HEY ALUMNI!
Many of you have heard an Alumni Association for college, but for a high school? Is that common?
Not really! And-most Alumni Associations for high schools are just for class reunions, so why is East Tech alumni forming an association? Here’s the top 3 reasons told with Simpson memes (enjoy!).
1. STAYING CONNECTED
One of the biggest parts of East Tech’s culture was the close community each class developed. There were rivalries between different houses and programs, and also friendships we all developed. Whether you knew someone by name or you actually knew them, we’ve all developed a form of kinship after graduating. One of the toughest things that I’ve realized after graduating East Tech was how hard it was to stay connected to all of your classmates from high school. It was tough because we all went into different careers and that meant moving out of state or even going to different colleges.
You don’t realize how difficult it can be to stay connected until a couple of years later when thoughts of East Tech slip into your mindset. The people we grew together for four years at East Tech can easily be lost as we venture out to build our own careers and aspirations. As we make a choice to invest our time to be successful and figure out who we want to be, we start to lose the connection we’ve made with our class.
But never fear! That’s where the Alumni Association comes in. Our organization can bridge the gap by hosting events for all alumni to attend and reconnect with each other. Sadly, our get together plans were cancelled due to the pandemic. So, whenever you need to figure out a time to meet with some of your Titan alumni (when there isn’t a pandemic), you can definitely start by joining us at the alumni events.
2. BUILDING A TRIBE
East Tech at its core was building a family. After graduating East Tech, we all remember our good and bad experiences over the four years, but in the end we always had a “Titan Family”. Being a Titan doesn’t end when you graduate, the spirit within you continues on as you grow.
As a Titan family, the Alumni Association is a key piece to keeping alumni connected to teachers, students, alumni, and staff at East Tech by the stories we tell. Whether these stories are how someone at East Tech has impacted your life or sharing the challenges/success you’ve had, it’s important that these stories are written and shared.
These stories are what inspires, connects, and updates everyone (teacher, current students, staff, and other alumni) on the journey you’ve taken after East Tech. While this may seem very daunting to the level that you feel compelled to only share a successful story, it’s about sharing experiences to help others grow.
3. SHAPING FUTURE TITANS
We all carry a form of “Titan pride” after we graduate from East Tech. Whether it’s from teachers, staff, or even your fellow classmates, we all know that East Tech has made a life changing impact on us as a student and our goals for the future.
From time to time, we hear the common phrase “East Tech isn’t what it used to be…” and sadly, we need to understand that East Tech will constantly change. What the school used to be for you could be different several years forward.
As Alumni, we can make a positive impact on our school. With the Alumni Association we are able to donate our time to mentor, volunteer, and contribute to initiatives and goals to support future Titans, staff, and teachers at East Tech. As we become wiser, it’s important to share your journey with future Titans to help them realize the world beyond the scope of the classroom, and how East Tech helped prepare you for the challenges in the real world.
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