by Shawn Nowlin
Class reunions have extreme cultural relevance in certain communities.
For countless William Fleming High School (WFHS) graduates across multiple decades, last weekend had been circled on their calendars since the start of the year.
WFHS alumni came from far (Arizona, other states) and near (Vinton, Salem) to partake in the Colonel All-Class Reunion. Kevin Johnson, an ‘88 graduate, played a vital role in organizing the gathering. It was important to him that attendees had a great experience from start to finish.
“A lot of work goes into these reunions, but they are always worth it. Seeing Colonels of different generations come together in love and positivity is a beautiful thing to witness,” he said.
For some, it had been over a decade since they’d seen so many classmates. Others like Monica Johnson say that on any given week, she randomly runs into several former schoolmates in and around the city. Regardless of the time passed, Colonels usually pick up right where they left off when they see each other.
“I took enough pictures to fill an entire scrapbook,” Michael Carter said. “The decision to attend the reunion was a no-brainer. It felt so good to hear how people are doing, where life has taken them and reminisce about our high school days.”
If it wasn’t for William Fleming, Carly Harris says her life trajectory likely would have been very different. “The real world came a lot sooner than I expected.
One day, my Fleming teammates and I are scraping up change to see a movie at the theatre and the next, I am getting my daughter ready for her first day of kindergarten. I wouldn’t be the woman that I am today without my Colonel experience,” she said.
People of a certain age remember when William Fleming’s building infrastructure looked completely different than it does today. Some of the best times of Ashley Legion’s life came when she was walking through those hallways. “Getting a chance to catch up with so many friends was too good an opportunity to pass up,” she said. “If I could give my teenage self any advice, it would simply be to not take so much for granted.”
A moment of silence was given for all the Colonels who have since passed.
“Life has taught me the importance of keeping in touch with friends. I’ve lost contact with so many folks over the years at no fault of anyone. Just the responsibilities that come with being an adult,” Nicole Smith said. “Regardless of how busy things get today, I now make the time to reach out more. I strongly encourage others to do the same.”
