In its 73 year history, Coral Gables Senior High has educated multitudes of students who go on to be exceptional in their respective fields of study. Two years after the recent revival of the Hall of Fame tradition by Friends of Gables High, on Nov. 3, 11 new inductees were distinguished for their achievements. During fourth period, teachers who were invited brought their classes and filled the seats of the auditorium with a younger generation of Cavaliers.
“When Friends of Gables [was] founded, they decided they wanted to bring back the Hall of Fame, so our first Hall of Fame was supposed to happen the day before we got let go for COVID. We had to postpone it until we came back from COVID, so we did it the year before last. Ideally it would happen every three years, we’re just making up for the COVID years,” Activities Director Mrs. Suarez said.
Once everyone was settled, the lights dimmed and the Gablettes performed a dance number to open the event, showcasing their effort in welcoming the inductees. After their performance, the guest speakers for the Hall of Fame ceremony, FOGH founder June Morris and board member Rosanna Karpiak introduced themselves to the audience.
The pair explained the ceremony and its purpose: to honor distinguished alumni and staff who exemplify the Cavalier spirit. The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps followed them with the Posting of the Colors and led the student body in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The first part of the ceremony commemorated the achievements of Cavaliers from the classes of ’58-86, from doctors to lawyers to admirals, and their excellence in their corresponding career paths. Morris and Karpiak introduced each inductee with a brief overview of their profession and their distinctions in that field before welcoming them to the stage to receive their plaque and give a few words of advice to current Cavaliers.
Common threads in the inductees’ speeches included how Gables provided them with a diverse community, the importance of hard work, the virtues of taking risks and exploring the unknown. They related to students’ stories of difficult upbringings and the important world events going on in the background of their high school years. Inductees compared these accounts to the events current Cavaliers may face and reassured them that perseverance would carry them through such hardships.
“I felt inspired by Judge [Paul] Huck’s humble beginnings. Sometimes it’s hard to be a student with a lot going on in class and at home, but seeing someone like him accomplish great things in spite of that gives me hope for the future,” senior Isabel Da Silva said.
Halfway through the inductions, there was a brief intermission where the cheerleaders presented a performance, hoping it to be a testament to Gables’ pride. Welcoming the invitees back into their seats, the ceremony continued with alumni inductions from musicians to physicists.
“I found [Paul] Steinhardt’s speech very motivating, how he compared studying during the war in Vietnam to us students studying and dealing with issues in the world now, and it reminded me to not give up even when it feels like the world is upside down,” senior Diego Herzog said.
After the alumni inductions, two Cavalier faculty members were inducted, Alberta Jones and Dan Finora. The pair of Gables veterans shared words of advice to both teachers and students, emphasizing the importance of educators in shaping students’ world views. Both Jones and Finora stood on the stage to remind students of their responsibility and potential as the newest generation of graduates out to change the world.
“In all honesty, I never thought about getting [inducted], but I never had aspirations to leave and do something else, the school work has always been something I like to do. Mr. Rath, the first principal, hired me, and I never left,” Mr. Finora said.
The ceremony ended with some final words from Morris and Karpiak, congratulating the inductees as they gathered on stage to pose for a picture. As the sound of a multitude of Cavaliers singing the alma mater filled the auditorium, they now had inspiration from the esteemed alumni to make their marks on the world with Gables spirit.
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Judge Paul Huck was honored for his contributions to the legal profession both as a judge and as a professor. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Paul HuckClass of 1958
Judge Paul Huck has served as justice of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida since 2000. Huck formerly practiced civil law with several distinguished law firms in Miami such as Frates, Fay, Floyd & Pearson and Mahoney, Hadlow, & Adams. He has also sat as a visiting judge by designation on the Eleventh and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals. He has served as professor of Litigation Skills and Professional Responsibility at the University of Miami since 1981. Furthermore, he has served as a faculty member for the Florida Bar Advanced Trial Advocacy Course since 2007.
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William Studeman was honored for his commitment to serving others through the military. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)William StudemanClass of 1958
William Studeman, a retired United States Navy admiral and former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, served in key capacities during the administrations of both George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Throughout his illustrious career, he attained a 4-star rank and held significant roles as Director of Naval Intelligence and Director of the National Security Agency. Studeman's extensive list of tours include Vietnam and Iraq, and he has been appointed to multiple influential panels and advisory boards, including the Iraq Intelligence Commission, the National Advisory Board on Bio-Security and the Public Interest Declassification Board.
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Dr. Michael Zinner was honored for his contributions to the field of medicine. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Michael ZinnerClass of 1963
Dr. Michael Zinner is a nationally recognized cancer surgeon educated at Johns Hopkins University. He founded the Miami Cancer Institute and serves as its CEO and Executive Medical Director. Previously, he assumed leadership roles as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at University of California, Los Angeles and later as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School, Clinical Director of the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center at Harvard and Chairman of the Board of Regents for the American College of Surgeons, the largest surgical organization in the United States.
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Paul Steinhardt was honored for his contributions to the field of theoretical physics. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Paul SteinhardtClass of 1970
Paul Steinhardt is Albert Einstein Professor in Science at Princeton University, where he is affiliated with both the Departments of Physics and Astrophysical Sciences. He is widely recognized for his pioneering contributions to the development of theories concerning the origin, evolution and future trajectory of the universe, notably his proposition of a cyclic universe. Additionally, he has gained prominence for his identification of a distinct form of matter called quasicrystals. Mr. Steinhardt has authored two widely-read books on these subjects: "Endless Universe: Beyond the Big Bang", co-authored with Neil Turok, and "The Second Kind of Impossible: The Extraordinary Quest for a New Form of Matter".
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Dr. Mitchel Berger was honored for his excellence in the field of medicine. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Mitchel BergerClass of 1970
Dr. Mitchel Berger is a renowned neurosurgeon specializing in the treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors, along with tumor-associated epilepsy in both adults and children. Throughout his distinguished career, he has served as president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Society of Neuro-Oncology, as well as principal investigator for the Specialized Program of Research Excellence Brain Tumor Program at the University of California San Francisco. He was recently appointed by President Biden to the three-member Presidential Cancer Panel, offering direct counsel on all matters related to the National Cancer Plan.
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Dr. Lillian Glass was honored for her prolific media output and unique contributions to psychology. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Lillian GlassClass of 1970
Dr. Lillian Glass is a psychology expert in human behavior, a prominent commentator on the body language in various news shows such as CNN. Furthermore, she provides her expertise in behavioral analysis for state and federal cases. She has written best-selling books including "Toxic People" as well as "The Body Language of Liars" and created several award-winning films, including "Reinventing Rosalee", which has won over 50 awards worldwide.
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Jeff Oster was honored for his contributions to the music industry. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Jeff OsterClass of 1975
Jeff Oster is a trumpet and fugelhorn player who has recorded several musical genres such as New Age, Ambient, Funk and Jazz. His achievements include a GRAMMY® nomination, performances at Carnegie Hall and the global release of numerous albums. Contributing as a guest artist to recordings by GRAMMY®-winning and nominated musicians, Jeff's musical journey began when he took up the trumpet at the age of 8, fostering a profound love for music. Despite initially working in the business world, he persisted in pursuing his musical dreams. Over the years, he transitioned into a prominent musical artist, realizing and living out his aspirations.
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Ted Leopold was honored for his contributions to the legal profession in consumer safety issues. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Ted LeopoldClass of 1976
Ted Leopold is a legal expert specializing in the litigation of intricate lawsuits, particularly in the area of consumer safety concerns such as product defects, automobile safety and managed care issues. In 2018, he was listed as one of National Law Journal’s 2018 Energy and Environmental Trailblazers after successfully consolidating and overseeing a series of environmental toxic tort class action lawsuits against E.I. DuPont de Nemours Company and The Chemours Company. He is currently a partner at Cohen Milstein and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, while also serving as the co-chair of the Complex Tort Litigation and Consumer Protection practice.
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Rear Admiral Keith Davids was honored for his outstanding service to the military and the country. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Keith DavidsClass of 1986
Rear Admiral Keith Davids is a SEAL Officer and a 1990 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Currently, he leads the Navy’s Naval Special Warfare Command. His former leadership positions include serving as the commanding officer of SEAL Team One, commander of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, commander of Special Operations Command SOUTH, Joint Task Commander, Military Aide to President Bush and Director of the White House Military Office, overseeing military support to the Executive Office of the President.
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Alberta Jones was honored for her contributions to Gables over her 30 year career. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Alberta JonesAlberta Jones is a former faculty member who devoted over thirty years of teaching to Gables, from December 1969 to June 2003. Her remarkable tenure at Gables High encompassed various roles, including Co-Department Chair of Language Arts, Sponsor of Anchor Service Club, Gables Teacher of the Year, Editor for Amsco Publishers and teaching Test of English as a Foreign Language in the evenings. Currently, she continues to contribute as a substitute teacher and plans to publish her debut book, a collection of poems that encapsulate her diverse life experiences.
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Daniel Finora was honored for his continued service as a Cavalier for over six decades. (Courtesy of friendsofgables)Daniel FinoraDaniel Finora is a lifelong Cavalier who has worked at Gables since 1960. Starting his career as a substitute, he eventually became a full-time teacher of a business class and coached junior varsity football and tennis. In 1963, he became the athletic business manager for Gables and later also started coaching the golf team. After stepping down from the athletics department, he became involved with student services in 1998 to become the guidance counselor he still is today. His induction to the hall of fame is but one of many awards and plaques dedicated to him on display in his office.
