Cheyenne Central High School’s Most Famous Graduates

This weekend, Cheyenne Central High School will honor its 113th graduation class.

Of the thousands of students who have graduated from Central High since it was founded in 1904, most of them went on to have productive careers and raise families. Some of them even earned national acclaim for their alma matter.

Here’s our list of Cheyenne Central High’s five most famous alumni.

Chris LeDoux, Class of 1966 – Before becoming a Grammy-nominated singer, a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association World Champion and an accomplished bronze sculptor, LeDoux won two Wyoming State Rodeo Championship for bareback riding in high school.

He later began a professional career that would ultimately lead to his induction into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. He remains the only man ever to be inducted to the Hall of Fame in two separate categories.

Following his death in 2005, he was also honored with the Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award.

Boyd Dowler, Class of 1955 – Dowler was a three-sport star athlete at Central, where his father, Walter Dowler, was also a history teacher. After attending the University of Colorado, he was selected in the third round of the 1959 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.

He went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award along with five NFL Championships. He had two Pro Bowl selections during his career and was later named to the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team and the 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.

John Godina, Class of 1990 – An All-American in both football and track and field, Godina went on to win three NCAA National Championships at UCLA, two for throwing the discuss and one for shot put.

In 1995, he set a national record for the longest shot put and won the first of his three World Championships. His Olympic career was highlighted by a Silver Medal in 1996 and a Bronze Medal in the 2000 games. Godina would later add a gold medal in the World Indoor Championships to his resume.

Harriet Elizabeth Byrd, Class of 1944 – Born Harriet Rhone, she was a pioneer for African Americans in the Cowboy State. In 1980, she became the first African American elected to the Wyoming Legislature, serving in the House of Representatives until 1988 and later as a state Senator until her retirement in 1992.

Byrd was also instrumental in the movement to establish Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an official state holiday. Her husband, James Byrd, was the first African American in Wyoming to ever be named the Chief of Police.

Jim Eliopulos, Class of 1977 – After being named the Wyoming State High School Athlete of the Year as a senior, Eliopulos set a University of Wyoming record for the most sacks in a single season. He was named to the All-WAC team in 1981 and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys.

He spent several seasons in the NFL, playing for the Cowboys, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Jets. He finished his professional career in the Canadian Football League as a member of the Toronto Argonauts.