Michael C. Ghegan, who was inducted into the Columbia High School Hall of Fame, plays with one of the school's bands.
Alyesha K. Faines’ parents, Bahir Kamil and Dr. Ruby Sampson-Faines, accept the plaque for their daughter from student Raymond Brown.
One was a renowned journalist and entrepreneur. The other is an acclaimed saxophonist, keyboardist, vocalist, composer, and producer.
The late Ayesha K. Faines, Class of 2004, and Michael C. Ghegan, Class of 1986, were recently inducted into the Columbia High School Hall of Fame.
Monica Soliman, CHS teacher of social studies, welcomed attendees to the induction ceremony.
“I’m deeply honored and humbled,” Soliman said. “We have an extraordinary celebration of inspiring stories of two remarkable alumni. Learn from their journeys.”
Following the flag salute there was a brief history of the CHS Hall of Fame, including a Hall of Fame Retrospective video.
Columbia High School, founded in 1885, began its Hall of Fame in 1985. Its first two alumni were Senior U.S. Circuit Judge Amalya Kearse and actor Roy Scheider. Since then, every year the committee has inducted anywhere from one to four former students who demonstrated academic excellence during their time at CHS and have gone on to influence the world around them in positively meaningful ways.
Ayesha K. Faines was a perfect example of what the CHS Hall of Fame represents. She contributed to many journalistic and news media sources, including WJXT television, The Grapevine TV, and Zora magazine.
She also founded Women Love Power, which offers digital resources to help women achieve their full potential personally and professionally.
She was the author of “Smoke,” a poetry anthology. She was a Johns Hopkins and Telluride scholar, attending the N.J. Governor’s School for Film and receiving a fellowship from the Emma L. Bowen Foundation.
She also studied ballet, dancing with the New Jersey Ballet School’s traveling company and participated in local and state pageants, receiving many titles.
She went on to attend Yale University and to obtain a bachelor of arts degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilization. Faines passed away in July of 2021. Yet she continues to have an impact, including through the Ayesha K. Faines Foundation, which supports women that exemplify her values.
In a powerful, poignant video “Ms. Ayesha K. Faines Speaks” the audience was treated to a taste of Faines’ career and personality.
“As human beings, we all have to have power. Power connects you to people,” said Faines in the video.
Faines mother, Dr. Ruby Sampson-Faines, spoke about Faines journey as a dancer. “She was always happiest when she was dancing,” said Sampson-Faines in the video.
Her father, Bahir Kamil said, in the video, “She was a very spiritual person. Her generosity was unparalleled.”
Faines’ parents accepted her CHS Hall of Fame plaque. Faines was 35 when she died in 2021.
Next, was the introduction of the second inductee, Michael C. Ghegan, whose musical work spans multiple genres including jazz, pop, rock, and film and TV scores.
He’s played with pop and rock icons like Elton John, Michael Bolton, and Justin Timberlake, as well as prominent bands like Aerosmith, the Allman Brothers Band, and Jamiroquai. He’s composed and produced music for television shows including “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Bachelor,” and “Extra.” In addition to creating music, he’s taught elementary, middle, and high school students and at Virginia Commonwealth University.
In Ghegan’s tribute video, David Bryan, a founding member of Bon Jovi, and lifelong friend of Ghegan, said, “He really puts his heart and soul into everything.”
“He’s a real cool guy,” Roger Hodgson of Supertramp said in the video. “The biggest thing I have to say about him is his positivity. He has a fantastic, beautiful heart. He’s a great entertainer.”
BLKBOK, a musician born and raised in Detroit as Charles Wilson III, spoke about about Ghegan in the video.
“Michael is a one-of-a-kind individual,” BLKBOK said. “We met touring with Justin Timberlake. Columbia High School, you’ve got yourself a winner with this one.”
Presenting the honoree plaque to Ghegan was Chris Wylde, an actor known for his roles in films including “The DUFF,” “Space Cowboys,” “The Revenant,” and “The Babysitter.”
“We’re here to honor the coolest person I’ve ever known,” said Wylde.
Accepting, Ghegan said, “It’s great to be back here. This is truly an honor.”
He continued to say that while he didn’t have a lot of moments that he regretted, he did say he wished he had met Ayesha, who he referred to as a “brilliant force of nature.”
Ghegan spoke about his time at CHS, being into both sports and music.
“Take every opportunity to do what you’re into,” Ghegan said. “Find something that works for you. Put the time in. Today is a fantastic reminder of how fortunate I’ve been.”
After Ghegan received his plaque, he played a song with the jazz ensemble and was met with a standing ovation.
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