Surprise! Cooper hall induction catches retiring cheerleading coach Wise off guard

Cooper High School had everyone fooled Friday, including the completely shocked Donna Wise.

As co-adviser to the school's student council, Wise — a physical education teacher and Cooper's cheerleading coach for more than 30 years — was part of the planning team for the school's hall of fame induction ceremony.

In her mind, Cathy Ashby — this year's honoree and the 85th member of the Cooper hall — was to be presented during the school's morning pep rally ahead of homecoming.

Sure, that happened. Ashby, who serves as president and CEO of United Way of Abilene but taught at Cooper and served in district administration before then, was presented a trophy and the school cheered.

Then her student council partner, Jimmy Pogue, went off-script.

And Wise was blown away.

"As he started to talk, I figured out what was happening," Wise said once it was all over and she found out she was the 86th member of Cooper's Hall of Fame. "Then I saw so many former cheerleaders coming down and I saw my family. It was precious — and scary at the same time."

Pogue said he kept the secret from a number of people, but started by talking with Wise's son, Will, a coach at the school, and her sister, who he went to high school with and was able to convince to come for a visit from Florida.

From there, he told the student council officers, but only at the start of the week.

So it was a closely guarded secret only a select few knew.

Now that the cougar's out of the bag, she became reflective on her time at Cooper.

"I'm retiring in May," Wise said. "I have to hang up my pom-poms. But I think back on getting to this point and I think this was the right path for me. We do great things at Cooper."

'The greatest joy'

Ashby stood at the podium on the performing arts center's stage and thanked her family.

She became a mom twice, she said, while she was a teacher at the school. One of those children, Jay, now serves as assistant principal there.

Since 2013, she's led United Way having left the school district as associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

But, she said, there's one job she had that brought her the most joy in her life. And she did it the most at Cooper.

"The title of teacher is one that brings me the greatest joy," Ashby said, then named several teachers who served as her mentors and co-workers as she progressed through her career.

She also thanked several former students, some who were in attendance. One of whom, she said, helped her out in a pinch one day when she forgot to provide a lunch for her daughter.

Amanda Young, the wife of Abilene ISD Superintendent David Young, was her student as a teenager and one day, Ashby said, she let her young charge borrow her vehicle to leave school and deliver the lunch to Ashby's daughter.

"Times were different then," Ashby said. "You could do that stuff."

At the end of her speech, Ashby asked everyone to remember to be kind. She asked everyone to honor teachers, to honor parents and to honor those who are in charge.

She asked everyone to honor their country and to honor their school.

"And be proud," she said.

Based in Abilene, Timothy Chipp covers education and general news for the Reporter-News. If you appreciate his work and that of the rest of the staff, please consider supporting local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.