2020 Reunions

January 14, 2020 by

2020 AHS REUNIONS – Postponed

 Class of 1950 – 70th – Sunday, April 26, 2020

Class of 1955 – 65th – Sat., September 19, 2020 – Postponed to March 27, 2021

Class Of 1956 – Mini-Reunion Friday, Saturday, October 2 & 3, 2020.

Class of 1960 – 60th – Saturday, October 3, 2020 – 11am-4pm.

Class of 1970 – 50th  – Friday, October 16, 2020 – Postponed to Friday, Oct. 22, 2021 – Anaheimhs1970@gmail.com

Class Of 2000 – 20th – Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020 – ahsco2000@yahoo.com

 

Info. coming soon

Class of 2010 – 10th

Class of 1980 – 40th

Class of 1965 –  55th

Anaheim H.S. Alumni Association
anaheimalumni@yahoo.com
www.anaheimcolonists.com
“SPIRIT, PRIDE, TRADITION”
Filed Under: Reunions Tagged With: , , , , ,

Alabamy Bound

November 28, 2019 by
Filed Under: AHS History

Class of 2013 Antonio Garcia Thankful for Spot on U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Trials

November 28, 2019 by

If you ask Anaheim boxer Antonio Garcia what he’s grateful for this Thanksgiving, his answer will be the City of Anaheim Police Department Cops 4 Kids (C4K) program.

A 2013 Anaheim High graduate, Garcia has been boxing since age 15, when he joined the Anaheim Boxing Club, a joint program of the Anaheim Community Services Department and Cops 4 Kids. He credits the mentors he’s met through the program for shaping him into the man he is today, a 165-pound super middleweight boxer who recently earned a spot in the Olympic Team Trials.

2019 has been a very good year for Garcia. Along with earning a place in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing, scheduled for Dec. 7-15, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, he also won the 2019 State Golden Gloves Championship and he placed No. 2 at the 2019 National Golden Gloves.

Currently ranked No. 4 in the nation by USA Boxing, the 24-year-old elite boxer has come a long way from the teenage boy who joined the C4K Anaheim Boxing Club to defend himself from bullies.

“The program taught me the skills on how to defend myself if I was ever put in that situation. Thankfully, I have not had to use those skills,” Garcia conveyed via email.

“This program has kept me off the streets and into a productive environment where I have flourished. In the program, my health has improved tremendously,” he said. “I used to eat terribly and was a little heavier. Now, I am in control of my diet and have come down to a healthy weight.”

He’ll take a day off for Thanksgiving, but then Garcia will at the Downtown Anaheim Youth Center boxing ring training for the tryouts in Louisiana, where he will compete against “the best of the best” for a spot on Team USA Boxing at the Tokyo Olympics

“The Cops 4 Kids boxing program has impacted me greatly,” said Garcia. “I am truly grateful to have had this program in my life.”

Filed Under: Alumni Spotlight Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

2019 Colony Classic Car Show

October 21, 2019 by

The historic Anaheim High Campus  came alive  for the 2019 Colony Classic Car Show on Saturday, Oct. 19. ! The roar of engines, classic rock music and good conversation among fellow Colonists and classmates (some who hadn’t returned since graduating decades ago) filled the entire central court yard and surrounding open spaces.  (Photos from the day are included in the slide show below. )

Presented by the Anaheim High School Alumni Association, under the direction of Board Member Debbie Vidana, this Colonist celebration raised funds for the AHSAA “Spirit Award” scholarship program. Last year the Alumni Association awarded $16,500 in scholarships and, over the past decade, has given back  more than $300,000 to Anaheim High.

The Colony Classic Car Show also provided an opportunity for school clubs and programs to raise funds, while meeting Anaheim High alumni nnd hosting their neighbors, family and friends.

Along with viewing close to 100 classic cars — many owned by AHS graduates — attendees enjoyed memorabilia from the school’s 121-year history, food provided by the Anaheim Lions Club and Case Garcia Restaurant, a silent auction with fantastic prizes, many provided by City of Anaheim Councilmembers, performances by the award-winning AHS Cheer Team, and an awards ceremony with hand-crafted trophies presented to 10 classic car owners.

Winners included Best of Show winners Clint and Renee Breads for their 1937 Olds Club Coupe; Best Pre-50’s, Robert Neamy (’63), 1928 Ford Sedan; Best 60’s, Harry Rieger, 1963 Corvette Sting Ray; Best Foreign, Richard Roland, 1968 VW Karmen Ghia; Best Truck, Tony Messick, 1966 Chevy C-10 Fleetside; Best Design, Ruben Luna, 1957 Chevy Belair; Best Low-Rider, Chuy Barrera, 1960 Chevy Impala; Principal’s Choice, Clint Stark (’59), 1940 Ford Woodie; Alumni Choice, Rod Dixon, 1932 Ford 3W Coupe; People’s Choice, Basil Dahl (’58), 1959 Chevy S/W.

Without community and alumni support, the Car Show would not be possible. Extra thanks to CHAMPION  sponsors Anaheim Public Utilities and the Fisher and Vary Families; LEGACY  sponsors Anaheim Firefighters Association, Paul Kott Realtors represented by Jackie Garibay, and former AHSAA president and founding member Gerald Woodward (’59).

COLONY & TROPHY sponsors included  Anaheim’s new Raising Cane’s, Scott (”73) & Janet Brown (’77), Patti Hirahara (’73) and Jimmy Oregel (’72). Thank you to all and enjoy these photos from the  8th AHSAA Colony Classic Car Show!

Filed Under: AHS History, Colonist News

Ruby’s Fundraiser – Oct. 10-20 2019

September 30, 2019 by

Click here for the PDF version: Ruby’s AHS Alumni Association flyer-10-10 – 20, 2019

Filed Under: Events

Anaheim High Remembers Japanese Students Displaced by WWII

August 25, 2019 by

The story of Japanese students ,who were unable to complete their education at Anaheim Union High School (AUHS) due to their forced relocation to WWII incarceration camps, was remembered by more than 800 attendees of an Aug. 24 event at  Cook Auditorium.

“The Poston Experience – Paving the Way for the Next Generations”  provided a rare opportunity to witness the testimony of  Anaheim families who were incarcerated in the camps, including the mother and father of AUHS District Superintedent Mike Matsuda.

The program included remarks from special guest speaker Gania Demaree-Trotter, a 1944 graduate whose father, Dr. Paul H. Demaree, was principal of Anaheim Union High School from 1941 to 1954. Her speech garnered a standing ovation.

Attendees also viewed a documentary film presentation about the Shigekawa family, Anaheim pioneers who were represented by AHS Class of 1962 graduate Marlene Shigekawa. Marlene  is president of the Poston Community Alliance and is active in preserving the legacy of the Poston, Arizona, camp where she was born.

Other panelists included Don Miyada, a WWII Congressional Gold Medal and Professor Emeritus of Clinical Chemistry at the University of California Irvine;  Korean War veteran Robert M. Wada, a trailblazer in the Orange County Japanese American community; and Tom Leatherman, a  representative of the National Park Service Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program.

This unknown chapter  of Anaheim High’s history had never been featured in a major educational event until now, according to Patti Hirahara, a Class of ’73 AHS grad who was the event coordinator and moderator. To heighten the learning experience,  Patti  included a musical backdrop for the event that featured recordings of  songs from the Poston era performed by Anaheim Elementary School District children and popular tunes from the 1940s sang by the Anaheim High Las Sirenas Advanced Women’s Choir. The event also included a production by the AHS Dance Team entitled “Cherry Blossom.”

In addition, a new and original 10 minute documentary produced by the Anaheim Union High School District Summer Film Academy students entitled, “Remember Us: An Historic Chapter at Anaheim High School,” made its debut at “The Poston Experience” program.

In conjunction with the Anaheim High event, a City of Anaheim’s new original exhibition – “I Am An American – Japanese Incarceration in a Time of  Fear,” will run from Aug. 25 through Nov. 3 at the Muzeo Museum & Cultural Center.

Here are photos from the Aug. 24 event at Anaheim High:

Filed Under: AHS History, Events, Photo Galleries

Educational Program by Anaheim High Alumni Designed to Preserve the Legacy of Relocated Japanese American Families

August 14, 2019 by

The story of Japanese and American-born students of Japanese ancestry, who were unable to complete their education at Anaheim Union High School due to their forced relocation to WWII incarceration camps, will be remembered as part of  Aug. 24 admission-free event at Cook Auditorium.

Anaheim High graduates organizing “The Poston Experience – Paving the Way for the Next Generations” say this unique program will illustrate how the stories of minority students from 75 years ago are strikingly similar to experiences faced by many of today’s generation.

The 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. program will offer a rare opportunity to hear special guest speaker Gania Demaree-Trotter, a 1944 graduate whose father, Dr. Paul H. Demaree, was principal of Anaheim Union High School from 1941 to 1954.

Cook Auditorium was a second home for Gania, who was a performing arts student and, later, a music teacher at her alma mater. Her return to the Cook stage is an occasion being celebrated and embraced by Anaheim High alumni, especially her students from the 1950s.

To preserve the legacy of these Japanese and Japanese-American students, the majority of whom were sent to Poston, Arizona, this two-hour program will feature Orange County leaders who went to Poston during WWII, as well as a special presentation about an Anaheim pioneer family represented by AHS Class of 1962 graduate Marlene Shigekawa. Marlene will talk about her family and her work in preserving the legacy of the Poston, Arizona camp where she was born.

Other panelists include Don Miyada, Robert M. Wada, and Tom Leatherman, who is representing the National Park Service Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program.

This unknown chapter has never been featured in a major educational event until now, according to Patti Hirahara, a Class of ’73 AHS grad who is the event coordinator and moderator.

To heighten the learning experience, recordings of  songs from the Poston era and popular tunes from the 1940s will provide a musical backdrop for the event. Performers include Anaheim Elementary School District children and the Anaheim High Las Sirenas Advanced Women’s Choir.

In addition, a new and original 10 minute documentary produced by the Anaheim Union High School District Summer Film Academy students entitled, “Remember Us: An Historic Chapter at Anaheim High School, will make its debut at “The Poston Experience” program.

For a nominal fee, persons who attend the August 24th morning program will be given an opportunity to be part of a sneak preview of the City of Anaheim’s new original exhibition – “I Am An American – Japanese Incarceration in a Time of  Fear,” which will run from Aug. 25 through Nov. 3 at the Muzeo Museum & Cultural Center.

For further information e-mail: anaheimalumni@yahoo.com or phone: (714) 392-2103. The event can also be found on Facebook @AZPostonAHS.

Filed Under: AHS History

1943-44 Girls’ League Scrapbook

August 10, 2019 by
Filed Under: Photo Galleries

Oscar Gonzalez Brings Heart Back Home to AHS

July 27, 2019 by

Home is where the heart is and, for Class of 2001 Colonist Oscar Gonzalez, his heart is back home in Room 66 on the Anaheim High campus, where he is starting a new role as dance director for the 2019-20 class year and beyond.

Oscar began dancing at Anaheim High under instructor Meg Elder, who recently retired after a 35-year career.

His Anaheim dance experience also includes performing with the Anaheim Ballet and at Disneyland in “Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular.”

His horizons expanded when he moved to New York to study at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School. While in New York, Oscar also trained a summer with the American Ballet Theater, which is considered one of the greatest dance companies in the world.

His ballet credits include, Cinderella, Napoli, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Nutcracker and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

In addition to ballet, Oscar is formally trained in jazz, lyrical, modern and contemporary dance styles. He has displayed his talents in numerous professional musical theater productions, including Hello Dolly, West Side Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, A Chorus Line, Evita and has been a principal in The Glory of Christmas at the Crystal Cathedral.

His dancing has also taken him across the globe to perform for the grand opening of the King Abdulah University of Science and Technology in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

His passion for teaching and sharing his art with young people led him to working internationally as a dance coach and choreographer, including a stop in Cape Town, South Africa, where he created a dance intensive for students from age 6 to 25.

Back home in Anaheim, he taught dance at Anaheim High for several years as a walk-on coach. He also gained extensive experience as the ballet director at McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts in La Mirada, and at Smitty’s Performing Arts Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

Throughout his travels and adventures, Oscar continued his education to earn his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from St. Mary’s College of California.  He is currently working on his master’s degree in education.

Oscar said he is “beyond grateful” for the opportunity to teach dance at Anaheim High. “To go back to my roots and to be able to give back to Anaheim High has so much meaning for me,” he said. “Room 66 has been a home for so many, and now I get the chance to make it my home and a new home to many more artists.”

Filed Under: Alumni Spotlight

Anaheim Loses Lawrence Macaray – Class of 1938

July 19, 2019 by

Class of ’38 Colonist Lawrence “Larry” Macaray, an artist, teacher, art collector and author, passed away July 18, 2019, at age 98.

Like most talented artists, Macaray showed his aptitude as a child and was an accomplished artist by the time he was attending Anaheim Union High School in the 1930s.

He and another AUHS student, Arvin “Bud” Mahoney, were commissioned by the National Youth Administration to create a mural at the high school. Their work, “Youth at Play” was painted on the wall of the school’s art building.

A WWII Army veteran who served as a combat engineer, he married high school sweetheart, Kathleen Vincent (’42), on April 24, 1943, in Ainsworth, Nebraska, where he was stationed for training after enlisting in September 1942.

After the war, Larry attended Whittier College on the G.I. Bill. In 1954, he earned a master’s in art at Long Beach State College. His award-winning art was displayed at many galleries and museums in California and throughout the nation.

Along with working as a professional artist, Larry taught for seven years at Torrance High School and 26 years at El Camino College. He was also the Arts and Travel Editor for the Torrance Press-Herald.

Larry brought arts and culture to his hometown of Anaheim, when he and Kathy opened the City’s first art gallery on April 1, 1964, at 1425-C East Lincoln. They represented California artists, as well as national and international artists.

Later they combined their love of  art and architecture by purchasing and renovating the historic Southern Plantation house at 1431 E. La Palma Avenue in Anaheim and moving their gallery into the ground floor of the home. Known as The De Sombre House  after its first owner, the home is a City of Anaheim designated “Historically Significant Structure.”

The experience inspired Larry to write a history about the home, entitled The De Sombre House – Orange Blossoms Into Art, which was published in 1994.  He also published Sketches from an Irish Detour detailing his travels throughout Europe.

Larry’s children, David and Peggy, also graduated from AHS from the classes of 1962 and 1964, respectively.

Truly a renaissance man, Lawrence Macaray will be remembered by his Colonists classmates for his kind, generous nature and his cultural legacy.

 

 

Filed Under: In Memory
« Previous Page
Next Page »