Distinguished Alumni Come Home to Red Bank Regional [PHOTOS]

freshman class got the chance to look into the future on Friday as each of the nine alumni inducted into the school's Hall of Fame shared stories from their diverse high school experiences: the chess geek, the budding actor, the computer nerd and the football star among them.

And while their experiences were as varied then as they are for today's students, the inductees told their fellow Bucs that their time at Red Bank Regional set them on the path to where they are today.

"Don't be intimidated, don't sweat the small stuff and play the game," said David D. Dillon, Class of '50, who regaled the audience with memories of playing football games wearing leather helmets and realizing his dreams of becoming an actor.

"I learned more at Red Bank High School than I ever dreamed of learning," said Dillon.

The 2012 inductees into the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame are:

• David D. Dillon (class of 1950) insurance executive and actor;
• The Honorable Daniel M. Waldman (class of 1963) superior court judge retired;
• John Garofalo (class of 1969) civic engineer, small business owner and long time RBR Board member and President;
• Jane R. Denny (class of 1970) educator and Director of Education for Brookdale Center for the Holocaust;
• Robert H. Sickles (class of 1974) award-winning owner and operator of Sickles Market;
• Daniel J. O’Hern Jr., Esq., (class of 1979) Little Silver councilman, attorney;
• Pim Van Hemmen (class of 1980) Pulitzer-winning photo
  journalist and preservationist;
• C Darryl Hughes (Class of 1983) health services executive;
• Andrew E. Forrest (class of 1998) RBR’s alumni and English teacher.

The honorees join 94 previously honored inductees in the annual ceremony organized by the school's Education Foundation. Biographies of each of the alumni were written by members of RBR's Creative Writing Program who also introduced their subjects at the ceremony Friday morning. Following the presentation, students in the school's culinary program prepared a brunch for the new inductees, who were joined by members of the school's staff, friends, family and local government officials.

During the ceremony, Bob Sickles ('74), of Sickles Market, talked about the "turbulent times" of the 1970s when he attended what was then Red Bank High School, when the winning football team garnered all the attention while the school's chess team, which he was a member of, was ranked eighth in the state.

"It was fun, it was hard work, and it all happened here at RBR," he said.

Little Silver Councilman Daniel O'Hern ('79), shared that his experience as a high school star athlete was challenged by injuries.

"I'd be less than truthful to say that high school ws the best four years of my life," he told the audience. "High school can be a difficult time."

But over time, he learned, "It's only the beginning of a life that has many ups and downs."

"Don't get too excited by the highs," said O'Hern, "or too down about the lows."