The Central Lee Community School District has inducted three new members to its Fine Arts Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022.
This year, the Hall of Fame is honoring three Central Lee graduates who were involved in the district’s fine arts departments and other extracurricular activities—and have leveraged their talents into successful careers.
“At Central Lee, we value the experiences our students have in the fine arts, which we see as being equally important to academics and athletics,” said Dr. Andy Crozier, Central Lee Superintendent. “We are privileged to have had so many talented artists and musicians make significant impacts on our schools. We look forward to recognizing each of our fine arts inductees and their incredible achievements, from Emmy Awards to using their talents to fundraise for their communities.”
Inductee David Roth is a 1969 graduate of Central Lee High School and was involved in the concert and marching bands, playing the tuba. He lettered three years in football and was also involved in the senior play. While in high school, he started a band that was later named World Inc., and in 1978, he started the Ozone Ramblers. The Fort Madison-based band entertained loyal fans for four decades.
Roth is also a member of Dusty Calhoun and Dogtown 3. He was an integral member of the DEC Hands for 25 years as a cast member and guitar player, raising thousands for local families in need and providing numerous opportunities for Central Lee students to perform. Most recently, he created the “To Ukraine from Iowa with Love” live music event, raising over $20,000 to help Ukraine refugees. Roth continues to be an avid supporter of live music in and around Lee County.
Also inducted this year is Kelsey Hammer-Parks, a 2008 graduate of Central Lee and a 2011 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, where she graduated summa cum laude. She is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and video storyteller, with her interest in video production beginning at Central Lee with the support of Deanna Lind Reynolds and Kris Brewer.
During high school, Hammer-Parks was involved in activities that included community problem solving, science fair, basketball, golf, softball, jazz band, and marching band (serving as drum major for three years). Her career highlights as a filmmaker include receiving a Midwest Regional Emmy and the Edward R. Murrow award for a docuseries on the stories of vulnerable Iowans after the devastating derecho storm of 2020.
A graduate of the class of 2008, Morgan Krehbiel earned a GPA of 4.18 and participated in yearbook, art club, community problem solving through the TAG program, marching band, and show band. She is a 2012 graduate of Northwestern University, where she earned a bachelor of arts in art theory and practice, with honors.
Krehbiel has since worked as a designer and art director for numerous publishers and publications, including “Burn the Place” (long-listed for the National Book Award) and “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut,” which received Caldecott and Newberry honors. She runs her own design agency, Morgan Krehbiel Creative, from her home in Chicago. She also donates her time and creative resources to help local mutual aid groups organize and provide support for her community.
The Fine Arts Hall of Fame was created as a means of recognizing, preserving, and promoting Central Lee's rich history and tradition of excellence in fine arts. It emphasizes the importance of high-achieving graduates and former staff members who made a big impact on the school community during their time in Central Lee.
Community members, families, staff, and alumni are encouraged to nominate individuals for Hall of Fame recognition. A committee then reviews all nominations and determines each year's inductees. Central Lee also has Academic and Athletics Halls of Fame.
For individuals to qualify for a nomination, they must have graduated from Central Lee schools or have been a staff member. They also must be at least five years removed from their time in the district. The nomination form is available at https://bit.ly/CLHOFNomination.