Distinguished Alumni 2022

Graphic showing photos of three award winners

Foundation selects three for Distinguished Alumni Award

The Raymore-Peculiar Public School Foundation announces three recipients of the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award: Pat Harris, Lauren Dobson Peter, and Justin Petersen. The award recipients have excelled in their careers and have given back to their communities. They were honored on Sept. 16 at a special luncheon, at a tailgate party sponsored by the Foundation, and at the Homecoming Football Game.

Distinguished Alumni Award recipients

Distinguished Alumni Award recipients were honored during the Homecoming football game. Accepting the award in the memory of Lauren Dobson Peter, Class of 1998, were, from left: her mother, Mary Dobson; her husband, Thomas Peter; and her father, Larry Dobson. Justin Petersen is second from right. Pat Harris, Class of 1971, is pictured at right.

Justin Petersen

Before the Homecoming football game, Justin Petersen, Class of 1995, sang the National Anthem. (Photo by Victor Carr)

Group photo at Distinguished Alumni Award luncheon

From left: Pam Steele, Dr. Mike Slagle, Jodie Huston, Justin Petersen, Larry Dobson, Mary Dobson, Pat Harris, Allison Bruflat, and Ruth Johnson.

Photo of award recipients at luncheon

Award recipients: Justin Petersen (Class of 1995), Larry and Mary Dobson (accepting on behalf of daughter Lauren Dobson Peter, Class of 1998), and Pat Harris, Class of 1971.

Pat Harris

Pat Harris, Class of 1971

Pat Harris graduated from Ray-Pec High School in 1971. During high school, he was involved in football, basketball, and track. He was in Future Teachers, was President of the Varsity Club, was a member of the Panther Club, played trumpet in the concert band, and was in the Foreign Language Club. 

After high school, he attended Central Missouri State University for one semester, worked a variety of jobs, and later finished his degree at Ozark Christian College and became an ordained minister.

Pat and his wife, Carol, married in 1975, and had four children. Tragically, their son Shane was killed in 2006 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pat and his family chose to honor Shane’s life by creating a non-profit foundation and giving back to others by building houses for the needy. The Just Love Foundation has helped build or renovate homes in 12 different states, on the Navajo reservation, and in Guatemala, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.

Lauren Dobson Peter

Lauren Dobson Peter, Class of 1998

Lauren (Dobson) Peter graduated from Ray-Pec High School in 1998, and graduated from the University of Central Missouri in 2002 with a degree in Special Education. She became a dedicated educational professional for the Blue Springs School District, a career that began in 2002. In addition to teaching, she mentored student teachers, and was a coach for the Blue Springs Special Olympics Team.

Lauren was vice president of the Peculiar Charitable Foundation working to fund projects in Cass County. She was an officer of her neighborhood’s homeowner association and organized special events. She was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer in 2012, and endured many surgeries and rounds of chemo. As a cancer survivor, she participated in support groups, and personally counseled patients who had received a cancer diagnosis. Sadly, Lauren passed away in December 2019 at the age of 40.

She was married 18 years to Thomas Peter, and they have one son, Caden. Lauren's parents are Larry and Mary Dobson. Both have longtime ties to the community and the school district. Her brother is Scott Dobson, Ray-Pec Director of Facilities.

Justin Petersen

Justin Petersen, Class of 1995

Justin Petersen is a 1995 Ray-Pec High School graduate. In addition to being recognized by the Foundation, he is also scheduled to perform the National Anthem before the Homecoming football game.

Justin is a Boston-based voice teacher, vocal coach, writer, and researcher. He has a passion for working with damaged voices and helping to bring them back to health. He is also the Head Vocal Coach for My College Audition and prepares high school students for their college auditions in musical theater.

He received his Master of Music degree in Opera at the University of Kansas, and his Bachelor of Music degree at Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa. His career includes performances with the Des Moines Metro Opera, Kansas City Lyric Opera, Opera North, Sarasota Opera, and the Santa Fe Opera.

He has been on the Voice Faculty of Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, the New England Conservatory Preparatory Program, and the Stoneham Theatre. He was recently certified as a music theory teacher with the Ultimate Music Theory Certified Teacher program.