High School's 50th Birthday Party Will Include Concert, Relay

A baton relay including members of every graduating class from the past 50 years at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School will be one of the events at the 50th anniversary open house coming up in mid-May.

Chris Campbell, one of the teachers working with other teachers and staff to organize the event, said planning started last year when a 1963 graduate stopped by the school and asked what they were doing for the school's 50th anniversary.

Campbell, a Regional grad, said he joined with other teachers and staff - most of them also graduates - to organize an event which will be held on May 10-11.

It is being billed an "open house" with all the events open to the entire community - even if they are not graduates.

"We thought it would be a nice way to celebrate the first 50 years of the school," Campbell said. "It truly is an open house concept."

He's hoping to see both alumni and retired teachers attend and said it will be a good way for former students and staff to connect or reconnect with the school.

The group has received support from the administration and Campbell said if there were not so many new faces in leadership positions the event is something school administrators may have put together.

The relay is scheduled for noon on Saturday. The "ceremonial class relay" will start with a member of the earliest class that is present "and they'll pass the baton around to members of each class," Campbell said.

The relay can even include members of Hamilton High School or future Regional graduates.

"We can finish it off with someone in a stroller if they can hold the baton," Campbell said.

On Friday, participants are asked to cheer on the Generals sports team at home games for the baseball, lacrosse and tennis teams.

That night, an a capella concert in planned in the Ferrini auditorium that will include two high school groups, Delles Belles and Kings of the Beach, plus the Harvard University group "Harvard Opportunes," which includes a Regional graduate.

On Saturday morning, the Project Adventure elements behind the school will be open from 9 a.m.-noon and coffee and refreshments will be served in the cafeteria too.

In the afternoon, campus tours will be offered.

A complete scheduled is attached to this story as a PDF. The schedule is still subject to changes and activities and events could still be added.

Are you planning to attend? Tell us in the comments.