Three inducted into SRHS Wall of Fame
Scientist, educator, football player honored at alma mater
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

Russell Krug (l-r), Al Losiewicz and Kenny Jackson are pictured during the recent South River High School Wall of Fame induction ceremony.

As a teenager, Russell Krug rode his bicycle from South River to Princeton University regularly to do research.

It was that special research that enabled Krug to receive a four-year academic scholarship to Princeton University in 1968 and later become an industrial scientist.

Now, nearly four decades later, Krug has been inducted into the South River High School Wall of Fame, after being nominated by his former classmate, Ronald Grygo, who is now superintendent of schools.

Retired teacher and principal Al Losiewicz and professional football player Kenny Jackson joined Krug in the recent induction.

The three are now among 25 alumni honored on the wall, which includes best-selling novelist Janet Evanovich, "The Simpsons" television series screenwriter Frank Mula, and football greats Alexander Wojciechowicz, Joe Theismann and Drew Pearson.

The selection committee chooses alumni for the Wall of Fame if they have exhibited exemplary work for their chosen field or profession, according to Grygo, who presided over the induction ceremony at the Ria Mar Restaurant, Whitehead Avenue, in December.

"I thought it was a tremendous night we had," Grygo said.

Students are inducted into the National Honors Society on the same night alumni are inducted into the Wall of Fame, allowing for the honorees to inspire this generation's honors students.

Losiewicz, who graduated with the class of 1947, earned his bachelor of science and master of education degrees at Rutgers University. He was the vice principal at the junior high school and later the principal of South River High School for nearly 20 years before retiring in 1991.

During his tenure at the high school, he was chairman and president of several organizations, including the Middlesex County Secondary Principals and Supervisors Association and also the Principals and Supervisors Association Legislative Committee and Political Action Committee.

Robert Wisniewski, Losiewicz's brother-in-law, nominated him for the Wall of Fame, citing his years of service with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and his work as a teacher and administrator.

Grygo said he had Losiewicz as a principal and a social studies teacher when he was a student in the district. He said Losiewicz provided great lessons to him and set boundaries that allowed him and other South River students to become productive members of society.

"He advocated very strongly for our students through a variety of state groups," Grygo said. "He often gave up his own time to evaluate other districts, and he would bring great ideas back as principal."

Losiewicz told the Sentinel he is proud to have been one of the only administrators in the district who was active on a county and state level at the time he was principal of the high school, and that he is proud of the service he gave to the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools as chairman.

Losiewicz said he testified before the state board in support of the alternative route for teacher's certification, which is popular today for those who do not major in education at their university.

"I was a product of [the alternative route]," Losiewicz said. "I am a veteran. When I completed my college bachelor's degree in business administration, it was a recession year when I graduated. People were losing their jobs."

A former teacher of Losiewicz's made him aware of a vacant teaching position at what was then the Willett School. He took to the job "like a duck takes to water," he said, adding that he loved working with kids.

"I enjoyed the sports a lot," Losiewicz said. When a team won, he would hang up the victory sign at the school and congratulate the team over the PA system.

He recalled singing the victory song with students as well.

Grygo described Kenny Jackson as more than the great athlete sports fans know him as; he was also named Middlesex County scholar athlete.

"Many will think of him as a very gifted athlete," Grygo said, "... but the memory people need to know is that Ken is also a very bright individual."

An All-American at South River High School and later at Penn State University, Jackson played football for four years at the college before being drafted fourth overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1984, Grygo said.

Jackson also played for the Houston Oilers and went on to coach for college and professional football teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers. He now coaches wide receivers at Penn State University.

Jackson and Krug were both students during Losiewicz's time as principal of South River High School.

"Two alumni inducted with me were former students of mine," Losiewicz said. He added that Jackson was one of the best athletes he has ever seen.

"Kenny, I consider to be one of the best athletes South River has ever had," Losiewicz said. "He was outstanding in football. He also did track, basketball and baseball. He was a four-letter man."

Losiewicz described Krug as a "very fine boy" when he was in high school, adding that Krug was president of the National Honors Society.

Krug graduated summa cum laude from Princeton in 1972 and went on to invent reactor designs that increase gasoline yield and led to the commercialization of a new type of base oil for lubricants. According to his biography from the district, he has 70 patents and was published 20 times.

Krug is an example of how district students can achieve their dreams through hard work, Grygo said.

"Like many of us, Russ came from very modest circumstances," Grygo said. "He always dreamed of attending Princeton University."

Knowing that it would be difficult or impossible for his parents to send him to the university, Grygo said Krug applied himself in the classroom and rode his bicycle to Princeton regularly to do research.

"He showed his academic talent as far back as I can remember being in grade school and high school together," Grygo said. "He raised the level of discussion and thinking in every class we attended together. It was like having a second teacher in class."