Class reunions are often the last thing people want to bother themselves with after years of being out of high school or college, but one school is trying to change that opinion on reunions.
(prHWY.com) July 29, 2012 - Seattle, WA -- Class reunions are often the last thing people want to bother themselves with after years of being out of high school or college, but one school is trying to change that opinion on reunions. Crystal Lakes High School is making a change to high school reunions by requiring all alumni to sign an anti-clique promise.
"We found out that many former students don't want to
attend their class reunions because they are afraid of the old cliques forming again", said alumni president Sandy Higgins. "Many of our former alumni said it was often like returning to high school only 10 years later, and that's not what we want at all. We wanted to show people how we've grown and changed over the years."
The alumni committee sends out anti-clique promises to all the students about two years before their high school reunion. The promise states that individuals will promise to attend the reunion with an open mind and try to be welcome and accommodating to everyone that attends.
"We hope by having people make this promise that it eliminates the desire to go and hang out with old crowds", said Higgins. "We really want everyone to feel welcome and have fun at these reunions."
The anti-clique promise was introduced to students about five years now. Five high school reunions have been held and the response has been fairly positive.
"When I first got the anti-clique promise card I laughed", said Thomas Wagner. "It seemed like such a joke to me then I got to thinking about it and realized what it symbolized. After that I didn't think it was so funny and signed it."
The anti-clique promise doesn't mean that former students can't hang out in their own groups; it just means that people will be open to talking to others and be welcoming. Often times groups of cheerleaders, football players and others gather and leave people out, this is done to prevent that.
"We have held five reunions with this promise and it really seems to have made a difference", said Higgins. "People are still gathering with their old friends, but they are welcoming to others too. This often leads to more people who are willing to attend the reunion."
The anti-clique promise will be sent out for the five years. The alumni committee will monitor responses to the promise, and get an overall idea of how people feel about it before continuing it in the future.
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