A group of Northland High School graduates in central Ohio have gotten together to breathe new life into a foundation that aims to create closer bonds between alumni while helping current students.
“Fundamentally, we just want to reconnect the alumni with each other and with the school, and connect students with the alumni, because there’s a great history and tradition with the school,” Sean Milner, who graduated from NHS in 1986, said last week.
“They’ll be able to learn more about the past and we’ll learn more about the present.”
“There’s a lot of interest in that now,” said Bobbie Ruhl, a member of the class of 1969.
“The bottom line to it is that Northland has given us so much, what we’re trying to do is pay back,” 1971 graduate Ric Johnson said.
The rejuvenated organization for Northland High alumni received a major boost during a gathering held the night before this past football season’s homecoming game, Ruhl said. U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Genoa Township), who counts himself among the school’s graduates, attended and even led the alumni band, according to Ruhl.
The fundraising efforts that have taken place for the foundation enabled the group to provide the school’s STEM Team with a check for $2,000 to help pay for a trip to a national competition, said Ruhl, a Columbus City Schools substitute teacher.
“Right now, we’re just trying to coalesce our finances together,” said Johnson, who founded the all-class “First Saturday in August” reunions.
Milner, who started a softball game for NHS grads around 20 years ago, said he hopes the foundation one day becomes a self-sufficient organization that can underwrite scholarships for students.
“Initially, the idea is we want to have something that’s a way for people to network,” Milner said. “Through the events and things we’re going to do, hopefully people say they want to give back to the school, whether it’s monetarily or through some other means … maybe come to class and talk about their lives.”
“Northland is a big part of what got us where we are today,” Johnson said.
Information about becoming involved with the Northland High School Alumni Foundation is available at the organization’s website, northlandhigh.com. It includes contact information for Johnson.
Source: Kevin Parks, This Week