Letter to the editor: Apologies accepted

By Sun Advocate

Editor:
I have recently had the pleasure of serving on the Carbon High School homecoming committee, as I have the past three years. It is made up of several teachers, coaches and advisors. We work closely every day with the students at CHS. In many cases, we spend more time with the kids than the parents do.
I am a transplant to the area and because I had heard the many rumors which surrounded the school and the community, I was very torn when I first came here. It didn’t take long for me to fit in and dispel the rumors by meeting and working with the great people of this community. We have been here for 23 years and feel like this is home. My children all attended public school here and have been provided an excellent education foundation which they have been able to build upon.
At the beginning of the school year, the homecoming committee was informed that this would be the 50th year the school would be open. We are in production of our 50th volume of the yearbook. So, after researching, we decided this would be a great time to put some extra emphasis on our school and the students. We have a great group of students, who like to have fun, and need to know they are appreciated and respected in the school and in the community.
I was listed as a contact in the newspaper and on the web site concerning the celebration and have had several people contact me who want to attend the activities. I have also fielded several calls and bouts of criticism from people in the community who are disputing the fact that this is the 50th year. We are not celebrating the anniversary of the graduating class of 1960, or the anniversary of anything. If you put it on paper, you can see how we came up with the theme, “50 Years, Stomping Through the Ages”. We know the school opened in the fall of 1959 and the first graduating class was the class of 1960, so that being year number one.
This fall, Aug. 18, 2008, was the 50th year the school opened in the fall. I questioned it myself at first but if you put it on paper you will see that the 2008-2009 school year is the 50th year CHS has been around. Therefore, a great time to celebrate, right?
Our hope was that we would provide a great theme and a fun celebration for all. The students spent hours preparing for the week, culminating with the parade, game and dance. I have to admit that I have been very dismayed with the local community members who have contacted me personally only to ask the reasoning and then not listen to, or understand our explanation. In reality, this is not a celebration for any one class in particular. In fact, the high school is usually very unaware of the class reunions or class get-together’s that come around. This is a celebration where we had hoped the community, the school and the students would come together and unite, build school and community spirit and work together. After all, this is about our school and our students.
I want my friends in the community to know that I have been disappointed in the response and the negative talk about CHS not knowing how to count, doing it the wrong way, jumping the gun, etc. It is an unfortunate reflection of the community’s support and respect toward our school. Most of the people I have talked to who have commented this way, have not supported CHS in a positive way in the past years.
However there are many who have participated in our celebration, supported our school, attended our activities and recognized our accomplishments. The reality is that those who care about our school are involved and interested, we appreciate you.
As for those of the class of 1960, I’m guessing your plans are underway for your 50th class reunion.
Please do not hesitate to contact the school and the student government, who would be happy to support you in planning and preparing. And, if any of you think an apology is in order, I would be happy to accept one from you….