Bensalem High School graduates received the Bensalem Distinguished Alumni Award
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
High school goes by in the blink of an eye. Before teens know it, graduation is upon them as they’re forced to put memories, both good and bad, in the past. Still, life goes on as careers are made and families are formed. But for many, who they become in adulthood is shaped during those critical four years. This is certainly the case for 14 outstanding Bensalem High School graduates, the first group to receive the Bensalem Distinguished Alumni Award in an induction ceremony that took place Saturday, Oct. 21.
Held in the newly renovated auditorium, Bensalem High School welcomed back 14 of its most influential alumni. Though their careers range from business and medicine to graphic design and performing arts, they all had one thing in common — gratitude to their alma mater for helping them become the professionals they are today.
For inductee Howard Palamarchuk, class of 1971, his high school experiences made him realize his passion for sports medicine. Now a successful podiatrist, his career includes overseeing triage at the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013 and acting as the consulting podiatrist for the USA Olympic and National Race Walking Team from 1983–2000.
During his time at Bensalem High School, Palamarchuk tested a few sports, including basketball, soccer and distance running. It wasn’t until his junior year that he discovered a knack for race walking, even trying out for the Olympic team at one point. This interest eventually led him to pursue a degree in sports medicine at Temple University and eventually a career.
While race walking helped him discover his passion, Palamarchuk credits several teachers who prepared him for the real world. Thanks to one influential history instructor, once he got to Temple, crafting knowledgeable answers to essay questions was a breeze.
“He taught me how to think and analyze,” Palamarchuk said.
As far as the attitude during his time in high school, he described it as “do your own thing.” This was the era of the Vietnam War and counterculture, and though he and his friends attended football games like the rest of their classmates, Friday nights were usually spent listening to new records like The Beatles’ White Album.
Though times and musical tastes have changed, some things remain the same as Palamarchuk watches his two children follow in his footsteps at Bensalem High School. Max, a freshman, inherited his father’s passion for science and is part of the robotics club. Meanwhile, 11th-grader Wendy took an interest in the arts and serves as president of the fashion club.
Palamarchuk couldn’t put into words the sense of pride he feels as his kids begin to discover their passions in the same halls that inspired him.
“You tend to forget high school, but that’s where it all started,” he said. “Those are your roots.”
Someone who can attest to that is fellow inductee Barbara Simmons, who serves as the executive director of The Peace Center in Langhorne. As the first graduating class of the school’s current location in 1970, Simmons attended during a critical time in history when the civil rights movement and nationwide race riots were taking place.
“Through my white eyes, it wasn’t happening in Bensalem,” she said.
But through her diverse group of friends, she saw that injustices were taking place in her own backyard.
“I had to face what this was all about,” she said. “It was a time of awakening.”
To make her voice heard, Simmons joined the feminist movement and fought for the right to wear pants to school. Though she came out victorious, she still remembers one particular teacher who refused to let her in the classroom until she put on a skirt.
“It was old-school thinking,” she said.
But this just fueled her fire. Thanks to the guidance of another teacher, she realized her need to get out and see the world. Immediately after graduation, she booked a trip to Japan to understand different cultures, and has since traveled to South Africa and the Middle East.
Reflecting on her high school years, one of the core things Simmons learned was critical thinking, which she said got her to where she is today. For 30 years, she has been running The Peace Center, traveling to schools across the county to shed light on issues such as sexism, which she said is still relevant today.
As she practices peace education in the classroom, she draws inspiration from the teacher who encouraged her to travel. He always treated students with respect, and she responded positively to that, now utilizing his teaching methods on a daily basis.
After visiting her alma mater for the first time in a number of years, Simmons was grateful for the opportunity to share all that she’s been up to since graduating.
“It was a humbling event,” she said.
With Bensalem High School’s vast history, it only made sense to include inductees from all generations, including 1997 graduate Joy Deangdeelert Cho. As a Bensalem native, attending the high school felt “like home” and throughout her four years, Cho did it all. From tennis and photography to the National Honor Society, she explained how she used that time to discover her passions, trying different things to see what worked.
Now, Cho is a successful designer with her home decor brand Oh Joy! sold at Target.
“It’s bringing happiness to people through ideas and products,” she said.
As for her induction as a Distinguished Alumni, Cho was honored. For her, the award drives home one of her key takeaways from high school.
“There’s potential for anyone.”
The following graduates were also named Bensalem Distinguished Alumni: Palak Patel (1999), Daniel Reimold (1999), David Issadore, Ph.D (2000), William Stinger (1967), Aaron Jay Kernis (1977), Michael Risich (1992), Robert “Tommy” Tomlinson (1964), Derek Green (1988), Carol J. McIlwain (1978), Nicole Henry (1991) and Richard Fiorentino (1967). ••
