By Julie Slama | [email protected]

Hillcrest High School 1994 graduate Stan Clawson was seen about everywhere during his high school days—on stage in school plays and musicals, drawing cartoons for the school newspaper and producing short films for the school television program. He also was the student body president.

However, after high school, Clawson was paralyzed in a rock-climbing accident and that set his passion for promoting disability awareness and inclusion through film. He helped form a small video production company and directed and edited the film, “Continue” for the Paralyzed Veterans of America, which is now incorporated into hospital rehab programs throughout the United States.

He also served during the 2002 Winter Olympics and Paralympics as a disability support specialist and later, a public relations position with the National Ability Center.

“Stan was a mover and shaker early on and now he has amazing experiences in movie-making and as an advocate,” Hillcrest High Alumni Association President Craig Conder said. “I was really impressed when meeting him and his attitude to help out where he can.”

Clawson was honored for those accomplishments and more with a crystal plaque during half-time of the Hillcrest High homecoming game with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Jake Colvin, Hillcrest class of 2003, was the Distinguished Young Alumni Award recipient.

Colvin grew up in Sandy and attended Hillcrest where he was involved in choir, acting and the sciences, and developed a strong passion for helping people of diverse cultures. He earned a bachelor’s degree in European studies with an emphasis in international management and a minor in chemistry, setting the stage for his innovative career.

While at Oregon State University’s pharmacy school, he created healthcare solutions and new potential treatments through early drug development. He also performed cancer research at Brigham Young University, where he also was a 2012 Crocker Innovation Fellow.

It was during that time, he cofounded the company, Owlet Baby Care, as a way to serve and solve real-world problems. The owlet is designed for infants born with congenital heart defects or other life-threatening illnesses; it is clothing with wearable technology to alert parents if a serious situation arises. Owlets have been provided to low- and middle-income families around the world. 

Now, he is aiming to help others in the world by providing low-cost technology to empower frontline and rural health workers with diagnostic tools where currently, none are available.

“Jake’s owlet is really cool,” Conder said. “Through his efforts with that and providing diagnostic equipment into the Third World countries, he’s making our world a better place.”

Conder said both award recipients were nominated based on their work in the community and impact they’ve made on others.

Each year, Hillcrest’s alumni association accepts nominations for the awards and a committee reviews them. The nominations are considered for five years, Conder said.

This was the third annual distinguished alumni awards ceremony.

To learn more or to join the Hillcrest High Alumni Association, visit its webpage at www.hillcrestalumni.org.