Every day as students  walk through the “T’s”, the large brick wall with big white letters reading “TRITON ATHLETIC PROGRAM HALL OF FAME” looms over them. Beneath those words are 29 plaques, each featuring a photo and biography of  a Triton student-athlete alumni and their athletic accomplishments.

Triton’s Athletic Hall of Fame wasn’t created just to show off the impressive feats of Triton’s student-athlete alumni. It’s there as a piece of history. Students might not  know who all these people are, or about the impact they left on the sports they’re acknowledged for. So the Triton Voice set off to find out more.

Referring to the time a student spends at the school, co-director of the HOF, teacher and alum Stacy Beaulieu, said “As far as the Hall of Fame in the history of our school, you know like a hair width, you (only) know your four years.”

Beaulieu has been working towards reestablishing a committee that overlooks the induction process of potential HOF athletes. To be considered a possible addition to the HOF, it’s required that the athlete is a ten year Triton alumni with significant accolades. They are then voted on by the HOF committee.

Triton physical education teacher and coach Ms.Donna Andersen was Triton’s second inductee to the HOF. Andersen was an eleven varsity sport athlete. She played Field Hockey, Basketball, Softball, Track, and Lacrosse.

Andersen had an especially impressive high school field hockey career. She was named a CAL All-League Player (for three years), the Cape Ann Player of the year, and a Boston Globe All Scholastic. Along with her personal achievements, Andersen played on two CAL championship teams, an NCAA Final Four team, and played Division 1 at UNH.

When asked what she’s most proud of, Andersen says “I think for me I am most proud of not only having the opportunity to play competitively at the HS level and College level as a student athlete, but also to have  been elected as a Captain for the sports I played at those two levels.”

When asked about being inducted into the Triton Hall of Fame, Andersen says, “I was honored when I first found out that I was elected to the HOF, as athletics has always been a huge part of my life.”

Andersen now works as a Physical Education teacher at Triton, where she uses her knowledge on health and fitness to guide students toward a healthy lifestyle.

One of the most impressive members of the HOF has to be Shane Lee. Lee was inducted in 2017 for his athletic career while attending Triton from 2002-2006. Lee was awarded six varsity letters for his time playing football and running track. Lee has been named to the  Cape Ann All League Team during one year. He was the Newburyport Daily News Player of the Year, and a Boston Globe Player of the Week twice.

As of 2006, Lee holds seven school records:

• Single Season Rushing Yards: 1,741.

• Single Season Touchdowns: 24 (This record was tied by Junior Cole Piaseczynski in the 2022 season).

• Points Per Season: 150

• Career Touchdowns: 34

• Single Day Rushing Yards: 282

• Average Yards Per Carry: 8.2
• Carries Per Season: 212

Not only has Triton had some amazing athletes, but they’ve also had some extremely talented people come through the arts department. However there is currently nowhere to find these people in a Hall of Fame for arts at our school.

What we do know is that Triton has graduated students who now work for popular television networks to students who are winning impressive arts awards. One student in particular from the class of 1984, is Jimmy Shaw. Shaw is best known for his work in The English and The Ministry of Time. Shaw has won two awards; Best Actor in Una Noche Cualquiera and Best Lead Actor in Classmate. (from IMDb)

Along with a motion picture actor, a Broadway star has also emerged from Triton; Amy Spanger. Spanger mostly landed roles as either a replacement or an understudy, but for some shows, such as Elf (playwrights: Thomas Meehan, Bob Martin) she was given a lead role. She also starred as Holly in the live rendition of Frank Coraci’s The Wedding Singer. (from Playbill)

When asked if she believes there should be a place for these people to be recognized, Susan Densmore, Program Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts said, “it might be cool to have something like that, to say these people have come through our programs and gone on to do these great things.”

As Triton High School adds to its history and sends student-athletes and artists through four years of academics and athletics, students will continue to make impressions on the school. The occasional superstar will come and go, but with a HOF, they won’t be just a memory, they’ll be a piece of history forever imprinted on the school. There is still so much that students are unaware of when it comes to the people who shaped this school and made it what it is today. The history goes much deeper than simply a hall of fame or a page in the yearbook.