Almost 100 years to the day that Hahnville High School was officially dedicated, it will welcome its community members, alumni, retired workers and more for a celebration.
HHS will host A Walk Down Tiger Drive on March 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will be tours of the campus held throughout the night and old yearbooks on display to leaf through, while Hahnville athletes, teachers and administrators will be on hand to interact with attendees. There will also be photo opportunities and Tigers memorabilia to illustrate the school’s rich history through the years.
While the school has done many traditional open houses, this format is a first for the school – an open showcase of its past as well as the present.
Hahnville assistant principal Shawn Heiden said that it’s one of several ongoing planned events to commemorate the school’s centennial this year, and that this one falls almost 100 years to the day that Hahnville High School was officially dedicated in ceremony.
“All of the records we’ve found indicate the school was dedicated on March 28, 1925,” Heiden said. “So almost 100 years to the day, we’ll have a celebration. We’ll have tours led through the campus … folks who have graduated from Hahnville can come and see their old classroom, how the Pit, commons area, cafeteria and gym look so different now than when they were here.”
Beyond celebrating the school’s history, Heiden said a goal of the event is to embrace and foster the pride so many have in being part of Hahnville High School.
“We want to bring those folks back to campus … we’re a community school and so many of our former graduates have children who are students here now. When we see them come through for parent-teacher conferences, open house or freshmen fun night, we see their eyes light up with the pride they had in being students here,” Heiden said.
That sense of community is part of what makes HHS special, Heiden said.
“Sometimes, for the younger generation, that (sense of pride) can be a tougher sell,” Heiden said. “There’s a pride and caring about something that’s bigger than yourself. Our school is 100 years old and been part of the community for 100 years, and being proud to be part of that.”
He added that it’s a great time in the school’s history to highlight accomplishments.
“Our school performance scores are higher than they’ve ever been. Our graduation rates and our cohort index and all those things that are trending in a positive direction, it’s a perfect time to share with the community. Whether it’s someone with a son, daughter, cousin, grandchild who goes here, it’s important they know how special it is, and for their kids who are here right now to see and feel they’re part of something larger,” Heiden said.
