ABRHS Class of 2011 – Back Already?

This week's school column was written by Jackie Surdan, a member of the ABRHS class of 2011 who is currently a freshman at Boston College studying communications.

• “Did you see her hair?”

• “I didn't know all the guys would get so tall.”

These were conversation snippets heard throughout the ABRHS counseling center on the afternoon of December 23 when the Class of 2011 was invited back to the school for an alumni reception. Organized by Kay Steeves and other members of the counseling department and administration, the event was a low-key opportunity for college kids on winter break to come back and catch up with friends and faculty.

“We tried to do a head count and it looks like there are about 75 people here,” estimated Steeves.

Principal Dr. Alixe Callen was happy to see all of the graduates.

“Everyone looks so grown up,” said Callen.

Everyone arrived around 1:00 p.m., helped themselves to refreshments and mingled, discussing what it was like to be away at college or out in the work force. Every minute or two brought the sounds of squealing hugs as friends spotted each other from across the room.

Julia Whyte, a freshman at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania, explained, “it was really nice to be able to reconnect with my friends and teachers and hear about college. It was also nice to feel welcomed back to AB.”

For many of the students present, this was their first return to the high school since graduation in the spring.

“It was awesome catching up with friends and teachers that I haven’t seen in a while,” said Gil Shohet, currently a freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “You get to see your good friends over Thanksgiving break, but it’s great to come back and see so many people from your class.”

Leah Pinsky said, “It’s weird being back after being surrounded by such a different environment for four months. Seeing the variation in backgrounds and educations at school (UMass Amherst) really makes me appreciate how well AB prepared me for life after high school.

For many of the recent graduates, going back to ABRHS was almost as much of a draw as seeing old classmates. Within a half hour of arriving, many students started trickling into other areas of the school, looking for teachers and underclassmen friends. A chemistry teacher even let his eighth period class go early to say hi to the returning alumni.

“Too many old seniors were stopping by during class, so he just let us go early,” said an AB junior.

Half of Mr. Green’s third period AP European History class from last year were spotted sitting in their former seats after the school day had ended, reminiscing about the days of the cheese portal and updating Mr. Green on all their collegiate experiences.

"I really do miss you guys,” said Green. “It’s one thing for a teacher to say he misses students when school starts in September, but when it’s December and I still do – your class was something special.”