The 2023 All-School Reunion marked the return of a 70-plus-year Lynden practice and served as a kickoff, of sorts, of a new Lynden Alumni Association.
For decades, Lynden alumni have gathered as an opportunity to stay connected to both classmates and community. The All-School Reunion, which didn’t meet in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic, offered a connection for alumni across multiple classes 35 years removed from their graduating year. Bringing back the tradition in 2022 gave scores of Lynden alumni from the class of 1977 and all the years prior the renewed chance to gather, bond and rekindle our strong tradition.
The last time we hosted an All-School Reunion we welcomed graduates from five decades, dating back to the 1930s. With a 73-year history of hosting an All-School Reunion, the first was in 1949 when over 500 Lynden alumni attended a reunion to celebrate 40 years of public education in Lynden, we hope to see the multi-generational trend continue.
Beyond the strong connections formed through the history of the All-School Reunion, we want to further extend the reach of Lynden alumni by creating the Lynden Alumni Association. As founding directors of the new alumni association, our collective vision aims to bring the entire alumni community closer to each other and the school.
With such a tremendous history in Lynden and a tight school community throughout decades of academics, sports and activities, we hope to bring together graduates from every year with the current school community while highlighting history along the way. Early brainstorming includes everything from a podcast series with alumni, preservation and display of historical artifacts and recognition of distinguished alumni.
We envision this newfound Lynden Alumni Association as an important partnership for Lynden Schools as we serve to promote and preserve the history of Lynden Schools, strengthen the bond between alumni and Lynden Schools, celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of our alumni and actively engage alumni in the interests of the district and public education.
We encourage others interested in helping to get involved. By uniting the generations of alumni already well-versed in the All-School Reunion with more recent graduates and the current school’s staff and students, we have an opportunity to bond the entirety of Lynden Schools, past, present and future.
We are excited about the development of the Lynden Alumni Association and hope to attract input from the community. For those interested in helping, call 360-354-4443 or send an email to LPSreception@lynden.wednet.edu.
Let’s continue to celebrate Lynden’s public education history, our heritage and the continuing tradition, pride and excellence of Lynden Schools.
– Karl VanderPloeg and Jeanne DeJong