The Whitehall-Coplay School District held its Graduates of Distinction ceremony April 23. The selected alumni of Whitehall High School were honored for their personal and professional achievements, which have made significant contributions to their field of endeavor and to society.

The awards were established to recognize graduates in the following areas: academic achievement, music, the arts, civic and or military service, community service and significant personal achievement.

The honorees were as follows:

Kathryn Charles Seidick, Class of 1961. The New York Times and USA Today best-selling author began writing in 1980 while her son was experiencing a serious illness. She had given little thought to a literary career. While writing under her pen name Kasey Michaels, she has published more than 110 romance novels. "The Tenacious Miss Timerlane," her second book, was a humorous romance novel that launched her career as a romance novelist. "Or You Can Let Him Go," a highly praised nonfiction book written as Seidick, details the story of the Seidick family during their son's illness.

Seidick and her husband, Michael, reside in Whitehall. They have four children, Anne, Michael, Edward and Megan and eight grandchildren.

Les Steckel, Class of 1964. Steckel attended Kansas University and graduated with a B.A. in political science, social work and human relations in 1968. He attended College of St. Thomas, Minnesota, and graduated with an M.A. in athletic administration.

He served 30 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and Reserves. He attended officer candidate school and served as an infantry officer in Vietnam.

Steckel also served as a reserve member in various staff positions throughout the United States, while coaching football for colleges and NFL teams. He completed the Command and Staff College and the National Security Course and retired in 1998 as a colonel.

His football coaching career spans more than 32 years at the collegiate and professional levels, including University of Colorado; U.S. Naval Academy; San Francisco 49ers; offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, whom he helped guide to the 2000 Super Bowl; and offensive coordinator for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach for Minnesota Vikings. Steckel is also involved with the Fellowship Christian Athletes organization and was appointed president/ CEO of FCA in 2005.

He and his wife, Chris, reside in Brentwood, Tenn. They have three children, Christina, Lesley and Lucke, and three grandchildren.

Susan Kubik Scott, Class of 1971. Scott attended Point Park University and graduated with a B.A. in journalism, cum laude, in 1974. He also graduated from Temple University with an M.A. in journalism and communications in 1980.

Scott joined Northampton Community College in 1975 as an external affairs assistant. Throughout her 37 years at NCC, she served in a variety of leadership positions, culminating as executive director of the NCC Foundation and vice president for institutional advancement for the college. She built the advancement program from one person to a department of more than 30 professionals.

Kubik earned the Circle of Excellence Award for the advancement and support of education in recognition of educational fundraising on four occasions. She initiated NCC Foundation's endowment, which currently exceeds $40 million in assets.

Upon retirement in 2012, she joined the consulting firm e-Advancement as a partner, providing guidance across the advancement disciplines for colleges and universities.

Scott and her husband, Dr. Arthur L. Scott, reside in Palm Coast, Fla., and Easton.

Tracey C. Vlahovic, DPM, Class of 1992. Vlahovic attended Yale University and graduated with a B.S. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry in 1996. In 2000 she graduated from Temple University, DPM, School of Podiatric Medicine. In 2003-04, she completed her post-doctoral fellowship at St. Luke's Hospital in Podiatric Dermatology.

Professional highlights include board certification in foot surgery, American Board of Podiatric Surgery, 2009, and American Professional Wound Care Association, 2008.

Vlahovic is the first podiatrist in the United States to complete a fellowship in dermatology as well as the first American female admitted as a fellow of the faculty of podiatric medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2013.

Academic appointments include associate professor at the Department of Podiatric Medicine and Orthopedics at Temple University School of Medicine in 2011 to the present; J. Stanley and Fellow Pearl London Faculty in 2011 to 2014; and adjunct professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Temple University School of Medicine, 2011 to present.

Vlahovic resides in Whitehall. She is currently an academic podiatrist and associate professor at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine, Philadelphia.

Christine Kromer, Class of 1993. Kromer attended Seton Hall University and graduated with a B.A. in communications, magna cum laude, in 1997. Her professional highlights include a career in film and television industry and a casting director, previously affiliated with Alexa Fogel Casting and NBC.

In addition, she is a talent agent formerly associated with William Morris Agency. She has appeared in several daytime series and others, including Banshee, 2013; Paranormal Activity 3, 2011; The Sitter, 2011; Treme, 2010-11; In Treatment, HBO, 2006-08; and The Wire, HBO, 2006-08. Film credits include "The A-Team," "Red Tails," "Prisoner," "Stay" and "A Hole in One."

She has received Emmy nominations for the following: Generation Kill, HBO mini-series, 2008, and Too Big to Fail, HBO movie, 2011. She was also a pilot season casting director at NBC and has conducted acting and auditioning seminars called "On Camera," in which participants receive personalized feedback.

Kromer is presently a casting director at her own agency, Kromer Casting, in New York City.

Kromer and her spouse, Lisa Kromer-Bennett, reside in Brookly, N.Y. They are expecting their first child in June.

SPC. Jesse D. Reed, USA, Class of 2002. During high school, Reed participated in the wrestling squad and the football team. Through sports he learned a valuable life lesson of being part of a team and the merits of working together to achieve a common goal.

With a love of country and a belief in defending it, Reed enlisted in the U.S. Army six years after graduation. Initially stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., he was quickly elevated to the rank of specialist. Through the Army, he regained the sense of teamwork and working toward common goals.

In 2009, he was deployed to Afghanistan. Reed operated the special equipment utilized to detect roadside bombs and land mine traps. His team's mission ensured the safe travel for the troops and supply vehicles.

During one of the missions in 2010, a roadside bomb exploded, taking his life and the lives of several members of his team and severely injuring the lone surviving soldier.

Described by his commanding officer as the type of soldier who intuitively knew what needed to be done and did it without ever being asked, Reed voluntarily mentored new soldiers who joined the unit and always volunteered for the most challenging tasks and missions.

Reed received several medals from the U.S. Army, including The Purple Heart and The Bronze Star.

Committed to serving his county, Reed died a true American hero. He is survived by his mother, Dolores Reed, and his widow, Heather Reed, and two sons, Dylan, 5, and Jesse Jr., 4.