Written by Abagale Elliott

If you walk down the hallway right outside the office at SHS you may see some familiar faces displayed on the walls. Lion Legacy pictures with descriptors line the walls. Lion Legacy is an honor presented to people from our community who have shown a legacy that is to be remembered and coveted. The Salem Education Foundation presents these awards to SHS alumni, who then have an opportunity to speak to the high school student body. 

Five graduates were selected to the 2026 Lion Legacy class. They were: Dr. Jenny (Hinds) Kearshner, Dr. Jared Kearshner, engineer Jill (Hardaway) Barron, business owner Rita (Abner) Lincks and Major General (Ret.) R. Dale Lyles. One brand new recognition, The Heart of the Lion, was awarded to retired teacher Greg McCurdy. These six people were selected as great examples of people who have been impacted by their time at SHS.

The speakers had a chance to talk with the student body in the Everett S. Dean gym at SHS on Friday, April 10, as well as visit classrooms afterwards. Christi Bagshaw, from the Salem Education Foundation board, opened the ceremony with some words about the scholarships given to students at SHS. This year, over $2 million will be awarded to 2026 seniors to go towards their college or trade school education. This is due to 30 years of growth in the program. 

“The support comes from people right here in your own community,” said Bagshaw.

After the opening remarks, senior Flora Wade introduced Major General (Ret.) R. Dale Lyles, who served over 38 years in the military. In his speech, he made sure to thank all his teachers. 

“If it hadn’t been for the teachers… I would’ve never achieved the success that I did in my career,” he said. 

Lyles, who graduated in 1981, expressed his gratitude for the people who shaped him into the person that he became, and gave advice to the students in the audience. 

“This world that we live in is complex, but there are significant amounts of opportunity,” he said.

The next speaker, Rita (Abner) Lincks, who owns Lincks Clothing and Shoes, was presented by senior Zander Bowling. Lincks is a store on the Salem square and has been serving the community since 2006, when Lincks and her husband, Rick, bought the business. They have been recognized with many awards for their philanthropy. 

“I didn’t have a good support system at home, we didn’t have much,” Lincks said. “What I did have were good teachers.”

Lincks, a 1986 graduate, and her husband have been donating shoes and other supplies to children in need through programs like Jump Start. They have helped more than 10,000 kids. They also help community members when their lives have been halted with catastrophic events like floods or fires. They are even there to celebrate when county athletic teams reach milestones, donating proceeds from shirt sales to the school’s program.

“We are proud to serve our community,” said Lincks. 

Jill (Hardaway) Barron is a 1996 SHS graduate who went on to become an engineer and manufacturing manager. She spoke about her experiences at SHS and how they helped her in her job. She was introduced by senior Raewyn Perry. 

Barron said John Calhoun, chemistry teacher, and many other teachers at SHS “had a great impact” on her. 

Barron let the upperclassmen know they don’t have to have everything figured out in high school. 

“I didn’t have some big clear plan,” Barron said. “Not a perfect plan, but it all worked out.”

She worked on inclusion in her line of work as a member of a DEI resource group. In science fields there have been leaps and bounds for women and people of color, in part due to groups like the ones she was a part of. She told the audience to brag about themselves because then “your work, your efforts and abilities are seen.”

Senior Cally Karmire presented Dr. Jared Kearshner, who owns Kearschner Family Dentistry with his wife, Jenny, who was also recognized. He spoke about how much he appreciates the very specific environment that Salem provides. 

“Because it’s a smaller school, I had the ability to try new things,” said Jared, who graduated in 1998. “(I had) freedom to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do.” 

He said he  had many interests, from science and art to sports. He told his audience that they have many paths to take and that the best path is the one that you can both enjoy and rely on to sustain themselves. 

His wife, Jenny, was the last Lion Legacy inductee. She was introduced by senior Emma Lloyd. Jenny, a Class of 2000 graduate, spoke about the confidence she gained at SHS. 

“I remember walking into school feeling like I didn’t know where I fit in yet,” she said. “Salem believed in me long before I believed in myself.”

She spoke about her family, including her daughters, Camryn and Chloe, and moved the crowd. Her speech thanked the community because they surrounded her and welcomed her.

A new award was presented this year to Greg McCurdy, a retired teacher who taught at SHS for 44 years. He taught science to roughly two generations of people. He founded the science club and guitar club at SHS. His impact is still seen today. 

Senior Jenna Hollen introduced him before he spoke. He is the first recipient of The Heart of the Lion award. He mentioned the specific conditions at SHS that made for a good teaching environment. 

“With Brock Creek close by, I loved to take my classes there,” said McCurdy. He made the decision to stay here after a simple realization. 

“I thought ‘Why in the world would I ever want to leave this?’ So I didn’t.”

The program was closed with some final statements by Principal Bob Setser, who told the students, “Remember, they once stood where you are now.”

The program was a success and a great example of where students can go after high school. The paths that these legacies and McCurdy took didn’t have to be straightforward for them to get where they wanted to go. Understanding that can be difficult, as many of the speakers explained, but with some advice and some examples it can be made easier.