Wv’S New Sign To Be Dedicated

Students helped design it. Graduates paid for it. And though it’s hard to believe a 3,600-pound slab of granite could fall through the cracks, it did.

West Valley High School’s impressive new sign sat in the district’s warehouse for two years, before being installed this summer.

But all that is behind us now, say West Valley officials.

“I’m just so delighted the sign is in,” said Cathy Wolfrum, former activities director for West Valley.

A proper dedication for the sign is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m., before the West Valley-Clarkston homecoming football game.

The sign reads “West Valley High School, home of the Eagles.” It meets with approval from students.

“It gives us a lot more pride. Plus, we haven’t had a flagpole in a long time,” said sophomore Paul Otremba.

“Yeah, it improves the outlook of the school,” agreed Seth Sather, another sophomore.

The sign, which graces the front entrance of the school, sits on a base of bricks salvaged from the old Argonne Junior High. That school was the original West Valley High School, located where Albertson’s at Trent and Argonne is today. It was torn down in 1993.

Landscaping and a shiny new flagpole flank the sign. The United States and Washington state flags now fly, putting West Valley back in compliance with state law, according to Loretta Block, the high school’s new activities director.

What happened to the last flag pole? It was knocked down or pulled down by vandals some time ago.

The sign project began several years ago, when the graduating class of 1991 wanted to do something significant with money left over from fund-raisers. They donated $1,300. Then, when the class of 1965 held its 30-year reunion, money was again left over. Another $1,026 was donated.

The design, materials and so on were agreed upon during the 1996-97 school year. The gray granite was ordered in from Georgia. And the sign was engraved at Tresko Monument. Then, it was stored and, apparently, forgotten.

Finally, this summer, at Block’s urging, the sign was installed.

“This is on my priority list as one of the things we need to do in order to promote a healthy and safe atmostphere of school/personal pride and spirit,” Block wrote to district administrators.

Local businessmen and West Valley graduates Jay Naccarato, Roy Crocker, Stan Soash and Brian Nelson donated the landscaping, installation equipment and other things necessary for the sign.