GRAND FORKS, N.D. Grand Forks Central High School has selected five alumni to its inaugural class of Distinguished Alumni.

Dr. Tom Amberry, Ronald Davies, Hal Gershman, Jeffrey Holmes and Dr. Kathryn Uhrich will be formally inducted during a school assembly on September 13 at 2 p.m. The inductees will also be honored during halftime of the Grand Forks Central football game on September 13 at 7 p.m.

The distinction of Distinguished Alumni is to honor graduates of Grand Forks Central who have made a significant impact on their communities and professions, as well as provide models of success to current Grand Forks Central students.

We are excited for the opportunity to honor these accomplished alumni of Grand Forks Central, said Principal Buck Kasowski. Our school has such great tradition, and events like this help to keep our students connected to that history. The stories of these alumni show the great possibilities in life for our current students.

The inductees are the first individuals among 128 graduating classes to be honored in this way.

Portraits and biographies of the five inductees will hang in the hallways of Grand Forks Central to be joined by future inductees.

2013 Grand Forks Central Distinguished Alumni Class

Dr. Tom Amberry, 40, graduated from Long Beach City College in 1947 and received a M.D. in Podiatric Medicine from the California School of Podiatric Medicine (San Francisco) in 1951. Amberry was commissioned as a Seaman First Class in the United States Navy, served in World War II and participated in the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France. Amberry received the first podiatry clinic license in California and served on the Board of Trustees of California College of Podiatric Medicine for 20 years. Amberry is a nationally-known lecturer and author of several journal articles on podiatric surgery. Amberry is also a world champion free throw shooter and has earned several accolades. In 1993, at the age of 71, Amberry set the Guinness Book of World Record for most consecutive free throws made in a row (2,750). Amberry has taught free throw shooting technique in all 50 states, 104 countries and five continents.

Ronald Davies, 22, graduated with a B.A. from the University of North Dakota in 1927 and a J.D. from Georgetown University in 1930. Davies was commissioned First Lieutenant in the United States Army, serving in World War II. Davies was elected Grand Forks Municipal Judge from 1932-1940, had a private legal practice in Grand Forks from 1940-1942, and was a part-time Executive Director of the North Dakota Bar Association and UND law professor from 1946-1955. In 1955, Davies was appointed U.S. District Judge for the District of North Dakota. In 1957, Davies was temporarily assigned to assist Arkansas District Court in handling a backlog of cases. While in that assignment,

Davies ordered a preliminary injunction against the governor of Arkansas to desegregate Little Rock Central High School. Davies was named an Outstanding Georgetown Law School Alumnus in 1958 and he received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of North Dakota in 1961. In 1979, Davies received the University of North Dakotas highest alumni honor, The Sioux Award. Davies was the recipient of the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award in 1987. Davies died in 1996.

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Grand Forks Central selects five for Class of Distinguished Alumni