Carol Fischer graduated with the Green River High School class of 1974 as co-valedictorian. She was a member of National Honor Society, Future Teacher of America, and the speech and debate team.  During high school, Carol worked during the summers at Tomahawk Pharmacy, Little America, and the US Forest Service. She belonged to the first crew that allowed women to fight a forest fire, and she became an EMT in high school while volunteering for the Green River ambulance team.

After graduation, Carol attended the University of Wyoming where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in biology with high honors. During college, she worked part time in a genetics research lab, and during her college summers, she also worked at FMC as a lab tech.  In 1977, Carol was accepted to Creighton Medical School.  Upon the completion of medical school, Carol returned to Cheyenne to practice for three years but ended up being there 30!

During Carol’s last year of residency, the first AIDS cases were surfacing. This was a time of uncertainty with this disease, and many doctors would not treat these patients.  She began seeing her first AIDS patient, Jeff, in 1989, and she learned how difficult it was for these patients to be isolated in rural areas. Jeff started a newsletter for others like himself, and before he died, there were 3000 newsletters going out to all 50 states and several countries. Carol’s early patients were an inspiration to her and helped her to realize the healing power of hope, support, and friendship.  She took her patients to an early AIDS conference, “Aids, Medicine and Miracles” where she learned to encourage all of her patients to be part of a support community.  She helped organize and start Southeast Wyoming Aids Project and Positives for Positives of Wyoming. She has also worked with the Ryan White Care Grant to assist patients with medical costs since its inception. Carol is currently studying for her HIV specialty boards.

Carol is an exceptional doctor who truly cares for those she treats.  She is quoted as saying, “My AIDS patients have taught me more about the power of hope than medical school ever did, and I look forward to the next decade when they find a cure for this disease.”

Carol currently continues to be active in the family practice that she loves where her oldest patient is 102, and her youngest is 2 days.  She volunteers weekly at a drug rehab clinic, and still does hospital, nursing home, and regular home visits. She resides in Cheyenne with her husband of 28 years, Steve, and has four children.

Julie Archuleta Polasek graduated with the Green River High School class of 1971.  She was a superb student and was a member of concert band, marching band, speech and debate, drill team, chorus, National Honor Society, National Forensics Club, and was the class representative to Girl’s State.

Julie attended the University of Wyoming and graduated in 1975 with a double major in Spanish and education.  She was a member of Women’s Honor Society, was in a sorority, and was selected to UW’s student senate along with being involved with work studies, summer jobs, and counseling programs.

After graduating from the University of Wyoming in 1975, Julie started working as a clerk in the Washington, D.C. office of Wyoming’s Congressman Teno Roncalio.  Within a short time, she was named Legislative Assistant and analyzed, briefed, and recommended voting decisions based on the impact on citizens of Wyoming.

Upon the Congressman’s retirement, she started in an entry-level position with Occidental Petroleum Corporation’s chemical company, Hooker Chemical Company (January, 1979). In the subsequent 22 years with the company (renamed Occidental Chemical Corporation), Julie held positions of Government Affairs Representative, Manager, Director and Vice President of Government Affairs … all by the age of 35.  She was the youngest and first woman vice president in the corporation and the first woman to head a chemical company’s Washington, D.C. office.  While working for Occidental Chemical, she also served as industry advisor to the CEO, analyzing, briefing and recommending company positions on multiple national, state and international policy issues. Julie also chaired many industry policy and lobbying task groups and committees addressing issues at the federal, state and international levels.

During those years, she served on the Board of Directors, as vice president, and as president of a prominent women’s lobbying network, Women in Government Relations. She was also named their Distinguished Member in 1982.  Other Boards of Directors on which she served include the National Children’s Center (a center for mentally, physically and emotionally challenged children); and the Public Affairs Council, a public policy training and networking organization).

Julie’s community service activities included (a) developing and implementing a faith-based teen leadership program at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Falls Church, VA; and (b) organizing and maintaining a gift giving project to nursing home residents (started with 12 gifts in 1986 and stopped in 2001 after delivering 500 gifts to three different nursing home/low income senior apartment complexes).

In 2001, Julie retired from Occidental Chemical Corporation; married and moved to Highland Village, TX.  In Texas, she obtained her bilingual and general ed. certification and began to teach at a school with a high percentage (87%) of low income students and (90%) English language learners. She taught bilingual first grade for 6 years; and in her 3rd year was honored by her campus as Elementary Teacher of the Year. That same year she also was named the Elementary Teacher of the Year by the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts.  She next taught bilingual 3rd grade for 2 years; and in 2010-11 served as Instructional Specialist, coaching teachers and developing instructional materials.

For the past five years she has taught adults seeking certification as a bilingual teacher. Education Career Alternatives Program (ECAP) is the private entity through which she prepared to obtain her teacher certification; and that same company asked her to serve as one of the trainers starting in 2006.  She has also served as a facilitator and trainer for educators’ in-service sessions, especially focusing on writing and reading instruction and lesson planning.  She is currently working as an independent consultant working selectively on educational training projects and materials.

She is married to Isidor (Butch) Polasek, has a stepdaughter and 3 ½ year old grandson. Julie has a home business, named Divine Designs, in which she designs and creates original, one of a kind jewelry and multi-media greeting cards. She is an avid reader and amateur photographer and enjoys gardening.  She has traveled extensively to Europe on business and pleasure, to South America, to Asia (Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia) and Australia.  She is involved in her local Catholic parish as a lector and in the ACTS retreat ministry, which develops retreats for spiritual renewal.

Michael Clark graduated with the class of 1999 from Green River High School.  After graduation, he joined the Navy in September of that year and left for boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois.  Michael has had a successful career as a Navy SEAL.

Currently Michael is living on the east coast with his wife.

Colonel Lesley Spraker graduated from Green River High School in 1981.  He recently retired from active duty in May 2012 from the United States Air Force after almost 26 years of service.

Colonel Spraker’s impressive post high school education began at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.  He then attended Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.  After that, he earned a Masters in Aeronautical Science Technology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.  Next, he attended Air Command and Staff College as part of the National Defense Fellowship in Washington, D.C., followed by Air War College, Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.  Finally, he earned another Masters in Military Operational Art/Science from Air University at Montgomery Air Force Base in Alabama.

Colonel Spraker served as a KC-135 Instructor and Evaluator pilot in a variety of assignments in the MAF.  He has also completed a Joint Service assignment at Headquarters Pacific Command where he served as the PACOM Readiness Officer and Director of the Joint Operations Center.  His assignments include multiple deployed squadron commands in Turkey, Diego Garcia, Cyprus, and Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins, Georgia.  In addition, Colonel Spraker served as the Deputy Mobility Chief, Air Mobility Division, Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar, during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.  Colonel Spraker also served as a program manager for the L-Band SATCOM system and the KC-135 Aircrew Training System programs managing a budget over $1 Billion, and completed a one year Legislative Fellowship serving as the Military Legislative Assistant on the personal staff of the US Senator.

At the time of his retirement, Colonel Spraker served as the Chief, Air Force Safety Issues Division and Director, Executive Staff, at Headquarters Air Force Safety, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.  He was responsible to the Chief of Air Force Safety and Commander of the Air Force Safety Center on all matters involving flight, ground, and weapons safety issues as well as nuclear surety at the Pentagon and Washington D.C. area.  He communicated with Air and SECAF staffs to facilitate responses to CSAF and Air Staff safety policy questions and issues.  Colonel Spraker supported and facilitated Air Force Safety’s role in DoD-level entities such as the Defense Safety Oversight Council and Aviation Safety Improvements Task Force while interfacing with sister Services’ Safety staffs and coordinating Joint Service, international, and interagency safety issues.  He also represented the Chief of Safety at Air Staff meetings, boards, and conferences in his absence while continually supporting USAF commanders worldwide resolving safety issues requiring immediate actions.

As a command pilot, Colonel Spraker has more than 2,900 flight hours in a variety of aircraft including 93 combat/combat support missions during Operations JUST CAUSE, DESERT STORM, and IRAQI FREEDOM. Throughout his extraordinary career, Colonel Spraker has fulfilled 15 significant assignments and has earned an impressive 20 major awards and decorations.

Head coach Kris Watson

Completing one of Green River High School’s most successful athletic years, the 1974 girls swim team captured the fifth championship of the year for the Lady Wolves, and more importantly, the first of only two state championships for the girls swim team.  This was the first year the schools were divided into AA and A divisions. 

The girls had dominated for much of the year and were the heavy favorites to win the Class A championship held in Laramie, Wyoming in May of 1974.  They did not disappoint as they nearly doubled the second closest team with a score of 96 followed by Thermopolis in second place with a score of only 50 points.  Green River competed with other teams such as Glenrock, Big Piney, Lyman, and Greybull at the state meet.  The Lady Wolves finished the meet with four first place individual finishers.   Charleen Wagner Hutton was first in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke; she also set at state record at the state meet in the 200 freestyle qualifying round.  Sheryl Buschelman Wilson took first in the 50 freestyle, and Cindy Bertot Wickham was first in the 100 breaststroke. Green River also finished first place in the 400 Freestyle relay consisting of Julie Clark, Tammy Harrell Maxwell, Lauralee Brown, and Alice Evans Wagoner.  New to the state meet in 1974 were the 200 and the 500 yard freestyles, and between the two new races, the Lady Wolves had five girls place in the top six spots.

The team consisted of: captains Alice Evans Wagoner and Charleen Wagner Hutton. Other members of the team included Julie Clark, Tammy Harrell Maxwell,  Cindy Bertot Wickham, Terry Harris Jackson, Terry Meeks Jordan, Lynda Williams Lowe, Sheryl Buschelman Wilson, Kerry Shaw, Cindy McGee Fantin , Lauralee Brown Schweitzer, Ranae Durrans Price, and Coach Kris Watson Keel.

Team Roster

Cindy Bertot Wickham
Lauralee Brown Schweitzer
Sheryl Buschelman Wilson
Julie Clark
Ranae Durrans Price
Alice Evans Wagoner
Tammy Harrell Maxwell
Terry Harris Jackson
Cindy McGee Fantin
Terry Meeks Jordan
Kerry Shaw
Charleen Wagner Hutton
Lynda Williams Lowe