding many of the staff members in the audience of Koeplin’s memory.
“This phenomenal man walked the halls of Chamblee High School, not just as a teacher or coach, but as a cornerstone of our community,” said Ely. “Kurt was lovingly known as Coach K, and was far more than a fixture of CHS; he was a heartbeat.”
Koeplin’s wife, Cathy Koeplin, was introduced to collect Koeplin’s award. Her speech was received as touching, describing Koeplin’s generosity and dedication to teaching.
“I’ll never forget when he first started teaching AP Psychology. We were out running errands, and he suddenly said, ‘We need to make a detour at Walmart.’ The next thing I know, we’re in the toy aisle, and he is dumping Play-Doh in every color known to man into the cart, followed by hula hoops and pirate patches. I stood there, completely confused,” said Koeplin. “Later, I learned the Play-Doh was for those students who couldn’t afford their own… The hula hoops were for coordination exercises. The patches? Eye sensory adaptation. He taught with creativity and joy.”
The last inductee inducted into the Hall of Fame was Margaret Bryan Shick, a former faculty member. Her career as a teacher included accomplishments such as introducing the AP Computer classes to Chamblee, sponsoring the school’s Blue and Gold Newspaper, and coaching the cheerleading team.
“At Chamblee, she not only taught but also led varsity basketball and cheerleading teams, bringing the same energy she brought to the classroom. Her leadership eventually led her to be the assistant principal at Lithonia and Crosskeys High Schools, and she continued to mentor and inspire others,” said Kathryn Nunn Anderson, who inducted Shick.
The new Hall of Fame inductees are now displayed on plaques in the gym lobby, next to many of the previous alumni and faculty members who were bestowed with the same honor.
