History of the Arlington High School Alumni Association

1995

· Superintendent Lynn Hale asks the high school principals to find a volunteer to start alumni associations at each high school. These associations would be a part of the AISD Education Foundation.

· AHS principal James Adams taps Cathy Bontley Brown, ‘63.

· Organizing committee forms with grads from the 1940s through the 1990s.

1996

· January and February: Organizing Committee meets regularly to draw parameters, find officers, develop a plan.

· Charter Executive Board consisted of four officers and five committee chairs:

President: Cathy Brown, ‘63
Vice-President: Orsen Paxton, ‘67
Secretary: Tiffany Myers, ‘86
Treasurer: Jim Goodwin, ‘44
Membership: Glenda Cantrell, ‘67
Publications: Roy Hayhurst, ‘94 & Emily Hoad, ‘95
Special Events: Trent Thomas, ‘88
At-large: Debbie Duncan, ‘69

· Members receive first newsletter in September.

· Board representative attends first reunion, Class of 1939, and signs up eleven graduates.

· Alumni car rides in July 4^th parade.

· New members receive “X” pins.

· Poorly attended golf tournament held.

· Members and exes form lane for football team to walk through prior to Homecoming game.

1997

· Board publishes two newsletters.

· Judge Tom, ‘43, and AnnaWaynette Smith Vandergriff, ‘44, are the first Distinguished Colt Alumni.

· Board hosts a money-losing tailgate party with BBQ catered by Spring Creek.

· Board emphasizes attending reunions and spreading the word to recruit members.

· Renewal guidelines set.

· Classes of 1957 and 1967 receive donations for their entries in the July 4 parade.

· Phyllis Forehand, ’51, succeeds Orsen Paxton as Vice-President.

· Membership stands at 245 households (320 individuals).

1998

· Board hosts first Alumni Open House in May with 200 attendees.

· Show Choir, Colt Band/drumline, string quartet perform.

· 3000 invitations to join Association mailed out resulting in many memberships.

· Wanda Marshall, ’49, succeeds Jim Goodwin as treasurer.

· Website debuts.

· Distinguished Colts: Barbara Nash Kight, ‘57 and Tom Cravens, ‘60

· Student Council honors Distinguished Colts at Homecoming pep rally

· Board hosts pre-game reception in Gilstrap room of Maverick Stadium.

· President presents check for $1000 to AISD Education Foundation for grants to teachers at AHS or its feeder schools.

· Membership stands at 450 households.

1999

· Alumni Open House moves to the first Saturday after graduation.

· Distinguished Colts: Bill Bardin, ‘24, and Cathy Bontley Brown, ‘63

· Board rewrites bylaws to separate us from the AISD Education Foundation

· New officers are Beverly Reynolds, ’48, president, and Karen Baird, ’90, secretary.

2000

· Susan Malone, 76, succeeds Phyllis Forehand as Vice-President.

· DCA: Greg and Jane Crews Friess, both ‘71

· Alumni Open House continues

· Two newsletters published.

· Life memberships established.

· New members receive Alumni decals.

 2001

· Received Articles of Incorporation as a non-profit organization.

· Alumni Choir led by Jane Ellis performs at Open House.

· DCA: Michael Ditto, ‘55 Natalee Davis Parr, ‘28, Robert Perry Mills, Jr., ’59 (posthumous), Jane Robin Ellis, Colt By Choice.

· Association gives $2000 to AISD Education Foundation.

· Archives Committee gathers memorabilia for eventual permanent collection.

· Janice Brewer, ’56, succeeds Wanda Marshall as treasurer

2002

· DCA: Tillie Burgin, ‘54, Carl Knox, ‘40, Phillip Stork, ‘49, Dean Corey (posthumous), Colt By Choice

· Charles Marshall, ’51, succeeds Beverly Reynolds as president.

· Shirley Sheets, ’52, succeeds Karen Baird as secretary.

· Open House with Alumni Choir continues.

2003

· New web address ahscolts.com begins.

· Newsletters expand to three issues each year.

· Introduction of Distinguished Colt Alumni at Open House

· Established scholarship fund and awarded two $600 scholarships to Chris Branigan and Qiana Rollins

· DCA:Robert Fielder (posthumous), Beverly Bohannon Reynolds, ‘48, Gene Schrickel, ‘44, John Webb, Colt By Choice

2004

· Raised scholarship to $1000 each; awarded to Jason Sauter and Cassondra Ynguanzo.

· Added 3^rd newsletter issue, Winter

· Alumni Band, directed by Barbara Ecabert, performed with Alumni Choir at Open House

· Entered Arlington Fourth of July parade.

· DCA: William Conner, ’36, Frank Smith, ’43, Kathleen Bradford Smith, ’51, Gary Martin, ’53, Margie Austin, Colt by Choice

· Alumni t-shirts and ‘X’ pins sold with proceeds to scholarship fund.

· Bylaws revised.

2005

· Granted four $1000 scholarships to Eric Bautovich, Lisa Creamier, Amber Harris, Donna Jennings

· DCA: Alan Austin, ’69, Ben Pierce, ’72, Anne Ross Berg Seldon, ’53, Ernest Wilemon, ’43 and Kathryn Taylor Wilemon, ‘55

· July 4^th parade

· continued financial support to the AISD Education Foundation for grants to AHS and its network schools.

2006

· $1000 scholarships to Kristen Batchelor, Robert Broughton, Danielle Schartz, Summer Schartz

· DCA: Charlie Key, ’59 (posthumous), Charles Marshall, ’51, Wanda Roberson Marshall, ’49, Dorothy Thornton Rencurrel, ’49, Mike Wade, ’76,  Mayfield Workman, Colt By Choice

· offered an online membership for the first time. Results disappointing.

· New President and Vice-President elected: Mac Martin, ’61, and Erin Hawkes Chaney, ‘64

2007

· $1000 scholarships to Amber Johnes, Eleanor Khonje, Katelyn Taylor, Gilbert Vasquez

· DCA: Tom DeFrank, ’63, Bill Hughes, ’48, Dinah Dalton Menger, ‘77

· website revision and new domain name: ahscolts-alumni.org

· Open House held in cafeteria rather than auditorium with about 250 attendees. Special Class recognition to the Class of 1957, celebrating its Golden Reunion as the first class to graduate from the Park Row campus

· Alumni Choir and Alumni Band perform

· Homecoming Sept. 14

Officers

Presidents

Cathy Bontley Brown
Beverly Bohannon Reynolds
Charles Marshall
Jim Ball
Mac Martin

 Vice-Presidents

Orsen Paxton
Phyllis Forehand
Susan Malone
Jim Ball
David Mayfield
Erin Hawkes Chaney

Secretaries

Tiffany Thomas Myers
Karen Baird
Shirley Hoyt Sheets
Kathy Havins

 Treasurers

Jim Goodwin
Wanda Robertson Marshall
Janice Hardwick Brewer
Arthur Bird