The Alva Goldbug Education Foundation (AGEF) will honor four Distinguished Goldbugs at their second annual AGEF Banquet on Oct. 13 at 5:30 p.m. in the Alva Middle School Cafeteria.

This year's honorees include Dr. William Simon, professional; Ramona Cummings, teacher; Don E McOsker, philanthropy; and Joy Leslie Glass, education.

William Simon, MD

William Simon, MD, is a well-known pediatrician, founder of Northwest Pediatrics in Enid.

Born in Alva, Simon attended Alva Public Schools, graduating in 1947. He has five children and three stepchildren.

Attaining the rank of Eagle Scout is one of his many noteworthy achievements.

Simon attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University from 1947-1950. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in 1954, ranked ninth of the 83 graduates. He served his internship at University Hospitals, Ohio State University. He completed his residency at the Children's Memorial Hospital in Oklahoma City.

Simon served in the U.S. Air Force from 1955 – 1957.

He is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. His activities include twice serving as chief of staff and member of the board of trustees at St. Mary's Hospital of Enid; chief of staff of Integris Bass Baptist Hospital; board of directors of the Enid Chamber of Commerce; and many other prestigious memberships.

Simon's works have been published in various medical publications. He is a member of the Garfield County Medical Society, the Oklahoma State Medical Association, the Oklahoma Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Ramona Cummings

Ramona Cummings recently retired after serving 34 years as vocal music instructor for the Alva Middle School and Alva High School.

Cummings graduated from Seiling High School in 1975. She attended Oklahoma State University where she received her bachelor of music education degree in 1978, and her masters of education degree in 1979.

Prior to coming to the Alva school system in 1982, Cummings was director of choral activities for the Dumas (Texas) Public Schools.

Cummings is married to John Cummings. They have one daughter, Connor, a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma.

Her honors include being named Alva High School Teacher of the Year (2015-2016) (1998-1999), Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Music Directors Award (2016), Director of the OSSAA State Champion Choir, Masonic Teacher of the Year (2016), Oklahoma Choral Directors Association Director of Distinction 2013-2014, Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Music Directors Award (2014 and 2008) and Director of State Champion Choir (2008), Oklahoma Music Educators Association Exemplary Teacher of the Year (2007), Western Oklahoma Choral Directors Association Director of Distinction (1992-1993).

She has been a member and officer of the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association where she currently serves as treasurer; president of the Western Oklahoma Choral Directors Association from 1982-present); Oklahoma Music Adjudicators Association (1982-present); Alva Education Association where she has served as president, vice president and negotiations representative; the Nescatunga Arts and Humanities Council where she serves as treasurer; and accompanist at the First Baptist Church of Alva.

Don E. McOsker

Don McOsker is the brother of Perry McOsker and brother-in-law of Ed Brower, one of last year's AGEF honorees.

A 1948 graduate of Alva High, McOsker graduated in 1952 from Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University, with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry. He received his master's degree in biochemistry from OSU, and his doctor of philosophy degree in biochemistry with a minor in nutrition and animal physiology from Cornell University.

McOsker was a biological chemist with Procter and Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. After retiring from P&G, he formed McOsker Limited Partnership in 1998, which became Hilltop Research, a company now owned by his children.

Hilltop Research started in a spare bedroom of the McOsker home, expanding to two 13,000 square foot buildings to meet their current needs.

McOsker retired in 2005 and promoted himself to CEO in charge of the 100-bush rose garden.

His memberships include: Oklahoma High School Honor Society, Phi Lambda Upsilon, American Chemical Society, Sigma Xi, and the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities.

McOsker's works have been published in many professional research journals.

Joy Glass

Joy Glass is a well-known Goldbug for her contributions to education and community activities. Glass began her school career at Lambert Elementary School. She graduated from Alva High School in 1958, the first class to graduate in the new Alva Memorial Auditorium.

After graduation, she attended summer school at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1962 with a bachelor of science degree in home economics. That fall, Glass and her husband, Larry, moved to El Reno where he taught math and served as an assistant coach.

The Glass family returned to Alva in 1963 where they still reside. They have three children, Gregg, Leslie and Jeff; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Glass has served on the Cherokee Strip Museum board where she helped initiate the Festival of Trees project. Along with the late Dale Brown, Glass was a moving force in the Runnymede Project, which involved the purchase and renovation of the old Runnymede Hotel into the community center it is today.

For many years, Glass hosted the pumpkin painting project which raised funds for the Northwest Family Services. She started the Alva Meals on Wheels program, which she still serves. She is a member of the Holly Club, the Walkie Talkies and the Nescatunga Arts and Humanities Council, where she volunteers annually for the arts festival.

Glass' family donated funds to develop the Alva Recreation Complex, the Alva High School indoor practice field, the NWOSU baseball field, and the artificial turf at Ranger Field.

Tickets Available

Tickets to the banquet are available at Holder Drug, the Alva Public Schools' Central Office at 418 Flynn, or by calling Lizbeth Richey at 327-7630. Tickets cost $25 per person.

Joy Glass

The banquet starts at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 13 in order to allow student servers to attend the annual homecoming bonfire. Honorees will be featured in the Goldbugs Homecoming Parade.