Two graduates of Springfield Public Schools who made a mark in their professional careers and spent decades volunteering to help their hometown will be honored in early October.
The SPS Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 inductees were announced Tuesday.
They include Billy Gene Cooper, a community volunteer and mentor, and Denise Fredrick, a community leader and retired educator.
Each year, SPS picks two or more alumni who have achieved success professionally, contributed to their community, or distinguished themselves in ways that may inspire current and future students.
The ceremony will be at noon, Friday, Oct. 4, at White River Conference Center, 600 W. Sunshine St.
Cooper, a 1968 graduate of Central High School, was employed for 28 years as a workforce development specialist, guiding others to success, ultimately earning the honor of Missouri’s Workforce Development Professional of the Year.
Overcoming many challenges and barriers in his own life, Cooper is dedicated to helping others realize their full potential.