Some current faculty members and alumni received special recognition Friday afternoon when the Cullman City Schools Foundation hosted its 10th Annual Alumni and Service Awards Celebrations in Cullman High School’s Tillman Hall.

Christina Chambers and Melanie Maddox were recognized as distinguished alumni, while retired Cullman High School Principal John Tillman received the Distinguished Service Award for his 33 years of work for Cullman City Schools.

Chambers, a 2006 Cullman High School graduate, was a multi-sport athlete at CHS, and attended the University of Alabama-Birmingham on a cross country/ track and field scholarship.

After graduating from UAB in 2010 with a degree in mass communication-broadcasting, she went on to work as a sports reporter at television stations in Georgia and Alabama. She now works at WBRC Fox 6 as a sports reporter and anchor.

Maddox graduated from Cullman High School in 1992, and was a member of the Bearcat Marching Band and Jazz Band. She attended the University of Alabama and was a member of the Million Dollar Band before receiving an English degree. She recently earned a master’s degree in management and leadership from Troy University.

Maddox is the vice-president of Talent and Culture for BBVA Compass in Birmingham, where she is responsible for a number of programs that help recent college graduates transition from college to their career at the bank, and her experience as a leader and mentor has let her make speaking engagements around the country.

John Tillman was not a graduate of Cullman High School, but his many years of service to the school made an impact that is still being felt today, and the ceremony’s location, Tillman Hall, was named after him.

After graduating from Fairview High School in 1942, Tillman was drafted into the U.S. Army the following year and served for 33 months as a surgical technician.

He later attended St. Bernard College and Florence State College (now the University of North Alabama) and received a degree in science education. He taught at West Point High School for a year before being recalled into active duty in the Army.

After leaving the Army again, he worked in Texas for a time before returning home to teach science at Cullman High School in 1954. He was named assistant principal of CHS in 1956 and worked in that position for six years until he became the school’s principal in 1962. 

Tillman served as principal for 19 years, and was responsible for the site on which the current high school stands.

In his remarks to the audience, Tillman noted that he awarded thousands of diplomas to students during his years as principal of the school, and in recognition of his service. Superintendent Susan Patterson and Principal Kim Hall presented him with a diploma of his own and recognized him as an honorary graduate of Cullman High School.

“I certainly enjoyed being at Cullman High School,” he said. “Thank you so much. I enjoy this community, and I’m glad to see you here today.”

The luncheon also featured the presentation of the Cullman City Schools System’s 2018 Teacher of the Year Awards. This year’s winners were:

Cullman Primary School- Tonya Trammell

West Elementary School- Kristi Noblett

Cullman High School- Kristen Barnett

Cullman Middle School and Overall Secondary Teacher of the Year- Kim Johnson

East Elementary School and Overall Elementary Teacher of the Year- Patti Britton.