Education Matters: Collinsville High School inducts nine to Hall of Fame

Welcome to our first Education Matters column of 2026!

In keeping with last year, there are tons of reasons to celebrate in our local schools. In this week’s edition, we kick off the new year with one district’s recent Hall of Fame inductees, special honors for local educators and, of course, a list of upcoming education-related events.

Let’s get started!

Belleville named day after drama club leaders

Two leaders of Jefferson Elementary School’s Drama Club were recently honored in a unique way: Belleville Mayor Jenny Gain Meyer declared Dec. 17, 2025 “Diana Gravot and Pam Mrsich Day” in the city.

Douglas Elementary is the only elementary school in District 118 to have a drama club, the proclamation says.

“For many children, Drama Club has been a safe place to grow, to be seen and to discover their voice — all because of these two remarkable educators, Mrs. Gravot and Mrs. Mrsich,” it reads.

The duo will soon retire. Their very own actors surprised them with the proclamation after a recent Drama Club performance.

“After years of exceptional service, Mrs. Gravot and Mrs. Mrsich are now retiring, leaving a legacy of creativity, mentorship and dedication that has profoundly impacted the Douglas School community,” the proclamation says. “This legacy will continue to live on through every student they have inspired.”

Collinsville Kahok Hall of Fame 2026 inductees announced

The Collinsville school district’s Kahok Hall of Fame has nine new inductees.

To be be so enshrined, a person must have graduated from Collinsville High School, worked for the district or be affiliated with the school district’s communities, a news release explains.

Inductees belong to one of two divisions. Distinguished inductees are honored for their service to the district and community, academic achievement or professional accomplishments. The athletic distinction recognizes the success of athletes, coaches and teams.

Here’s what the district’s news release says about the 2026 inductees:

• The 1991 boys soccer team came back from “early setbacks” to see great success in postseason and earn Collinsville’s third state soccer championship.
• Rodger Bohnenstiehl was an All-American basketball starter for the Kahoks. He later went on to play for the University of Kansas and professionally for the NBA’s New York Knicks and then played for the Pittsburgh Pipers of the old ABA.
• CHS alumnus Patrick Gauen sports a decades-long career in journalism. He spent many of those years at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In addition to other honors, Gauen was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
• Veteran flight leader Colonel Olin Gilbert, also a CHS alumnus, served in both World War II and the Vietnam War. His career is filled with honors, including the Silver Star, Legion of Merit and Purple Heart.
• Franklin C. “Prof” Kreider, the namesake of the auditorium in Webster Elementary, was Collinsville’s first high school band director and led the band to multiple national band contests. A Facebook post from the Collinsville Historical Museum said that although he never graduated from high school or college, his expertise landed him the nickname “professor.”
• Lois (Welch) Metzger is the personification of Collinsville pride, as a litany of local awards shows. She graduated from the high school, taught in the district and is a well-known member of a slew of area historic and service organizations.
• At CHS, Harry Parker excelled in basketball and baseball. After eight years in the minor leagues, he pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets and Cleveland Indians. He later designed and implemented computer systems.
• A standout girls soccer player at CHS, Deana Wallace played at SIUE, was selected twice for Olympic Festival teams and was an alternate to the first U.S. Women’s National Team. She taught fifth grade and led the CHS girls soccer team to multiple titles and two state tournaments as its coach.
• Corey Wilson was an All-Conference and All-State football player at CHS who continued his success at McKendree, where he was a NAIA second-team All-American in 2003. He coached at McKendree and as a volunteer at the high school. Wilson died in a workplace shooting when he was 27, but the press release said “his legacy endures through the Corey Wilson Scholarship Association.”

A celebratory dinner for the 2026 inductees will be held at 6 p.m., with presentations to follow at 6:45 p.m., at the Gateway Center in Collinsville. Tickets can be purchased at kahokhalloffame.kahoks.org.

Honor Roll

• Mascoutah School District was recognized as a 2026 District of Distinction finalist. This is part of District Administration’s National Awards Program, and, according to its website, recognizes districts that have implemented innovative practices, seen improvements in student achievement and have positively impacted their community.

Mark your calendars

• Teens ages 12-18 are invited to a game night at the Caseyville Public Library from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8. Bring a game, try a new game and enjoy pizza and snacks. The library is located at 419 S 2nd St. Register online at caseyvillelibrary.org.
• Incoming Belleville East freshmen and parents, mark your calendars for freshman parent night. Eighth graders at Central Junior High, Grant, Whiteside and parochial districts should attend the session that starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15. Those who attend Wolf Branch, Pontiac, Belle Valley and West Junior High should attend the session that starts at 6:45 p.m. that same day. The evening will start with an informational meeting at East’s Performing Arts Center and then move to the cafeteria for an open house for electives.
• Incoming Belleville West freshmen and families, your freshmen parent night and open house is Wednesday, Jan. 21. The night starts in the Performing Arts Center and then there’s an open house. Choose from two session start times: one is at 5:15 and the other is at 6:15 p.m.
• Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation has opened its 2026 scholarship applications, and they must be received by the Hugh J. White/Lewis Lynch St. Louis Chapter by Monday, Jan. 26. For more information and the application, visit the “Chapter News” section of the local chapter’s website, tuskegeeairmenstl.com.

In case you missed it

A lot has gone on in metro-east education since our last edition of Education Matters, which was published mid-December. Here’s a few key things:

• The Collinsville Community School District announced administration shifts for next school year. Kevin Robinson, the district’s current human resources director, will be the assistant superintendent of human resources. Tara Glynn, the district’s current special education supervisor and principal of Hollywood Heights School, will be the director of student services.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch and St. Louis Public Radio reporting provided more information on Edwardsville’s now former-superintendent’s departure from the district.
• The East St. Louis school district could lose federal funding for Avant and Officer Elementary Schools. These grants are to support the implementation of the community schools model, which encourages partnerships with local organizations to provide programs and resources for students in their families. In East St. Louis, this means access to food staples, clean clothes, additional academic interventions, after-school programs and more. There have been multiple lawsuits challenging the Department of Education’s decision to end millions of dollars in this funding across the state.