The Alumni of Port Credit Secondary School number approximately 13,000 strong, and are represented by the Alumni Association Committee (AAC), which itself is comprised of about a dozen dedicated, hard -working individuals who either attended, or taught at the school over the decades. The seeds of the AAC were sewn, and nurtured, by Terry Garbutt in the year 2000, after the schools 80th Anniversary Reunion. Terry loved the opportunity to chat and network with his friends and classmates. The event quickly matured into Alumni Night, which has been held on the first Friday of every May for the past 17 years. As it grew in stature and success the excess funds earned at the gate (and selling beer) were spent to support Scholarships for graduating students, as well as to financially procure a variety of School improvements that embellish the student experience. Terry sadly passed away in 2010, but the tradition he started has been carried ever since on by others, with one of the Alumni Scholarships awarded in his memory.
I have been privileged to serve as the humble Chair of the AAC since Terry’s passing and have worked with the rest of the AAC to further Terry’s legacy. It has been a challenge at times, as the uniqueness of what we do stands in stark contrast to all other High Schools, who have nothing that remotely compares with the volunteer structure of our Committee. The bottom line is we have enjoyed success because we are supported by those who attend our special night each year, and also because of the incredible dedication and hard work of our committee, without which none of this would happen.
I did want to say that years ago, in grade nine , when we were all aspiring students, we were pulled from the catchment area of the high school, then divided into classes of misfits and introverts, green as grass, then assigned teachers who had a curriculum to teach. Some people you liked, maybe some you didn’t. Some classmates remained friends for life, cemented by all manner of social interaction. Many students simply endured school, unmotivated, secretly wishing they were somewhere else, while others thrived. Some graduated with high honors, some didn’t, while a handful sort of zoned out and sank to the bottom. It's called growing up! A few fell in love and married each other (and then some divorced a few years later). And then you were finished, moving on to whatever life had to offer, and leaving behind what was probably the most interesting four, five, or (in my case) 6 years of your life. It’s all way behind now for most of us. In fact, so far behind that some of us have forgotten exactly what did go on. So why don’t you come on down to our next Alumni Night the first Friday in May? Maybe you’ll find some old acquaintance who can actually remember what the hell did happen, and your life will be enriched!