The Alumni Foundation selected four individuals to be inducted into its 2019 Hall of Fame class at the 2nd Annual Golden Hornet ceremony and dinner held in March 2019 including Loretta P. Martinez, ’84, Del Olivas, ’66, Dr. Adolph R. Padula, ’57, and Dr. Jerry L. Sweet, ’57. 

 

Loretta P. Martinez graduated as valedictorian from Pueblo County High School in 1984. She left Colorado to attend Yale University, earning a degree in Political Science in 1988 and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School in 1991. She returned to Colorado to begin her law career, clerking for a federal judge and working as a litigator. In 1995, she returned to the East Coast as a Harvard Administrative Fellow working in Harvard’s General Counsel’s Office. It was there that she discovered her passion for the educational mission of universities and higher education law. She has spent her career since then serving as chief legal officer for Colorado College, Metropolitan State University of Denver, the City University of New York and the University of New Mexico.

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Del Olivas graduated from Pueblo County High School in 1966 as Senior Class President and a gold cord recipient. He was awarded the President’s Scholarship and a four-year scholarship to Southern Colorado State College (now Colorado State University-Pueblo). After graduating in 1970, he earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Denver in 1976. He worked for Pueblo County at the Department of Social Services for more than 31 years, the last seven as Director of the Department. He has served as Pueblo County Treasurer since 2009. Over the years, he has served on numerous boards, commissions, and task forces for the betterment of the Pueblo community. Del and his wife, Joyce, have two children, Brian and Christie, a son-in-law, Talby, and a grandson, Joshua. Brian's wife, Rachel, passed away last year.

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Dr. Adolph R. Padula was born to Italian immigrant parents in 1939. He attended Pleasant View Middle School and Pueblo County High School. After graduation in 1957, he enrolled at Pueblo Junior College (now Colorado State University-Pueblo) and went on to the University of Denver. He graduated in 1964 from Creighton University School of Dentistry then married Bernadette DeRose in 1966. They have three children and eight grandchildren. After 42 years in dentistry, he retired but continues many philanthropic endeavors including Friends of Football, YMCA, Home of Heroes, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo Economic Development Corporation, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Colorado State Fair and Center for American Values. Dr. Padula has a deep love for County High and credits the school with helping him learn how to earn and to always give back.

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Dr. Jerry L. Sweet helped design Pueblo County High School’s Fighting Hornet mascot and graduated in 1957. He served in the U.S. Army and returned to Pueblo to an educational career that spanned more than 30 years. He was involved in Pueblo County 4-H programs, taught Mechanical Engineering Technology at the University of Southern Colorado (now Colorado State University-Pueblo), and developed educational displays for the Colorado State Fair. Many of his students have gone on to work in industry, start their own businesses and teach at Pueblo County High School and Pueblo School District 70. Jerry wanted to help people follow their dreams. He would greet you with a handshake then ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

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