Last night’s naming of the Scott Guptill Gymnasium at Gladstone High School recognized 50 years of tireless work by the ubiquitous volunteer affectionately known by students as “Sonny.”
Guptill and his wife, Ellen, had five kids, all of whom graduated from GHS. Guptill served on the Gladstone School Board for many years and helped facilitate several key capital projects for GHS athletics, including the construction of Dick Baker Stadium.
Since he serves as the announcer at nearly all GHS sporting events, Guptill has become known as “the voice of Gladstone athletics.” He additionally coordinates our annual Veteran's Day assembly at GHS.
Guptill’s positive influence extends beyond Gladstone, given his extensive volunteer work with Special Olympics, international Youth Olympic Games, Scouting America, Army veterans organizations, Rose Festival Association, Portland-Sapporo Sister City Organization, End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and Navy League of the U.S.
This fall, in recognition of Guptill’s decades of service, a group of citizens suggested that the Gladstone School Board name the facility. GHS’s main gym previously didn’t have a name.
Board policy to name a Gladstone school facility called for appointing an ad hoc committee to seek naming nominations. Noting how he has created meaningful relationships with generations of students, public input to the committee was overwhelmingly in favor of naming the gym after Guptill. Our school board voted unanimously in favor of the naming in December.
On Jan. 27, we held a Scott Guptill Appreciation Night at our home basketball game to celebrate the renaming. Many of the event’s speakers noted how Guptill can often be seen around the high school pulling weeds, mowing the grass, picking up trash and doing other odd jobs.
Guptill volunteers his days to set up the gym, prep fields, paint and/or complete any random task. Beyond that, you will see that he is often the last person to leave events, once he ensures all garbage is cleaned up and every space is left better than he found it.
Guptill has coordinated and managed the Dick Baker Invitational Track and Field Meet over many years. He has coordinated and led annual fundraisers like Christmas tree sales, commemorative brick sales, concession sales and 50-50 fundraisers. He supports our athletes individually, giving them encouragement and support and ensuring they are spotlighted for their efforts. He earns students’ trust because they enjoy his good-natured banter and often seek him out for life advice.
Thank you, Scott Guptill, for being at the heart of so many good things happening in Gladstone over the years!