Grammy Award winner, distinguished Marine among 2023 inductees to Centennial hall of fame

This year's hall of fame class of four Centennial High School alumni will be the first inducted in the school's new building at 2525 Mountview Drive.

Alan Baccarella, Scott Grade, Carl Lucero and Jo Hansen will be inducted during a 9:45 a.m. ceremony at the high school on Nov. 9.

Baccarella, Grade and Lucero are being inducted as alumni. While Hansen also is an alumna, she is being inducted as this year's recipient of the Service to Centennial Award.

"We do have a large number of (alumni) nominations this year — more that we've ever had, but we were only able to select three," said Ellyn Reynolds, chair of the Centennial Hall of Fame committee.

About a dozen alumni were nominated for the hall of fame this year. Individuals who were not chosen to be inducted this year have the opportunity to be inducted in future years.

Alan Baccarella, Class of 1975

As both an artist and public servant, Alan Baccarella has made an impact throughout the state of Colorado. His diverse resume includes time as an award-winning wildlife artist, educator and law enforcement officer.

Baccarella was a school resource officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department from 1988 to 2008, according to his LinkedIn profile. He then taught art at Falcon Middle School for two years before becoming a security officer with Denver Public Schools. In 2013, the state of Colorado recognized Baccarella as its School Safety Professional of the Year.

"His list of accomplishments is superior, but what his friends would tell you is that he is a very humble and moral person whose ethics and conduct prove his level of integrity and helped earn him the distinction of being worthy of recognition in the Hall of Fame," the Centennial Hall of Fame committee wrote in a biography of Baccarella.

Carl Lucero, Class of 1984

About a decade after playing in Centennial's marching and concert bands, Carl Lucero won a Grammy Award as a recording engineer for "Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration" produced by Quincy Jones in 1992.

Performing music with his family since early childhood, Lucero's musical talents include drumming, singing, producing and songwriting. He has toured with the likes of Glen Campbell and shared stages with other legends like the Beach Boys and the Temptations, according to The Perfect World LLC Production Company website.

After years of traveling the country, Lucero moved back to Pueblo with his family in 2011. He has given back to the community and its musicians as an adjunct professor at Colorado State University Pueblo and the owner of Perfect World Music Academy, 301 S. Main St.

"Through his training academy, Perfect World Music Academy, hundreds of students throughout Colorado receive inspiration and support for their love of music," according to his Centennial Hall of Fame biography.

Scott Grade, Class of 1989

Sgt. Maj. Scott Grade served in U.S. Marine Corps for over three decades. As a senior operations director, he oversaw all U.S. Marine Corps Reserve unit operations. His also earned three Meritorious Service medals and two Legion of Merit medals among other decorations during his military career.

"For so many young Marines, he was a leader who at one time in their lives believed in them more than they believed in themselves," according to his hall of fame bio. "His career exemplified mentorship, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the professional development of both officer and enlisted Marines."

While a high school student, Grade proved to be a talented athlete, playing baseball and football for the Bulldogs. In 1987, he helped the football team win a state championship. Grade is currently a talent advocate manager for TekSystems, Inc., in Denver. He also volunteers as a youth sports coach.

Service to Centennial Award: Jo Hansen

With memories of watching her brother play Bulldog football, high school years spent performing with the Pom-Pups, and over a decade of service on the Centennial Foundation board, Jo Hansen's ties to Centennial High School run deep.

Hansen has served the school as a counselor, Centennial Foundation Board member and co-sponsor of the Bulldog Newman Club. While she retired from being a Centennial counselor in 2014, she continued to volunteer countless hours to the school.

During the transition to the new school building, she worked tirelessly to preserve and relocate memorabilia from the previous school's museum. Hansen also has served on the Centennial Hall of Fame committee and has helped with "Bell Week" merchandise sales.

"The fact that she is well loved by so many students reflects the reason she deserves this honor," the Centennial Hall of Fame wrote of Hansen. "Jo truly embodies the motto, 'Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog.'"

What to know if you go

Following the Nov. 9 induction ceremony at Centennial High School, a banquet will be hosted later in the evening at the Pueblo Union Depot, 132 W B St., to celebrate the inductees.

A cash bar will open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The banquet costs $45 to attend. Reservations must be made by Friday, Oct. 20. Individuals can RSVP by contacting the Centennial Foundation at 719-549-7366 or Pam Hough at 719-549-7337.

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo Centennial inducts 4 new members into hall of fame