The 2026 class includes Ron Bolduan, Leslie Dirks, Tom Macho and Leo Traurig. 

The event runs from 5 to 9 p.m. and serves as the Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser.

The Hall of Fame program, established in 2014, recognizes alumni, teachers, staff and coaches whose contributions have had a lasting impact on students and on the communities where they lived and worked. 

More than 50 individuals are memorialized on the New Ulm High School Wall of Fame.

Tom Macho

This year’s inductees were selected for contributions that have had a lasting impact on education and community life, in New Ulm and beyond.

Ron Bolduan spent decades introducing students to the ecology of the Minnesota River Valley. 

As curator of the Riverside History and Nature Learning Center, he developed school programs, river hikes and mussel surveys that connected students with the natural environment. 

He founded the River Rangers youth program and received the 2019 Roger J. Wolfe Achievement Award for community contributions. 

His work has been featured on PBS’s Prairie Sportsman, reflecting a career that extended well beyond the classroom.

Leslie Dirks

Tom Macho arrived in New Ulm in 1969, when the city had one outdoor rink and a handful of young hockey players. 

Over the next 35 years, he built the sport into a full varsity program, coaching the Eagles for 31 seasons and compiling a record of 375-290-11. 

He led New Ulm to its first state tournament appearance in 1992 and was inducted into the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame in 2009. 

An annual award bears his name. 

Macho spent his entire teaching career at Washington Elementary and died in April 2025, making this year’s induction a posthumous honor.

Leo Traurig

Leo Traurig served as a teacher, counselor and coach before returning to New Ulm in 1966 for what he described as his dream position: junior high counselor and high school football coach. 

He was a life member of the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association and received its Butch Nash Award in 1988. 

His community involvement included work as a Chamber of Commerce tour guide, membership in the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, and on the Park and Recreation Committee. 

He died in October 2021 at age 90.

Leslie Dirks, a New Ulm native born in 1936 and a member of the Class of 1954, was a distinguished scientist and engineer who served in the Central Intelligence Agency starting in 1961. 

Ron Bolduan

A Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, he contributed to national security efforts, including director of Program B in the National Reconnaissance Office from 1976 to 1982. 

Dirks taught physics at Phillips Academy and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. 

He died in 2001, making his induction posthumous. 

Additional details on his career are expected to be shared during the induction ceremony.

The Eagles Extravaganza program will also include recognition of the district’s 2026 grant recipients. 

Grant winners are Erika Lieser and Jill Berdan of Washington Learning Center and Amber Gremmels of New Ulm Middle School. 

Superintendent Sean Koster will present teacher and staff recognition, continuing a district practice of acknowledging employees whose work supports students across grade levels. 

Middle and high school musicians will perform throughout the evening.

The event includes a silent auction featuring items such as a truck bed liner, a reverse osmosis system, an exclusive tour of Schell’s Brewery with Kyle Marti and artwork by Hall of Fame inductee Bonnie Mohr. 

Additional items will be posted on the Foundation’s Facebook page as the event approaches. 

Proceeds from the auction support classroom grants, student scholarships, endowment growth and operational needs tied to the Foundation’s mission.

The Foundation set a goal of raising $25,000 in sponsorships prior to the event and reported in early March that it was within $150 of reaching that target. 

Sponsorships, ticket sales and auction proceeds make up a significant portion of the Foundation’s annual funding, which supports educational programs and opportunities throughout the district.

The event draws participation from teachers, parents, alumni, grant recipients, business representatives and community members. 

Funds raised through the event support New Ulm Public Schools through grants, scholarships and long-term investments that benefit students and staff. 

The evening provides an opportunity for community members to acknowledge the work of educators, recognize student achievements and support ongoing initiatives in the district. 

Ongoing community participation remains an important factor in sustaining the Foundation’s mission and supporting future opportunities for students.

Tickets for the March 27 event can be purchased online through Eventbrite or in person at the Washington Learning Center, New Ulm High School and the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce. 

Online sales continue until the day of the event, and in-person sales run through March 13. 

Meal tickets cost $40 through March 20, and entertainment-only tickets cost $20 through March 27.