Released by Lenape High School
Lenape High School recently inducted members into its Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held at Lenape High School.
Our Hall of Fame members:
Dr. Robert H. Bende Jr., a graduate of the Lenape Class of 1969, currently operates a successful equine business that includes horses that have competed at horse racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. Since April 1992, Dr. Bende has been a member of the Lenape Regional High School District Board of Education and served as vice president from 1993 to 1995 and president from 1995 to 1997. While a student at Lenape, Dr. Bende served as the Junior Class President, served as a Junior Rotarian, was a representative to Boys State in Washington D.C., and he was a member of the Varsity Boys’ Swim team. After graduating from Lenape High School, he attended Ohio State University where he received a BA in Agriculture, a BS degree and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. At the end of his senior year at Ohio State University, he was recognized as the “Equine Student of the Year.” Dr. Bende has provided veterinary care to community horse owners for the past 33 years. He has also volunteered for the Tabernacle Athletic Association as an Assistant Wrestling Coach. He is married and the father of five children.
Bryan McGrath, a graduate of the Lenape Class of 1983, attended the University of Virginia where he completed a BA in History. He also earned an MA in Political Science from the Catholic University of America and he is a graduate of the Naval War College. McGrath served in the United States Navy for 21 years and he retired in April 2008 with the rank of Commander. From 2004 to 2006 he commanded the guided missile destroyer USS BULKELEY (DDG 84). Currently, he works as the founding Director of Delex Consulting, Studies and Analysis, a Washington D.C. area national security consultancy and he is a Defense Issues Adviser to the Mitt Romney for President Campaign. McGrath’s professional honors and awards include receiving the Vice Admiral John Bulkeley Award in 2004 as the distinguished graduate from US Navy Prospective Commanding Officer School, receiving the Atlantic Fleet Battle Efficiency Award in 2006 while commanding USS BULKELEY (DDG 84), signifying its status as the most “combat ready” ship in the Fleet and testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces in 2011. While attending Lenape High School, Mr. McGrath participated in Student Council, was selected to the National Honor Society, served as the Class of 1983 President during his junior and senior years, and he was a member of the wrestling team.
Eryka Washington, a graduate of the Lenape Class of 1989, attended Douglass College at Rutgers University where she received a BA degree in Communications and Journalism Mass Media. Washington began her on-air television career as a weekend anchor and reporter at WMGM-TV in Atlantic City. From there, she moved to a new position at WHEC-TV in Rochester, N.Y. where she served as a weekend anchor and reporter. From 2001 to 2002 she worked at the Philadelphia WB 10 O’clock News before moving to Orlando, Fl. to join the WESH 2 News Team as an anchor and reporter. During her television career, she has received the Citizenship Award from the City of Orlando and she received an Emmy Award for Best News Team Coverage of a National Disaster. Recently, Washington returned to Philadelphia after accepting a position at NBC10 as a reporter. While attending Lenape High School, Washington was a member of the Girls’ Gymnastics Team, which won State Championships in 1987 and 1988. During her gymnastics career at Lenape, Ms. Washington was named a Philadelphia Inquirer Athlete of the Week, she was named MVP for the Lenape Girls’ Gymnastics Team in 1987 and 1988, and was named to the Gymnastics All Around All South Jersey Team.
Mary Jane Mullen, a graduate of the Lenape Class of 1961, began her invaluable service to our school as a secretary during the summer of that year. While a student at Lenape, Mary Jane served as President of FBLA her senior year and she volunteered as an office assistant during her sophomore, junior and senior years. The 2011–2012 school year marks the 51 year of secretarial service for Mary Jane at Lenape High School. Through the years, our Lenape family of students, faculty/staff, parents and administration has been greeted by Mary Jane on a daily basis with kindness and compassion. Quite often when Lenape High School alumni reflect on their time at Lenape, more times than not, the number one question asked is, “Does Mary Jane still work at Lenape?” Mary Jane has developed and maintained positive relationships with students, faculty, staff, parents and administration for over fifty years. These qualities contributed to her selection as a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2012, not only as an alumnus, but also as a friend of Lenape High School.
Joanne Sanferraro graduated from Rutgers-Camden in 1963. She began her Mathematics teaching career at Lenape High School in the 1964–1965 school year. During her 40-year teaching career at Lenape, Sanferraro was referred to as a “Master Teacher” who maintained high expectations for all of her students. Sanferraro was recognized for her years of outstanding teaching performance when she was named the 1997–1998 Lenape High School and Lenape District Teacher of the Year. During her years of service at Lenape High School, Sanferraro assisted in beginning AP Math courses in the Lenape District, facilitated the introduction of graphing calculators in our district mathematics curriculum, served as an advisor for the Afro-American Club and the National Honor Society. In addition, Sanferraro has served as the chairperson for the Burlington County Professional Development Board. She currently volunteers at the Evesham Township Library and for Animal Lifeline Inc. where she cares for stray and injured animals.
Carl Truscott, a graduate of the Lenape Class of 1975, currently serves as a senior vice-president of ASERO Worldwide, a security corporation located in Washington DC. For the past 26 years, Truscott has worked in Federal law enforcement. Initially, he served as a member of the Secret Service where he became the head of global presidential protection and assistant director of the United States Secret Service. In 2004, Truscott was appointed by the Attorney General to serve as the Director of the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives), a position he served in from 2004–2006. After graduating from Lenape High School, Truscott attended the University of Delaware where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. In addition, Truscott participated in the Director of Central Intelligence’s Intelligence Community Senior Leadership Program, has lectured at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Criminology and at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. While attending Lenape High School, Truscott was a member of New Jersey Boys State his junior year, was inducted into the National Honor Society, served as the Class of 1975 Class President his junior and senior years, was named a Who’s Who Among American High School students in 1974–1975, participated in Varsity Football and Varsity Swimming, and was captain of the Boys Swim Team his senior year.
If you have any questions, please contact Len Westman at lwestman@lrhsd.org.
