By: Nyla Louise Rteimeh, Staff Writer
On Friday, October 10th, dozens of Poly High alumni gathered on campus to celebrate their wonderful accomplishments at the Bears of Distinction event. On this day ,plaques are added to the wall on the office, each showing recognition to an alumni who has gone above and beyond in their life after graduating. To fully appreciate these individuals, let’s highlight the outstanding achievements of these Bears of Distinction.
Gary Romano was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, until he moved to Riverside at the age of 13 and graduated from Poly in 1989. Years later Gary accomplished his lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant: Romano’s. He took his passion for food and his love of the local community to create his own establishment, the establishment that went on to grow into the lovely restaurant we know today. After his first location opened in the Canyon Crest Towne Center, his franchise just continued to grow, standing at eight Romano’s in three different states. Gary preaches “play whatever hand is given to you” because with the hard work and community you build comes your success. Not only did Gary have a passion for cooking, but also for music, which resulted in him creating The Concert Lounge – till this day his creation remains a place for fellow music lovers. Whether he’s feeding people across the states or sharing his love for music, Gary will always have his love for Poly High School!
Nick Tavaglione moved to Riverside in 1927 and graduated from Poly in 1949, but that was not the end of his long road through education. Nick went on to attend RCC where he played football and baseball, he then followed this with an education at Pepperdine University. Nick had a strong passion for his chosen sports, he pursued this by coaching and teaching students as young as elementary all through High School. He assisted in the founding of the Riverside Little League, Riverside Rancheros, a founding member of Pop Warner Football, a founding member of the RCC Tiger Backers, as well as an active member in the Poly High School Football booster club – but even with all these accomplishments, what Nick held closest to his heart was his family. Nick was the youngest in a family of 11, he constantly was always on deck to help whenever anybody needed anything of any sort. He was referred to as the “go-go” guy by his community. Before his passing Nick was married to his wife, Sallie, for 65 years. They went on to have 2 children, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His family and friends will always remember him as the one who stepped up.
William Sharp was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but where he was raised changed frequently. William’s father was in the National Guard, so where he and his family lived was always changing, moving multiple times during World War II. Eventually, his family settled down in Riverside, where he went on to graduate from Poly in 1951. He went on to enroll at UC Berkeley to pursue medicine, but soon enough he decided to change his focus to business administration at UCLA. Once again, he changed his focus, this time settling on economics. Following this, his teaching endeavors began, starting at UCI and soon moving on to teach at Stanford. It was here that he became involved with consolidating investment processes and applying his practices of financial theory. He eventually went on to be the founder of Sharpe-Russell Research, a firm that focused on providing research on asset allocation to pension funds and foundations. This was the model for what was later known as returns-based style analysis. Eventually, William retired from teaching to focus on his firm. Because of his excellence in pioneering research in financial economics, William was recognized with the Nobel Prize. Although William was not able to make it to the event, his friends had nothing but good things to say about him. His achievements will continue to inspire future generations of Poly High School.
Becky Bell wasted no time pursuing her passion for athletics. As early as five years old, Becky was already swimming and playing tennis at the Riverside Swim Club. She continued to excel in her endeavors, becoming one of only three girls to ever compete on a boys’ team at Poly. Some of Becky’s many accomplishments include holding the #2 spot in tennis singles all three years, being named MVP of the 1975 undefeated Ivy League champions, and going on in 1976 to become the captain. Bell’s athletic journey didn’t end after high school, as she went on to UCLA, where she was a three-time team captain, MVP, and All-American. Her climb in her field seemed to never stop—she was selected to the UTSA Junior Federation Cup team in 1979 and later went on to serve as an assistant coach at UCLA for five years before becoming the head coach at the University of Arizona for twelve years. Bell went on to lead the Wildcats to numerous titles and wins throughout her career. Out of all her accomplishments, what she considers to be the most meaningful is raising the funds to name the program she led, C.A.T.S., in honor of her father, Edward T. Later on, she created the Step UP! Bystander Intervention Program, which went on to win the impressive NASPA Gold Award in 2010. Overall, Becky was and still is an outstanding athlete, friend, coach, and leader.
William “Billy” Creech’s list of titles includes explorer, author, conversationalist, and corporate strategist. As an explorer, William always seemed to be onto his next adventure. Growing up in Riverside, he was a player on the CIF Champion teams as well as a racer on the Motocross team. Billy went on to earn his B.S. in Business Administration and Finance from the University of La Verne after earning his associate degree at RCC. He later attended Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management. His clear love for discovery led him to exploration, where he became involved with both The Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society, leading numerous expeditions. Throughout his adventures, he has uncovered many ancient and historical artifacts. In his community, he earned the nickname “The Desert Explorer” due to his many trips to the Mojave Desert. Even with all the amazing places Billy has gone, he stands by his advice to enjoy Poly, because the people you meet here will remain “your best friends for the rest of your life.” Whether it’s protecting endangered species or discovering thousands of Native American artifacts, Billy is always on the go. He went on to be elected President of The Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the region’s history and culture. Billy has attempted and completed multiple trails in the Mojave Desert but continues to make his own path—just as he forges his own path in life. He has discovered many parts of the Mojave Desert that were previously considered unknown. He lives by the words of Sophocles: “One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.” Creech preaches that whenever you think something is the end of the world, wait—because you still have more time until it’s evening.
David Liu found success early in life, graduating from Poly as class valedictorian in 1998. He continued to excel after that, attending Harvard and ranking first out of all 1,641 students. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and was awarded Harvard’s 1994 Thomas T. Hoopes Prize for an outstanding senior thesis, earning numerous scholarships for his accomplishments. Shortly after, he received a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship and a fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to pursue doctoral studies at UC Berkeley. In just his third year at Berkeley, he managed to develop new laboratory evolution techniques. David continued his academic pursuits, earning his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Berkeley and contributing to the expansion of knowledge about the genetic code in living systems. He went on to deliver a TED Talk on base editing in Vancouver, was named one of Nature’s 10 researchers in the world, and served as director for multiple scientific institutes. David Liu is nonstop in his discoveries and goals, and he will no doubt continue to accomplish all he sets out to achieve.
Richard Ramirez has lived his whole life in Riverside and has devoted his time to helping people in need. Richard’s favorite aspect of Poly was the lifelong friends and camaraderie he gained from high school. He claims that the “togetherness” at Poly is unmatched, even as he pursued his future plans. After Poly, Ramirez graduated from RCC and New Mexico State University in 1964, earning a B.S. in Physical Education. Soon after, he returned to Poly as a teacher and football and baseball coach. After his tenure at Poly, he went on to become Vice President of Student Services at RCC. Richard has since been active in numerous organizations and civic groups, including Inland Valley United Way, Sunrise Rotary, Martin Luther King Visionaries, Riverside Sport Hall of Fame, Riverside Police Advisory Group, Parkview Hospital Board, and Riverside Hospice Companion, among many others. One distinct memory he cherishes is a quote from his football coach at Poly: “There are two types of people in this world, givers and takers. Always be a giver.” He has carried this lesson into everything he does—especially in recent years, welcoming many students who need a home.
Dave Almquist was part of the class of 1969. That year, he was selected as team captain for the water polo team and named Ivy League MVP. His favorite part of high school, however, was meeting his wife of 50 years. “Enjoy your time, take advantage of the opportunities,” he says, “because there are so many that we let pass by.” He attended RCC for two years, where he helped the water polo team qualify for the Southern California Regional Championships. Dave earned his B.A. from UC Long Beach and his master’s degree from the University of La Verne. Soon after, he returned to Poly to coach water polo and swimming. In his second year, the boys’ water polo team qualified for the CIF championship game and placed second. Coach Almquist’s dedication earned him the California Interscholastic Federation Coach of the Year award five times. He later coached RCC’s swim and water polo teams to State Championships, where he was named Coach of the Year three times. In 1984, Almquist joined the Men’s Olympic Water Polo coaching staff—a role demanding the most time and energy of his career. In 1988, at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, he helped the team earn a silver medal, the highest USA Men’s finish in history. No matter what goal David pursues, he says his main priority is staying loyal to his family.
When asking any of the attendees what their favorite memory of Poly was, they always gave the same answer: “the friendships.” Regardless of the amazing things each went on to accomplish, what they hold closest to their hearts are the friendships and connections they made here. The Bears of Distinction event celebrates the generations before us—and it did just that. Stop by the front office and take a look at the alumni who have been awarded the “Bears of Distinction” honor.