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Editor: Emma Herwehe
In need of support Membership in the Alumni Association has been falling, but there are hopes for more student involvement By Taylor Hill, Reporter
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roviding numerous scholarships, appearances at events such as games and shows and lots of involvement in the Southport community are just a few things that make up the Alumni Association. The Alumni Association has existed for almost 30 years. The last few years, however, the number of members has been declining, and at one point, the group only had four or five members. SHS has been making plans to get students more connected to the Alumni Association by creating nights where the members of the association can come meet the students. English teacher Brent Bockelman, a 2001 SHS alum, has joined the Alumni Association and taken over the position of Vice President. Bockelman was uncertain for
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the last few years because of the lack of members. “Part of it was if we don't get younger people involved, it's going to dry up,” Bockelman said. “That was the reason I came in. (It) was to try and help them bring in the younger (graduates).” The President of the Alumni Association is Rich Elkins, and he has been in the position for almost three years. Elkins graduated from Southport in 1980 and has been part of the association for almost eight years. He too can see the lack of students’ involvement once they graduate SHS. “That's the thing I couldn't figure out as president, the apathy of the school,” Elkins said. “When you graduate you don't want to come back, so (I was) trying to figure out ways to bring kids back faster. I was the same way. I
Alumni Association President Rich Elkins talks to The Journal about his history as a member. He has been part of the association for almost eight years. Photo by Kelsey Jones
didn’t come back for almost 30 years, and I still look back and wonder why.” He is choosing to not to be up for reelection this coming June, which means the position will most likely pass down to Bockelman. “I did good,” Elkins said. “I increased the number of members and the amount of scholarships, so there's a lot of good things I did, but my To learn time’s up.” more The Alumni Association about the association's is a group in which any graduated student can enter. presence The group gets together once in the SHS every quarter and figures out community, ways to bring the community scan the closer together. Members also QR code donate thousands of dollars to below. the school’s seniors every year as part of a series of Alumni Association scholarships. The association is currently preparing to reach its $1 million
