Ken Parks and Marden Phelps inducted into Bear Lake High School Hall of Fame

MONTPELIER — Bear Lake High School proudly held its second annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony, honoring distinguished alumni Ken Parks and Marden Phelps for their exceptional contributions to the school and community.

Athletic Director Jared Hillier, who started the Hall of Fame last year, explained, “We wanted to honor the educators and coaches who have dedicated their lives to our students. The banquet and events have been very successful and we plan to continue this tradition.”

Parks, a prominent figure in local athletics, coached Bear Lake High School football from 1979 to 1984 and again from 1996 to 2001, leading the team to the state playoffs six times and securing a third-place finish in 1998.

His Bear Lake High School boys basketball coaching tenure spanned 10 years, where he guided the team to multiple district championships and earned five Coach of the Year awards.

Parks also coached girls fast pitch softball, leading the team to state championships and receiving the Idaho 3A Coach of the Year award in 2006.

Parks dedicated 25 years of his life to teaching at Bear Lake High School and served in various other coaching roles across different sports.

Phelps, a dedicated educator and community leader, graduated from Brigham Young University with a major in communications/theatre and a minor in English.

After serving an LDS mission in the southern states, he taught in California before returning to Montpelier, where he shaped young minds until his retirement in 2005.

Phelps held various church positions, including bishop of the 5th Ward and was active in the Bear Lake Education Association and Idaho Education Association. He served on the Idaho Professional Standards Commission and was a city councilman in Montpelier.

In retirement, Phelps has traveled extensively, including seven month-long trips to Eastern and Southern Africa, where he supports a school in Arusha, Tanzania. He and his wife Jessie enjoy spending time with their 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The Hall of Fame ceremony included a banquet where the inductees shared their experiences, highlighting their commitment to education and athletics.

Joleen Alexander, the high school secretary instrumental in organizing the banquet, stated, “The past two years have been a huge success and I see this continuing for years to come.”

In addition to the banquet, both inductees were honored with a ride in the recent homecoming parade and participated in the ceremonial coin toss at the homecoming football game, further solidifying their legacy at Bear Lake High School.