13 graduates in inaugural group of distinguished alumni to be honored by New Kensington-Arnold

A baker’s dozen of graduates of the New Kensington-Arnold School District and its predecessors make up the first group of distinguished alumni who will be honored through a reinvigorated recognition program.

Nearly 30 graduates of Valley, Arnold and New Kensington high schools had been nominated by the Dec. 1 deadline for the program that school board member Sarah Yurga said is intended to recognize people, living and dead, who have had “extreme success” in their lives.

The district’s previous distinguished alumni program died out after two groups were honored, in 2010 and 2011.

Of the nominees, 20 were graduates of Valley High School, six graduated from Ken Hi and three graduated from Arnold High. Two had been nominated twice.

The 13 honorees were chosen by a committee of school directors, district administrators, current and retired teachers, alumni, local historians and politicians.

Assistant Superintendent Jon Banko, who with Yurga led the effort to relaunch the program, said all of the nominees “are excellent representatives of the great people that have come out of the school district.

“I especially like that the chosen candidates span a very broad timeline, and I’m hoping that in the coming years we will get even more nominations,” he said. “It’s really great to see so many successful contemporaries being recognized. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the rich history of the school district.”

Of the 13 chosen, eight graduated from Valley High School, three graduated from Ken Hi and two graduated from Arnold High. Their graduation years range from as far back as 1940 to as recently as 2016.

Three of the 13 are being honored posthumously.

Yurga said the honorees will be recognized on a plaque, and information about them will be posted to the district’s website. A celebration may be planned for a tailgate party before a Vikings football game in the fall.

Yurga said she is open to suggestions on how to celebrate the alumni.

The honorees are:

• Lorraine Brooks Cheatham, 1958, Ken Hi. Cheatham, who died in 2022, altered wedding gowns, prom gowns and ready-to-wear garments and created one-of-a-kind custom creations for residents across the Alle-Kiski Valley. She had been the bridal department manager at Hart’s Department Store for 20 years, then founded “The Perfect Fit by Lorraine.”

• Johnny Costa (John Costanza), 1940, Ken Hi. He was an acclaimed jazz pianist and composer and served as musical director for “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” He died in October 1996.

• Tamara Simpson Girardi, 2000, Valley High. An associate professor of English for Harrisburg Area Community College, Girardi has authored books for children and young adults.

• Nelson Goldberg, 1949, Arnold High. Goldberg, who died in September 2005, was an innovator, pioneer and visionary in telecommunications and developed the first cable system to be acquired by Comcast. He owned and operated radio stations for more than 25 years. He served in the Army during the Korean War.

• James Hetrick, 1978, Valley High. A professor of engineering and physics, Hetrick spent 13 months at the South Pole Station studying cosmic rays, solar wind and the Earth’s magnetosphere.

• Amy Nader Johnson, 1991, Valley High. A small-business owner, Johnson opened Sweet Tillies, a bakery specializing in baklava, in New Kensington.

• Royce Jones, 2016, Valley High. Jones joined KDKA as a freelance news reporter in January 2020. He was previously with WTRF-7 in the Wheeling/Steubenville market, where he was a multimedia journalist and weekend anchor.

• John Marzullo, 2001, Valley High. Marzullo became the youngest regional manager in Best Buy’s history, then became a Realtor with Howard Hanna and formed his own realty group through Compass.

• Patrick Nee Jr., 1993, Valley High. Previously a teacher and assistant principal, Nee currently is principal of Valley High School.

• Tom Rocchi, 1956, Arnold High. Rocchi was a teacher, guidance counselor and principal in the New Kensington-Arnold School District. He retired from his 60-year career in 2021.

• Lt. Col. Brett Swierczewski, 1994, Valley High. Nominated for his accomplishments during his military service and impact on society as a scientist, Swierczewski has attained international recognition as an expert in acute traveler’s diarrhea, an infectious disease that impacts the health and readiness of the U.S. military. He now serves as director of the research program office at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.

• Anthony Vigilante, 1991, Valley High. Vigilante is an attorney who serves as solicitor for the city of New Kensington and the New Kensington-Arnold School District. He recently purchased and helped redevelop several downtown New Kensington buildings that are home to popular businesses including Strange Roots Experimental Ales, Common Oven Pizza Co., Steel Cup Coffee Roasters, Trovo and Taqueria El Pastorcito.

• Thomas Wilczek, 1961, Ken-Hi. A former superintendent of the New Kensington-Arnold School District, Wilczek previously had been a teacher, yearbook sponsor and sponsor of various clubs before moving into administration.