Alumni Day has been a Loy Norrix tradition since former Principal Johnny Edwards initiated it in 2008. Since then, alumni have been returning to the school every December to help students make the transition from high school to college easier, sharing knowledge that they wished they would have known when going into college.
When the idea was brought about, teachers weren’t sure that Alumni Day would bring the help that was intended.
“When we first started Alumni Day many years ago, I was not sure how many students we would see return,” said science teacher Jason Wagner, “but I was pleasantly surprised to see all the students so enthusiastic about the opportunity to return and share their story.”
The teachers and the graduates saw the importance of Alumni Day, making it important for them to come by.
“It is helpful in general to just have graduates come in because it shows what the next step is,” said Kalamazoo Valley Community College student Maya Mielke who graduated from high school in 2021.
Although the day holds importance to staff and students, graduates said that they didn’t learn much from their presenters when they were in high school.
Jane Heystek, a 2021 graduate, is a junior at the University of Michigan. Heystek claims that she doesn’t remember what happened when alumni would come to her class but blames that on the fact that it was the Friday before winter break.
“Everyone was ready to go home at that point,” said Heystek. “Maybe holding it on a different day would be helpful.”
However, this doesn’t mean that students didn’t take anything from Alumni Day.
Freshman Macie Webb claimed that she was inspired by her alumni because they failed college but then went back and were successful. It made her feel better about going to college, knowing that even if you fail and have struggles, you can still always try again. Still, students struggle to be completely prepared for graduate life.
This brings up the question of if LN prepared students enough for college. Some alumni believe that the school did enough, while others felt their preparedness was lacking.
Foster Neve-Jones, a 2023 graduate, is now a freshman at the University of Michigan. He has “learned a lot” about how he likes to work, study, and learn.
“It’s definitely a massive change, and a lot of it varies person to person, but I felt ready,” said Neve-Jones.
Students who graduated online due to COVID-19 felt differently about being prepared for college.
Mielke said that she wishes she was more prepared for college, but with her junior year being partially online and her senior year being completely online, she thinks that the school and district did the best they could.
But Alumni Day isn’t just for the current LN students, it is also a great way for past students to reconnect with their old classmates, many of whom they haven’t seen since their graduation.
“I came to Alumni Day partly to see my friends still at Norrix and to see some friends who were coming back as well,” said Neve-Jones. “I definitely miss high school, so much of my time there became some of my favorite moments. I miss friends and recognizing people in the halls.”
Teachers were also looking forward to Alumni Day. Wagner said that he appreciated hearing how his former students are navigating college, especially students who are planning to work in a science career.
“The real-life feedback from a student’s experience allows me to also become a better teacher and how I prepare students for when they leave Norrix,” said Wagner.
As students go through high school, they are taught more rigorously to prepare them for college, but with different buildings, schedules, and classes, it is not always an easy transition to make.
“Life isn’t necessarily more difficult or easier outside of college, it’s just different,” said Neve Jones, adding that it was challenging to adapt to college life “without the structure that parents provide.”
Heystek advised current high schoolers to begin thinking about post-secondary life early.
“It’s never too early to think about what lies ahead: if you have a plan it makes the transition to college much easier,” said Heystek.
Along with creating plans for the future, the alumni provided current high school students advice, insisting on not being afraid to put themselves out there.
“Try things, everything you can. Find what works for you and what doesn’t,” said Neve-Jones.
