With A Little Knowledge, ‘Wise Fools’ Become Wiser Grads

Class of ‘99 Special graduation edition

`Welcome, Class of ‘99” will read the banner hanging above the door. Slowly, the room will fill with our fellow graduates, 10 years wiser, not older. Champagne will sparkle in the glasses of a now fully legal crowd.

Reunited, we can recollect our experience at University High School, sharing favorite memories and events grown hazy with time. Drawn together, our conversations will paint a more distinct image of our three years in high school

As sophomores, we entered into a foreign world of University High School. Although technically this was our second year as high schoolers, we soon realized that ninth grade back at the junior high was not preparation for the territory ahead.

Even though we all deny it now, girls and boys alike put great care into choosing an outfit for the first day. And that first day was very different from all prior years classes were longer, hallways more crowded and once again we were the little guys.

Those feelings were not to linger long, we soon plunged into the world of our new school.

Welcoming us every day was the smell of Mr. Barbero’s yummy popcorn permeating the hallway and the singing antics of Mr. Van Sickle. The dry wit of Mr. Richardson, the bells of our merry secretary, Mrs. Brantley, and, according to The Slice, the often-impersonated voice of Mr. Manfred, soon grew commonplace.

Besides the memories inspired by teachers, we also created our own lasting legacy.

In 1997, our boys cross country team ran over their competitors earning our school’s first boys state championship. Come spring, the boys earned a state track championship, buoyed by the performances of three individual champions.

With their beaming smiles, our cheerleading squad headed to Florida as regional champions to participate in a national competition, a first-time event. Beside performing at Disney World, the cheerleaders promoted the annual spirit competitions. These included “Stinky Sneaker” and “Battle of the Bone.”

Our sophomore year, the Battle of the Bone wrestling trophy came down to one final match. The air was charged with energy as we won that crucial round.

In another spirited response to a sport, Coach Llew, of girls cross country, wore a sea-foam green dress complete with high heels and make-up after bargaining that humiliation in return for a Greater Spokane League championship.

At times, our class was most unified when we weren’t exactly playing by the rules.

Our best spirit assembly occurred junior year when our class collaborated in a mass water fight against the seniors. The seniors thought they had easy victims as they plotted with their water guns. Little did they realize that the secret had leaked and every junior lay in wait with a water balloon. Needless to say, we soaked them.

Surprises also occurred when, prior to a football game with our rival, a tree mysteriously sprung up on their 50-yard line. It was apparent to all that the tree was in no way connected to the efforts of the National Arbor Society.

Capitalizing on another opportunity, the teacher walkout, our class sponsored the “First Annual Strike-B-Q.” Our efforts attracted local media attention as they highlighted our class and school unity in the face of absent teachers.

All of these events have come to reflect the University High School Class of 1999 experience.

In 10 years when we gather to reminisce, we will recall the first days of high school and all we learned in the days following until the last.

Someone may point out that in Greek, sophomore means “wise fools” and it is easy to understand why the ancient Greeks coined the phrase. Having reached high school, we felt grown up and mature. Looking back we were indeed wise fools, but we have come a long way.

Through our teachers and classes, and more importantly our experiences outside the classroom, we have grown and come to realize that they true beginning of wisdom is accepting that you can learn from everything.