Speaking at a breakfast to honor two graduates of Columbia High School, Columbia Education Foundation (CEF) secretary Vickie Anspach used a quote she attributed to Leonardo da Vinci to sum up the achievements of the honorees: "People of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." Those words, she noted, reflect the dedication Robert "Bob" A. Herman Jr. and John "Jack" A. Yohe have given to Columbia over the years. Both were recognized as the newest members of the Columbia High School Distinguished Alumni on Sept. 27.

CEF board member Deb Smith introduced Herman, noting, "It's really a privilege to have him as part of our community." A 1972 graduate of Columbia High School, where he played football and was on the wrestling team, Herman served as a police officer in both Columbia Borough and East Hempfield Township before being appointed as a magisterial district judge in 1984, a position he kept until his retirement in 2015. Herman served as president of the Lancaster County Magisterial District Judge Association four times over his 32 years of service. In retirement, he serves as senior magisterial district judge, presiding over DUI and domestic violence hearings at the Lancaster County courthouse. His service to Columbia includes being past secretary and current president of the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Sports Hall of Fame and serving as a part of the Columbia Memorial Day committee. Herman has been married to his wife, Sylvia, for 49 years. He is the father of two children and has two grandsons. "I'm honored and humbled by this award," Herman said upon receiving the accolade.

Herman introduced his fellow award winner, whom he said will always be "Coach Yohe" to him. Yohe, a 1953 graduate of Columbia High School, was co-captain of the 1952 football team, which was the county scoring champion, a record that still stands today. He taught at Columbia High School for 24 years and at Hempfield High School for 10 years. He also served as football coach for 35 years between the two schools and as the Columbia High School varsity track coach for 14 years. He was selected to the Columbia High School Hall of Fame four times and in 1981 was the recipient of the Jimmy Sheckard Award from the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions and dedication to sports in the local area. After retiring from coaching, he stayed active in promoting Columbia football, including serving as chair of the Columbia High School 100th Anniversary Football Centennial Committee. Married to Margaretta for 56 years, he is the father of three daughters and has four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Noting that his hometown has always been an important part of his life, Yohe told the breakfast crowd, "You can take the boy out of Columbia, but you can't take Columbia out of the boy."

Both Herman and Yohe received plaques to take home, honoring their contributions to Columbia, and were also presented with plaques that will be displayed on the wall of fame at the high school.

The Columbia Education Foundation is a nonprofit volunteer organization that seeks to support creative and innovative education strategies in the classroom as well as provide scholarship opportunities for graduates. For more information, visit https://columbiaef.org.