Cupertino High School’s 60th Anniversary

Many alumni and students made their way to Cupertino High School on Sept. 15 to celebrate the school’s 60th anniversary. The celebration included a pep rally with performances from the Golden Spurs Dance Team and the marching band, a welcome speech by principal Kami Tomberlain, guided tours of campus, a gallery of showing the history of the school, a rededication to the Veterans Monument, and a book signing of Cupertino High School: The First 60 Years by ASB advisor Wes Morse.

The event did not only serve as a reunion for the alumni, but it also gave current students a glimpse of what Cupertino High School was like decades ago. The alumni reminisced the various incidents that occurred at school: putting a submarine in the pool, stacking tires around the senior flagpole, releasing goldfish into the pool, feuding with Saratoga High School when they squirted the homecoming court with ketchup and mustard.

During the guided tours around campus, the alumni were able to see the newly constructed buildings. These buildings reminded Nichelle Dean, graduate from 1987, of the science wing that finished construction in her year.

Ariana Fahri

People also shared stories of the first principal George Fernandez. Every day, he would find his car somewhere random on campus: in the middle of the quad, on the football field, in the pool etc. Besides celebrating the past, the alumni noted the many differences on campus.

Dean explained, “When I see the new facilities, I think it’s cool and it’s amazing, but it’s like they took away that old building.”

The event was not only significant to the alumni, but it meant a lot to current students as well.

Said freshman Kathleen Hua, “It’s really interesting seeing all the alumni wearing clothes from the time they were at Cupertino High. It’s kind of like a mark in history, and it’s really cool to see that.”

Noting the change in mindset from an athletically driven school to an academically driven school, many alumni reminded students to enjoy their high school experience.

Said Dean, “Think of your classmates as a family. It’s truly like a family. If you get over the cliques, because there are always going to be cliques I just felt like a lot of the spirit we had is truly because we were a family. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into one friend group. That way you’re not just in one thing. Do what you love.”

Junior Nivrithi Krishnan responded, “ I think we can learn to enjoy our years at high school like the alumni. I hope that one day we can come back to the school and be proud of our experiences here.”

Along with stories from the past, Cupertino High School: The First 60 years written by ASB director Wes Morse was on display as well.

Morse explains that the book is a record of factual information and events that occurred at CHS. At the very end, it lists every single graduate in their class. It goes into detail about the different eras of Cupertino.

Morse wishes people should remember good experiences from high school and realize the contributions they made to make CHS what it is today.

Said Morse, “I hope people recognize that high school is and should be fun. You should remember it and remember the people you experience it with. Were all part of a family. I hope that when they look at their four years and compare it to another four years, they can see how they have changed the school in some way.”

The CHS anniversary celebration brought graduates and students on campus to celebrate the 60 years since the founding of the school. Serving as a reunion and a first meeting, the celebration left the alumni reminiscing their high school experience and students with advice on how to make the most of what is left of theirs.