Hillcrest High School Alumni participate in Homecoming 2010

On Friday, January 15^th, 2010, Hillcrest High School held its first Homecoming, an event where alumni had the opportunity to interact with current students.  As a graduate of the class of 2003, I had the opportunity to be a part of this event.  A group of 12 alumni responded to the invitation made by Ms. Haydee Recinos, senior advisor, who organized the event.  As instructed by Ms. Recinos, we arrived at 9am and were greeted by Student Government officers.  After sharing breakfast, Ms. Recinos welcomed us and provided us with some information to prepare for the event, including the agenda for the day, our group assignments, an outline of topics to cover during our mini-presentations in the classrooms, and tips for effectively sharing our experiences.  Alumni were placed in groups of 3-4 with a Student Government officer as our guide, and assigned to speak to five different classes throughout the day.  The main objective of our presentations was to share our college experiences with current students and give them suggestions for a successful transition from high school into college.  We also told current students about our high school experiences, things we did while in high school to prepare for college, our plans after college, and tried to encourage them to pursue higher education and overcome obstacles.  Students were interested in our stories and asked us questions, while teachers were helpful and also asked questions for us to share with their students.  I found the experience to be very rewarding because I had the opportunity to give back to a school that is such an important part of my life while also reflecting on my own personal progress.  I believe that students also benefited from listening to our stories because they heard a different side of the college experience from people who they can easily identify with, a sentiment shared by other alumni during the conversation we had at lunch.  Homecoming 2010 was definitely a success and the participating alumni are already anticipating next year’s event.

Margarita Tellez, Hillcrest High School Alumni