Kettering High School's golden anniversary celebration approaching

The 50th anniversary celebration of the opening of Waterford Kettering High School, which is scheduled for June 22-24, is fast approaching and an official schedule of events has been released.

The event will begin on Friday, June 22 with guided tours of the building from 2 to 5 p.m., beginning every hour.

Registration will take place from 1 to 5 p.m., during which there will also be continuous showing of a commemorative DVD in the Farah-Miller Kiva.

The DVD was put together by students in a Kettering video class taught by Jesse McLean. It includes a video tour led by celebration organizers Hal Farah and Ken Frenkel.

Also included in the DVD is a panel discussion among Frenkel, Farah, Jan Meagher, Susan Steigmeyer, Willis Garratt, Patty Kent, and Mike Roemensky, where they share stories related to Kettering’s history.

The celebration will include an alumni concert with former members of Kettering choirs, bands and orchestras, with rehearsal taking place from 7:15 to 9:30 p.m. on June 22.

“This is an opportunity for those who never had the chance to perform in a real auditorium while they attended Kettering to say, ‘I performed in Kettering’s second-to-none Performing Arts Center.’” Farah said.

Alumni interested in performing in the concert should visit the concert’s Facebook page (search Facebook for WKHS 50th Anniversary Concert”).

Then on Saturday, June 23, the festivities pick up a full head of steam, beginning with a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. that will also serve as a fund-raiser for five different school organizations, with a price of $7.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., a ceremony will be held on the Waterford Kettering football field, weather permitting, to rename the school’s football and baseball fields in honor of former long-time Kettering football coach Jim Larkin and former Kettering baseball coach Tom Bryce.

Also from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kettering staff and alumni will be welcomed to share their anniversary wishes during the filming of a DVD entitled “I Am Kettering.”

There will also be a demonstration by the Kettering robotics team from 1 to 3 p.m. in the school’s old gymnasium.

At 2 p.m., the anniversary ceremony and alumni concert will take place in Kettering’s Performing Arts Center.

From noon to 5 p.m., there will also be an open swim event at the school’s pool and free play in the gymnasium.

A Kettering memorabilia museum with artifacts donated by alumni will be on display in the Media Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., during which a photographer will also be available for professional photos.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. there will guided tours of the building every hour, as well as a continuous showing of the Kettering’s historical DVD in the kiva.

Then on Sunday, June 24, the celebration will conclude with a golf outing at the Fountains Golf and Banquet Center on Maybee Road in Clarkston, with proceeds going to the Larkin/Bryce commemoration.

After the golfing, there will be a buffet dinner along with silent and live auctions. The cost for a round of golf and dinner is $100 per participant, while those looking to only attend the dinner will be charged $20.

For more information on the golf outing and to register, e-mail Keith Patten at keith@247limo.net.

There is also a Kettering alumni book, which is now for sale, featuring stories written by the school’s Advanced Placement language arts and journalism students taught by Brian Wilson.

According to the anniversary celebration’s Facebook page (search Facebook for “Waterford Kettering’s 50th Anniversary” or facebook.com/wkhs50th), the book tells the story of the school through profiles of some of the school’s alumni, as well as coverage of some current Kettering teachers who are also alumni.

The Kettering historical DVD that will be shown in the kiva is also included with the book.

To pick up a copy of the alumni book, patrons should visit Room 501 at Kettering or go online to yearbookordercenter.com and use the code 13827; or contact Wilson at bwilson3560@gmail.com.

The cost of the book is $20, with an extra $3.50 fee for credit card purchases online.

For more information on the celebration, log onto facebook.com/wkhs50th.