WINNETKA – About 300 alumni and many more students, parents, faculty, friends and neighbors returned to North Shore Country Day School campus Sept. 22-23 for a packed Homecoming weekend. Featuring a full schedule of athletic games, family activities and special programming for returning alums, the weekend provided a little something for everyone.
New this year, the Parents’ Association and Athletic Council organized a Family Fun Fest on Friday evening, featuring games, inflatables and a very special appearance by the Jesse White Tumblers. Food trucks and booths from PorkChop, Tomate Fresh Kitchen, Graeter’s Ice Cream, Grateful Bites, the Fat Shallot and Rock House Coffee did brisk business feeding the crowds.
PA President Charlene Kittredge credits Head of School Tom Flemma for “reimagining” Homecoming this year. “He wanted to shake up traditional Homecoming events, build community and generate excitement among Lower School and Middle School students,” she said.
Alumni from Maine to Los Angeles and everywhere in between returned to campus with their friends and families to reconnect with former classmates, faculty and staff. Nancy Brown Jones, class of 1933, was the oldest alumna in attendance. There was also one alumna from the class of 1937, celebrating her 80th reunion, and two from the class of 1942, celebrating their 75th.
Various formal and informal reunion class dinners and gatherings were held off campus, and alumni and their guests were invited to a Friday evening reception on campus in the Hall Library.
On Saturday, Flemma gave a State of the School address in the Auditorium, followed by a faculty presentation on the School’s college counseling program and the Francis R. Stanton Alumni Recognition. The Stanton recognition is given each year to an alum whose life work exemplified the School’s motto, “Live and Serve.” This year’s recipient was actor Joel de la Fuente, class of 1987. The Saturday program concluded with the traditional sing-along, where alumni belted out the two School songs, “Wake the Echoes,” and “O’er the Fields,” as well as a selection of Gilbert and Sullivan songs, a tradition since the School’s founding in 1919, and some familiar folk songs.
As in past years, the field hockey teams held a Little Raiders hockey clinic, where boys and girls of all ages can learn the basics of the game. Little Raiders as young as 2 years old picked up sticks and practiced passing and other drills. Then alumnae took to the field for the annual alumnae versus student field hockey game. This year, the alums beat the students 3-0.
In a special halftime presentation during the varsity field hockey game Saturday, North Shore honored the Jay Bach Iron Raiders, alumni who played a sport all three seasons for their entire four years of Upper School. The School also recognized student and alumni football players.
North Shore won eight of its 10 varsity, junior varsity and middle school home games over the weekend. The varsity field hockey team defeated Glenbrook South High School (5-0); the varsity boys soccer team defeated Schaumburg Christian School (2-1) and Lisle Senior High School (2-1); the varsity girls volleyball team defeated Alden-Hebron High School (25-23, 25-17).
Submitted by North Shore Country Day School