Westchester High School Class of ‘76
“Recognize, Reflect and Remember”
35th Year Class Reunion
November 11 – 13, 2011
Dear WHS ’76 Classmates,
Many people have admired the words of the great philosopher, John Lennon, who once said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”. However, I have always admired the simpler prose of a wise woman, Roseanne Roseannadanna who said “It’s ALWAYS something!”
As we enter the “middle stages” of our lives, I have come to realize that we are spending a great deal of time in the “Lost and Found” department. Some of the things that we’re losing are our children, as they leave for school, military or work, our parents as they face old age and illness and death and, in some cases, we’re even losing our spouses, too – sometimes by choice, other times, not. We’re losing our waistlines and our phone lines. But alas, all is not LOST! We’re FINDING so much MORE! We’ve found receding hairlines and laugh lines….
Oops, maybe those are things we don’t want to find… but we are finding more time for volunteering, for work we WANT to do, more time for our spouses and even time for ourselves. We’ve found another joy of having children is enjoying them as they become young adults with whom we WANT to spend time with and who are eager for mentoring. We’ve found out why people say that “If I’d known grandkids were this much fun, I would have had them first!” But we’ve also found the joy of renewing old friendships that have been set aside to meet life’s demands!
With that said, please mark your calendar for the weekend of November 11-13, 2011. Events planned for the weekend include a social event on Friday at Clay’s, a presentation and tour on Saturday at the Westchester Academy for International Studies followed by the reunion Saturday evening at the Houston Marriott Energy Corridor. There are no events planned for Sunday, so you will have ample opportunity to extend your visit in Houston with classmates, family and friends.
If this is your sixth reunion or your first reunion or somewhere in between, I hope that there is something for everyone to take away with them that weekend. In 1972, I remember sitting in “Coach” Powell’s Spanish I class at Memorial Junior High School, when, out of the blue he announced: “By the year 2000, the Harris County will be a majority of Spanish-speaking people.” With that pronouncement in the very WASP-Y class, you could hear an audible gasp throughout the room. While Mr. Powell may have been a few years late in his projection, the growth of SBISD, Houston and Harris County reflect the growth of the Spanish-speaking population in our community.
As a result of these changes in SBISD and the gentrification of the WHS area, the needs of the community have changed and SBISD has adapted to those changes through the development of the Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS) which draws students from all over the district. As a result of the changes to our beloved school, one of the primary goals of the Westchester Alumni Association (WAA) is to provide scholarships to WAIS graduates and to provide assistance to the WAIS students, faculty and staff at many levels.
As an alumnus, there are many ways that you can help, too. First, you can help WAA and WAIS by registering on-line on the WAA website at http://www.westchesterwildcats.org and by joining the Westchester Alumni Association. Your annual membership fee of $20 or lifetime membership of $250 helps grow the endowment which provides the $1,000 scholarships that are awarded to chosen graduates each spring.
Secondly, the WAISPTA needs help with the following programs:
Teacher Grants (Investment in Excellence Program) – to provide materials for teachers that are not available in the school budget. 2011 requests include: lab equipment for the Science; CD and DVD players, FLIP cameras and headphones with mics for Foreign Language; dry erase boards for MSLA; subscriptions for Social Studies; and costumes, spotlights and art materials for the Theater/Fine Arts.
College Awareness Program (CAP) – to provide field trips, speakers and programs about colleges; particularly to the 55% of students who are economically disadvantaged and are the first generation family member to attend college.
Middle Years IB Programme – to expand the program to the middle years by updating technology, providing lab and art supplies and field trips.
Intramural Soccer Program – to expand the program, with 60 students currently participating, so that they can play other non-UIL teams, to provide financial assistance for required physicals and to hire a coach.
If you would like more information about WAISPTA go to the WAISPTA website: http://waispta.txpta.org/ or PTA President Camille Tarics @camilletarics@gmail.com.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at ginahallecpa@sbcglobal.net or call me at 281-620-2193 and I look forward to seeing y’all on the 11th!
P.S. If you are unable to attend, PLEASE return the contact information sheet included in the reunion registration packet or update your records at http://www.westchesterwildcats.org.
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Registration/Hospitality Packet at Marriott Energy Corridor.
6 p.m. to 11 p.m. – Social/Dinner at Clay’s Restaurant, 17717 Clay Road. Dress: Casual.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Breakfast – Marriott Energy Corridor
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Tour and Program at Westchester Academy for International Studies.CANCELLED
7 p.m. to 12 p.m. – Reunion Event at Marriott Energy Corridor on 10th Floor with Buffet Stations and Cash Bar. Also Silent Auction benefiting the WAA Scholarship Fund. Dress: After 5.
