Alumni needed to march at WHS graduation

Print this Page    Email This Article

A new feature has been added to the commencement ceremonies for the Woodstock High School Class of 2008. To celebrate the school’s rich history and the last graduating class before the second high school is opened, alumni from previous WHS graduating classes have been invited to lead the procession of this year’s graduates.
Representatives from the Classes of 1931 through 2007 are being recruited to participate in the commencement ceremony, which will take place Sunday afternoon, June 8, at Larry Dale Field. Marchers will carry signs representing their classes and be seated in a special shaded area, said WHS Principal Corey Tafoya. The program is expected to last approximately 90 minutes.
The school’s goal is to have at least one alumnus from each of the 77 classes march at graduation. Representatives have already been secured for some of the classes and include several Woodstock School District 200 staff members and community leaders, including Denise Graff Ponstein, Sue Ayers-Krause, Steve Aavang, Dwayne Raney, Jim Hicks and Fred Spitzer. Henry Knell from the Class of 1933, Gordon Lohmeyer from the Class of 1945, Joyce Rigby from the Class of 1946, and Frederic and Richard Triebold from the classes of 1948 and 1950 have also signed up.
There are approximately 40 classes still in need of alumni representatives including the Classes of 1931 and 1932, 1934, 1936 to 1944, 1947, 1951 to 1960, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1972 to 1974, 1976 and 1977, 1985 to 1988, 1992 to 1995, 1997 to 2000, and 2002, 2003 and 2005.
To participate in the alumni graduation march June 8, call Assistant Principal Ron Bendis by Thursday, May 1, at 815-338-4370 or e-mail rbendis@d200.mchenry.k12.il.us.
This will be the 131st commencement ceremony for Woodstock High School.

This editorial was published in the April 9, 2008 edition of The Woodstock Independent.