WPSD Alumni Association

Distinguished Service

The person shall be chosen for recognition for his/her loyalty services to the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf for many years.

List of honorable biography of Distinguished Service, based on chronology date order of the award.

Rodeny Danco – 2002

  • Born to the WPSD parents of Rade ’34 and Marie (Rice) ’41* Danco
  • Graduated in 1965
  • At WPSD
    • First alumnus to serve on the Board of the Trustees (1984-2006)
    • First Deaf President of the WPSD Board of Trustees (2002-06)
  • Donated to the Alumni Giving Tree
  • Received the Outstanding Board Member at WPSD in 1996
  • Received the Outstanding Alumni Award at WPSD in 1996
  • Receive the Distinguished Service Award in 2002
  • Received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2014

Richard “Dick” Starr – 2005

  • Director of Food Service (1967-2018)
    • Hired boys as waiters during breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the students
      • Policy changed requiring hire the deaf and hearing adults to do the work
    • Hired girls to host the staff although dinnertime only
      • Policy changed requiring hire the deaf and hearing adults to do the work
    • Hired boys for the dishwasher during breakfast and dinner
      • Policy changed requiring hire the deaf and hearing adults to do the work
    • Always willing to serve the meals during the Alumni Reunion
  • Served Five Starr Service over 50 years
  • Received the Distinguished Service Award in 2005
Rev. J. G. Brown
1885 – 1889

Rev. John G. Brown – 2020

  • At WPSD
    • Founder of our School in 1869
    • Organized a Board of Trustees in 1871
    • President of the Board of Trustee (1871-85 & 1889-1904)
    • Written First Annual Report in 1876
    • Our fourth Superintendent (1885-89)
    • Retired in the spring of 1889
    • Charter Member (1871-1904)
  • After his retirement as Superintendent, he returned his post as a president of the Board of Trustees until his death on March 4, 1904 at the advanced age of 80 years
  • His longest service to our school as Charter member from 1871 to 1904 (33 years)
William N. Burt
1889 – 1921

Dr. William Burt – 2020

  • At WPSD
    • Our fifth Superintendent (1889-1921)
    • Encouraged the students to pursue college education and he sought financial support from the government
    • Wrote thousands of letters to the parents or related to the recruitment of new students and asked parents to write letters to their children and also encouraged the pupils to write letters to their parents
    • Witnessed two different schools; One was burned down on December 14, 1899 and the other one was at Dr. Burt’s skill as a builder
    • Written First WPSD History in 1911
  • Died on October 17, 1921 during his last term of office in Edgewood
  • Thirty-two years of his life (1889-1921)
  • Received the Distinguished Service Award in 2020

Janice Neleigh – 2023

  • Hired a physical education teacher for the girl
    • Teacher (1965-91)
  • Varsity Coach, tried to find some interscholastic sports for girls and all sports under head coach except basketball:
    • Volleyball (1966-1978)
    • Basketball (1966-1977)
    • Softball in 1967
    • Field Hockey in 1968
    • Soccer (1973-1976)
    • Tennis (1976-1981)
  • First Advisor of the Girls’ Athletic Association (1965-91)
  • Retired in 1991 after 26 years of service
  • WPSD quotes: “The present program of girls’ sports at WPSD owes much to Jan’s relentless advocacy of equal opportunities in sports”

Provided by Stephen Rute, WPSD Class of 1974 who spend his time for the research on alumni awards. This would not have been possible without his support in our WPSD Alumni Association.