DONALD W. ANTONETTI

IRON MOUNTAIN — A new scholarship has been established at Iron Mountain High School in memory of Donald Antonetti, a lifelong educator, coach and mentor whose dedication to students and the Iron Mountain community left a lasting impact on generations of young people.

Antonetti was a 1957 graduate of Iron Mountain High School, where he was deeply involved in school life and student leadership. He served as senior class president, vice president during his sophomore and junior years, and was a member of student council all four years. He was also homeroom president throughout high school and a standout athlete, earning varsity letters in basketball all four years and participating in track during his freshman year.

After high school, Don attended Northern Michigan College, now NMU, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in education. He later completed his master’s degree at Northern Michigan University in 1965, continuing his commitment to education and lifelong learning.

Antonetti began his teaching career at Vulcan High School from 1961 to 1963, where he taught industrial arts and coached junior varsity and varsity basketball, track and cross country. In 1962, he led the team to a Class D Upper Peninsula Boys Cross Country Championship.

In 1963, he returned to Iron Mountain High School, where he taught drafting, industrial arts and math for the next 34 years, and earned the Outstanding Teacher Award during the 1970-71 school year. Known for his forward-thinking approach, he was instrumental in bringing Computer Aided Drafting into the classroom, ensuring students were prepared for evolving career opportunities.

One of his most enduring contributions to IMHS was the creation of the senior co-op program, which partnered students with local businesses such as Lodal, CCI Systems, M.J. Electric and Systems Control. Through this program, hundreds of students gained real-world experience in drafting and engineering environments, experiences that often led to summer jobs and full-time careers. The program remains in place at Iron Mountain High School today and has been adopted by other area schools.

In addition to his work with students during the school day, he also taught woodworking to area adults through the Community Schools Adult Learning Program, extending his passion for education throughout the community.

Antonetti retired from Iron Mountain High School in 1997, leaving behind a powerful legacy of leadership, innovation, kindness and service.

To be eligible for the Donald W. Antonetti Memorial scholarship, applicants must be attending a four-year college and have a grade-point average of 2.00 or higher. Preference will be given to students pursuing a degree in education. The inaugural scholarship will be awarded to the IMHS Class of 2026.

Those who would like to donate to this scholarship can send checks written for the “Donald Antonetti Memorial Scholarship” to: Scholarship Administrator, IMHS, 300 W. B St., Iron Mountain, MI 49801.