To kick off Anaheim Union’s 125th year celebration, Anaheim High School (AHS) held a ceremony which included the unveiling of a time capsule buried in 1998, which was recovered from the front of the school. The time capsule held items that dated back to the class of 1998, the centennial class. At the celebration, there were many people from across the District, including Jessica Guerrero (AHS alumna), the new Trustee for the Anaheim Union High School District. This event also had Congressman Lou Correa in attendance, an AHS alum as well, who presented a 2 million dollar check to Anaheim High School. 

There were many alumni at the celebration that dated back to the 80s and up to the 2000s, and not only that, there was also a former Anaheim High School Principal from 1995-1998 in attendance. Nancy Cortez, class of 1999, was in attendance to celebrate the anniversary of AHS, and she said, “it is great to be back home once again”. During her time at AHS she was involved in ASB, the Business Academy, and she was also involved in sports which included volleyball, soccer, and she was also a cheerleader. A memorable moment she mentions was,”back in ’98 when the hundred-year celebration was happening, those of us in ASB put it together and had a big event out on the football field where we had a huge cake, and we took a big picture of all of us to celebrate the hundred-year anniversary.” She enjoys the traditions within Anaheim High School, which incorporates singing the alma mater with the community, “which not many schools do anymore”, says Cortez. 

Many events were going on throughout the night with performances from Band, Dance Production, Theater, and even to end the night with a mariachi. The AHS Principal Ruben Calleros says, “When this was originally brought to us, it was a random email telling them that there was a time capsule in the front of the school”, and at that point they started digging and investigating for months to find where it might be, and they found it in the front of the school by the centennial walkway. The staff and custodians dug up 3 to 4 holes just to find the time capsule. 

Oscar Ramirez, class of 1988 at AHS says, “I love to be here back at Anaheim High School, it’s like being back home seeing all the students. It’s like a family here, you know what they say, Once a Colonist, always a Colonist. Being an Anaheim alumni and it being in one of the oldest schools, I take a lot of pride. I played sports, I played basketball, football, and baseball, but I was mostly involved in football. I was a three-year letterman for football. Furthermore, I was homecoming king three years in a row in 9th to 11th grade.” The friendships he made at AHS have been long-lasting, and he still keeps in touch with his friends until this day, even if they live in another state. 

Senior ASB President, Metzly Carreola, says that the task of planning this event wasn’t easy, that it took a lot of hard work not only from her but from all of ASB. She also stated that it was a lot of pressure on them because they had limited budgeting and time to put on a huge, historical event. Carreola says, “It feels amazing to be at this moment with all the alumni who came to Anaheim High School to celebrate this historic event”, and added, “I will be returning to the next 25 years to celebrate the 150th anniversary of AHS as proud alumni”. 

This successful event allowed the alumni of AHS to reflect and reminisce about their high school years, and we hope to see upcoming generations of alumni at AHS for the 150th year anniversary and celebration of Anaheim High School.