- December 21, 2024
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Sarasota High principal Ryan Chase welcomes the crowd to the school's 2023 Hall of Fame induction.
Photo by Ryan KohnSHS Hall of Fame co-organizer Matt Drews addresses the crowd at the 2023 event.
Photo by Ryan KohnFredd Atkins received his Community Steward Award from co-organizer Jeana Schmidt.
Photo by Ryan KohnTom Whitehurst was a football and baseball player and coach at Sarasota High.
Photo by Ryan KohnMollie Cardamone ran the retail business Children's World and later served eight years as a city commissioner and two years as mayor.
Photo by Ryan KohnScott Dunlap had status on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions for 29 years is still active.
Photo by Ryan KohnCarl Luer created a marine biomedical research program at Mote Marine Laboratory in 1979.
Photo by Ryan KohnCedric Saunders played football at Ohio State University and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining the Bucs, and later the Detroit Lions, in a off-field capacity.
Photo by Ryan KohnSarasota High held its 2023 Hall of Fame ceremony at Michael's On East on Wednesday, honoring six inductees for their contributions to the school and the larger community.
Unlike other halls of fame, Sarasota's is not limited to athletics. The Hall also selects individuals who have made an impact on the community in other ways. This year's inductions included Fredd Atkins, Tom Whitehurst, Mollie Cardamone, Scott Dunlap, Carl Luer and Cedric Saunders.
Atkins, a 1969 graduate, was the first Black mayor of Sarasota and a city commissioner for 18 years. Atkins is a founder or a board member of several organizations, including Newtown Little League, the Greater Newtown Community Redevelopment Corporation and the Sarasota NAACP.
Tom Whitehurst, a 1966 graduate, played football and baseball at Sarasota and went on to play football at the University of Florida, where his career was cut short by injury. Whitehurst returned to Sarasota High as a football and assistant baseball coach, and succeeded Charlie Cleland as the head football coach in 1984. He led the Sailors to eight consecutive winning seasons and five playoff appearances.
Mollie Cardamone, a 1954 graduate, ran the retail business Children's World for 37 years at its Sarasota location and for 19 years at its Bradenton location. Cardamone also became involved in Sarasota politics, serving eight years as a city commissioner and two years as mayor.
Scott Dunlap, a 1981 graduate, was the class valedictorian and a member of the Sailors golf team. Dunlap played golf at the University of Florida before turning professional. He has had status on the PGA Tour and is still active on the PGA Tour Champions; he has earned more than $12 million in his career.
Carl Luer, a 1966 graduate, earned a master's degree in zoology from the University of South Florida in 1974 and earned a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Kansas in 1978. In 1979, he created a marine biomedical research program at Mote Marine Laboratory. Luer has published more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles.
Cedric Saunders, a 1990 graduate, played football and baseball for the Sailors before playing football at Ohio State University. Saunders, a tight end, earned All-Big Ten Conference honors as a senior. He spent three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before becoming a scout. He would return to the Buccaneers as the team's director of player development for five years before joining the Detroit Lions organization, where he stayed for 10 years. Saunders is currently the president of football operations at Goal Line Football, a sports agency.
