The Friends of Renton High School recognized 12 alumni by placing their names on the Wall of Honor, a recently-installed display of names, photos and biographies of some of the schools distinguished graduates.

The group hopes the honor wall will provide role models to students currently attending Renton High and represent the school’s values of pride, tradition and excellence.

The Wall of Honor represents nearly the whole span of the high school’s existence, from the class of 1919 to the class of 1980. Among the honorees are Sally Jewel, current US Secretary of the Interior and former Chief Executive Officer of REI, as well as US Olympian Aretha (Hill) Thurmond. Board member Stephen Clymer graduated in 1969, the last Renton High School class before Hazen High School opened said the wall represents a lot to former and current students.

“It’s the tradition,” said Clymer. “Our family was here before the city was Renton. I’m a third-generation Renton High grad, and have tons of relatives that attended Renton High. So it was just a big part of growing up.”

Former Renton Mayor Don Custer is a 1953 grad.

Custer said he is proud of the school’s first state championship basketball team and the diversity that was represented when he went to the school.

“Immigrants who grew up in Renton and proceeded us at school, for them, Renton High was the great leveler, the great mixer,” Custer said. “It was a thing that brought the community together through the young people.”