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Smoke Signals
Summer 2021
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
A
Reflections and Projections
s I am writing in the first week of May, I’m thinking back to March, 2020, when in these parts, at least, life as we once knew it was relatively normal during the first half of the month and then unrecognizable beginning in the second half when the reality of the coronavirus hit with full-force. Our major fundraising mechanism, what was to have been our 14th annual Alumni Association picnic, had to be canceled. So now I am looking forward to what would have been our 15th annual picnic on August 21 (fingers crossed), and instead it’s the 14th again. I actually asked a person on our picnic planning committee whether or not we could call this year’s event our 15th annual picnic, being that it’s been 15 years since the first one. The person chuckled a bit and condescendingly advised that we could not do that since we hadn’t had the 14th yet. Then I really started over thinking it to the point of wondering whether or not we could still call
it an annual picnic being that we missed a year. The last time the Alumni Association board of directors had an in-person meeting was in February, 2020. I’m thinking back now how normal and routine it was then and how much it has been missed over the last several months not to be able to interact with our wonderful team in person. We of course have been able to operate and run the business of the organization with virtual meetings but as far as I am concerned, there is no substitute for physically being together. Looking forward, it is my expectation that we will be meeting in person within a month or so and certainly by the July meeting (fingers crossed). In the Spirit of Sequoia, Ken Rolandelli, President Sequoia High School Alumni Association
Native American Book Project to Begin Anew Many of you will remember the SHSAA program to enhance the collection of resource material available to students wanting to know more about Native American history, culture, arts and traditions. The project was very successful because of alumni support and recently the SHSAA Board has voted to reinstate the project. The school library has been renovated and has resulted in more space to expand the Native American section. It is now located close to chairs and tables in the fireplace room and can be easily accessed by students as they read and study. It is a good time to evaluate what we have on shelf, their condition and how we can curate additional purchases. It has been a number of years since the SHSAA has done so. We are grateful to Betsy Snow, Sequoia’s Media Specialist, for her knowledge and enthusiasm in forming a collaboration with the SHSAA. We are currently compiling a list of wants and needs. Anyone interested in buying a book from the list will have a book plate placed on the flyleaf page bearing their name. The book plate will feature a depiction of the SHSAA Sequoyah statue as it stands in the front hall entrance of the school. As we progress, books will be made available online also. The SHSAA supports many grant requests from the school and we feel proud to be able to do so. Contributing to the library project will be a way of reaching every student that has an interest in Native American studies and Sequoyah the man and educator. If you would like more information, please contact
board member, Ro Filippi Fischer, at rolovesart1@yahoo. com. Donations are being accepted and can be sent to the SHSAA P.O. Box. Please notate on your check that your donation is for the library project. If you’re going to the picnic (reservations required), join us for a tour of the Media Center featuring highlights and functions of the remodel. Betsy will give us a glimpse of how she uses the Sequoia archives and special collections, such as the Native American selection, to bring Sequoia history to life for students.
