Stephen T. Callan (1966)

Alumnus of the Year 2018

After graduating from OHS, Steve attended CSU-Chico, and attended graduate school at CSU-Sacramento.  Steve has played competitive softball throughout the United States since his college days.  In 2004, he was inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame.  Steve and his wife, Kathy, a retired science teacher, live in Palo Cedro, California.

Steve began his 30 year career in wildlife protection in 1974 when he was hired by the California Department of Fish and Game as a warden near the Colorado River. After several years in Southern California, he ultimately spent the remainder of his thirty-year enforcement career in Shasta County.  Steve has earned numerous awards for his work in wildlife protection.

Dedicated to conserving California’s natural resources, Steve has worked diligently throughout his adult life on conservation issues: lobbying for protective wildlife corridors in Sacramento County’s general plan; organizing and leading a successful effort to ban the sale of native reptiles; establishing Lake Mathews, in Riverside County, as an ecological reserve for thousands of waterfowl and Southern California’s largest population of wintering bald eagles; and working with Redding and Shasta County planners to establish development-free setbacks along the Sacramento River and its tributaries.

Now retired, Steve is the award-winning author of The Game Warden’s Son, named the “Best Outdoor Book of 2016” by the Outdoor Writers Association of California. His debut book, Badges, Bears, and Eagles—The True-Life Adventures of a California Fish and Game Warden, was a 2013 “Book of the Year” award finalist (ForeWord Reviews). Steve is the recipient of the 2014, 2015, and 2016 “Best Outdoor Magazine Column” awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of California.

Steve and Kathy are passionate about nature, they are avid kayakers, bird-watchers, nature photographers, and scuba divers. Steve uses photographs he’s taken while bird-watching and scuba diving to inspire his wildlife art, which he’s been enthusiastic about since first being encouraged by Orland High School instructor Winston Megorden back in the 1960s.   

Having recently completed a manuscript for his third book and signed a contract with his publisher, Steve continues to weave a conservation message throughout everything he writes.

John D. Nesbitt (1966)

Alumnus of the Year 2018

After graduating from OHS, John attended Chico State College; he went from there to UCLA, where he received his B.A. in 1971.  After that he went to UC Davis, where he earned an M.A. in 1974 and a Ph.D. in 1980.  For these degrees, all in English, he studied British and American literature, eventually specializing in literature of the American West and writing his doctoral dissertation on the classic western novel.  During that time he had part-time and limited-term teaching positions at Solano College, Yuba College, Sacramento State University, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Davis.

John lives in the plains country of eastern Wyoming with his wife, Rocio, and their son, Dimitri. He has been a full-time faculty member at Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington, Wyoming since 1981, teaching courses in basic writing, composition, introduction to literature, the short story, Western American literature, creative writing, all on a regular basis. During his university years he studied Spanish and French, and in 1988 he took a semester’s leave to study Spanish at the University of Wyoming. Since then he has taught Spanish, as well. In 1994 he went to Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, where he earned a diploma in Spanish philology from the Instituto de Filologia. In that same year, he won an award for teaching excellence at Eastern Wyoming College.

From 1978 onward, he has had a wide variety of his own work published. He has also written textbooks for basic writing and college composition. 

John has won many awards for his work, including two awards from the Wyoming State Historical Society (for fiction), two awards from Wyoming Writers for encouragement of other writers and service to the organization, two Wyoming Arts Council literary fellowships (one for fiction, one for non-fiction), a Will Rogers Medallion Award for Dark Prairie (a frontier mystery) and another for Thorns on the Rose (a poetry collection), a Western Writers of America Spur finalist award for his novel Raven Springs, and the Spur award itself for his short story “At the End of the Orchard” and for his novels Trouble at the Redstone and Stranger in Thunder Basin.  

His most recent work consists of Field Work, a retro-noir fiction collection; Thorns on the Rose, western poetry; and Justice at Redwillow, a frontier mystery.

Erick Nielsen (1965)

Alumnus of the Year 2017

The Nielsen family settled in the Orland area in 1909.  Erick Nielsen’s grandfather, Carl Gottfried Erickson (“Dot”) was born in America to his Swedish immigrant family in Nebraska, coming from the East Coast in covered wagons.  Erick’s grandfather began developing the existing ranch with a small dairy and poultry operation as well as prune, olive, almond, and orange orchards.  In the 1940s, Erick’s father, Lloyd Nielsen, leased the ranch from his father-in-law and continued to farm it until the mid-1970s.

While at Orland High School Erick played basketball.  He thought about playing for Chico State and ended up playing all four years.  A couple of years ago, he was recognized as one of the top 100 All-Time Basketball Players of Chico State.  While at Chico State, Erick met a young lady by the name of Margie Call.  She must have made a pretty good impression because they were married in July of 1972.

Erick stayed in Orland and worked on the family farm, starting a small agricultural business in 1972 that specialized in pruning and harvesting prunes and nuts.  The business began to grow and Erick and Margie bought the family ranch in 1976 and further expanded the acreage, now farming prunes and olives, and developing innovative harvesting equipment for prunes and pistachios with reliability and efficiency, committing to addressing the many challenges the modern orchard growers face.

Erick Nielsen Enterprises (ENE) also created unique self-propelled mechanical pruners for topping, hedging and skirting for various orchards crops.   ENE also provides experienced and talented personnel who are trained in safety, mechanical operations, and management classes to serve the customer.

This third generation Orland farmer is active in his church and community.  Erick is a committed father.  He and Margie have five children:  Heather (and Don) Reed, Hilary (and Anthony) Porter, Gavin, Garrett (and Leanne), and Ashley (and Nate) Boom and twelve grandchildren.  Erick has a huge heart and treats the many who have worked so long for him as family.  In many ways his work mantra is his family mantra:  “Do it right, Do it well, Make it right for our customers, Enjoy our work, and Provide for our families”.

Erick is an example of the outstanding alumni of Orland High School who exemplify that graduates of OHS can achieve their dreams, no matter what those dreams are.  Thank you Erick!

Reggie Olney (1958)

Alumnus of the Year 2016

Reggie moved to Orland in 1947 and started class as a second grader at Mill Street School.  After graduating from OHS in 1958, Reggie started his own business and started a labor contracting business that would last some forty-three years.  During this time he also worked as a rancher, raising beef cattle.  Feeling the need to serve his community, he joined the Orland Volunteer Fire Department and served for ten years. He was also elected to the Orland Water Users’ Board of Directors and served for eight years, several of those years as the President of the Board.  Reggie also became interested in another service club:  Loyal Order of Moose, a philanthropic organization that contributes approximately $75 million worth of community service annually. Reggie worked hard and it paid off.  He was awarded Moose International Shining Star Award as Top Administrator of Moose International in 1996 and was first runner-up in 1998.  This was in competition with 2,864 Moose Lodges nationwide. In 1997 he was awarded the highest degree in the Order of Moose International: the Pilgrim Degree.  In 2002, Reggie received the Moose International Shining Star for Moose of the Year, out of over one and a half million members. He also served California and Nevada Moose International for over five years and was Top Director for two of those five years. Reggie was also recognized for his local service when he was awarded the True American Hero Award for exemplary community service at the 2000 Glenn County Fair.

Reuben Barclay (1947)

Alumnus of the year 2016

Reuben moved to Orland from Missouri in 1943 as a sophomore. He was awarded the Kiwanis Cup as top vocational student both his sophomore and senior years and Heald’s College Commercial Award his senior year. He served as president of his freshman and junior classes and treasurer of the student body his junior year.  After graduating from OHS, Reuben moved to Chicago to attend Gregg College of Court Reporting. He moved back to Orland and worked for the Glenn County Road Department then moved to Sacramento and Oakland to work on the Southern Pacific Railroad. He was drafted in 1950 and discharged two years later. He returned to Oakland and went to work for Sea-Land Service, a combination ship and truck service that ships large containers. He worked at Sea-Land until he retired in 1990 as Director of Administration. 

Reuben moved back to Orland where he and his wife, Patricia, volunteered for Enloe Hospice.  He developed his hobby in stained glass into a small business and has donated dozens of art works to schools, churches, the Orland Volunteer Fire Department, the high school band, and other fundraisers in the Orland area. He provided the idea for the Arch in Library Park and has raised thousands of dollars in scholarship money for the Orland Alumni Association.  He was awarded Orland’s Citizen of the Year in 2016. 

Reuben remains connected with his class and wrote a 250 page book outlining each classmate and how they spent their first 50 years after graduation.  One special highlight of his life is the time he spent in the U.S. Army and his work with the Atomic Energy Commission, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory with the detonation of the first Hydrogen bomb:  OPERATION GREENHOUSE.

Don Barceloux (1964)

Alumnus of the Year 2015

Don Barceloux graduated Orland High School in 1964 and attended Stanford University from 1964 until 1970.  While at Stanford, Don earned a degree in Biology, General Engineering and Engineering Science.

He then attended Medical School at UCLA where he earned his M.D. and then interned in UCLA’s Center for Health Science, Department of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Barceloux became Board Certified in 1982 and worked at White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles where he initially was an Emergency Department Physician and ultimately was promoted to Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine.

He currently is a Consultant for Medical Toxicology and a recognized expert on the effects of exposure to chemicals and drugs.  He has taught, and continues to teach, as a Professor of Medicine.

Dr. Barceloux has numerous publications, belongs to many professional organizations and still finds the time to volunteer in his community.  He is a member of the local Barceloux-Tibessart Foundation and he and his family spend time in Orland on their farm near Plaza.

Brian Fairlee (1984)

Alumnus of the Year 2015

Brian Fairlee graduated from Orland High School in 1984 and then studied at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.  With more than 25 years of motion picture and entertainment advertising experience, his accolades include advertising and promotional campaigns for some of the world’ most recognized movies, TV shows, and brands.

Brian has also edited trailers and commercials for hundreds of films, television shows and special projects.  He has been heard by millions of people around the world in promoting some of the world’s most recognized movies and beloved brands – from Disney, Barbie and Hot Wheels to Orbitz, Nickelodeon and Universal Studios.

Brian works as an editor for Trailer Park Inc., the world’s leading entertainment marketing agency, and is the President and owner of Pumpkin Patch Productions.  In additional to the foregoing, Kelly Lester (actress, singer, and “mom-preneur”) reports that Brian and his wife, Danielle, “produce their own marvelous podcast, The Brian and Danielle Show”.

Brian is active with his family and his local church, the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in West Hills, CA.  He also volunteers his time at youth theatre groups and with his two rescue dogs, Toby and Finn.

Fred Perez (1952)

Alumnus of the Year 2014

The Orland Alumni Association is proud to honor Fred as the 2013 Alumnus of the Year!  Additional recognition:

• Founder and former president of the OAA.

• Inducted into the Glenn County Educator’s Hall of Fame.

• Named Teacher of the Year in 1986.

• Life member of the Orland Kiwanis Club.

• Member of the California Retired Teachers Association.

• Life member of the National Education Association.

• Elected trustee for the Butte-Glenn Community College District.

The Road Not Taken (Article submitted by Fred Perez in 2014)

My class graduated in May 1952.  In July of that year I enrolled at Heald’s Business College in Oakland in an accounting degree program and lived in a mortuary in order to finance my education.  Can you imagine a 17 year old leaving home and being on his own?  Well, I did.

Let’s go back to 1908, Father arrived in New York from Spain, worked his way to Sacramento; Mother and family arrived in NY in 1911 and arrived in Sacramento via train.  My mother and father married in February of 1912.  My father had met my grandfather on a couple of trips to Cuba and later met in Sacramento.  My father was an adventurer and was looking for a better way of life.  California appeared to be his place to settle.

All six of us, I’m the youngest, graduated from Orland High School.  Education was top priority in our family.  Spanish will be spoken at home, you learn English at school.  My brothers and sisters have to be grateful that we had such caring parents providing us the best that they were able to provide with what little they had.  We were taught the difference between right and wrong, respect for your teachers, authority, etc.

My brother Pedro in Idaho has told me stories about his younger years and how he wanted to quit high school and work earning his way.  My father said no way.  Finish high school and then do what you want.  As a soldier during World War II he was grateful, because many of the soldiers were not able to read and write.  He wrote letters for them and answered them.

As I look back, realizing that few knew how to read and write in the early 1900’s especially those from small villages where my parents originated from.  My grandparents were not able to read or write Spanish but my parents could.

I was determined to obtain an education at all costs.

As I mentioned previously, I lived in a mortuary and stayed for two years.  I worked for a CPA typing income tax and did janitorial for Heald’s College.  Graduated in 1954, returned home and worked that summer in maintenance at Chico State.  Enrolled for the semester, rent free, doing janitorial work at the dorms.

In order to receive the GI Bill I enlisted with three others in the US Air Force.  After completing three and a half years, I enrolled once again at Chico State majoring in Spanish.  My goal was to travel and study in Spain for a year, meet family and perfect my Spanish language skills. I met family, lived in my parents’ villages and studied at the University of Seville for a year.

After completing studies, was offered a job in Oroville teaching 7th and 8th grade students Spanish.  Three years later was offered a job at Orland High, returning to my alma mater.  Over the years involved in student activities, an active Spanish Club, and involved in the local community, being a member of Kiwanis for over 45 years. 

Mr. J.A. Russell approached me in 1969 and told me that he wanted me to help him start the Orland Alumni Association.  The class of ’68 left money to do so.  In 1970 we chartered the Orland Alumni Association – my being elected President of which I served for two years.  At the same time a committee formed which was to be called the Orland Community Scholarship Committee of which I originally sat on that Committee.

In conclusion I would like to finish with Robert Frost’s:

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence;

Two roads diverged in a wood, and 

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.