subject: Organize A Memorable High School Class Reunion [print this page] Planning a high school class reunion can be a huge undertaking, but the reward of seeing classmates share stories and renew old friendships is well worth it. With the right planning, a high school reunion can be a very memorable event, full of fun. Everyone is sure to come away from their high school reunion with many memories.
A successful class reunion begins with a team of dedicated people from the class who will work to bring everyone back together. Each member of that team should have a few specific jobs, for example, one person should be in charge of the budget, another should manage the list of invites and who will be attending, someone else can take on getting the venue, etc. If the team is focused and can work well together, they should have no trouble organizing a great event.
The very first thing that needs to be figured out is the budget. If the budget is going to be really large, set up an account at the bank specifically for the event and set it up so any transaction requires two people to sign for it. Right away, you want to figure out how much each alumni attending should pay. That number is their share of the cost of the venue, catering, entertainment, etc. Once the overall budget is decided and how it will be divided among the guests, someone needs to make sure that the spending stays within the budget from start to finish.
While the money is sorted out, another person in the team can be gathering contact information for everyone in the class. Tracking everyone down can be a big job, but using online tools and asking the high school for contact information, they should be able to locate just about everyone in the class and compile them into a list.
The event is also going to need a venue that will accommodate the entire class. Pick out a date for the reunion and shop around for venues. At that time, you should also ask hotels in the area if they can offer discounts to anyone coming into town for the reunion. Once the date and the venue have been picked out, use the list of everyones contact information to send out invitations detailing the reunion. Someone in the group ought to keep track of responses as they come in so that you all know exactly who is planning to attend.
Often, a high school reunion will either be a single banquet dinner, or it will span over a weekend. If it is longer, it might start with a cocktail party on Friday night, then include a sit-down banquet style dinner on Saturday, and conclude with a more laid back barbeque on Sunday afternoon. The team needs to decide the structure of the event and details on catering and entertainment.
Plan some activities for the event. By gathering information about the class, you can give out prizes, like for who flew the farthest to get to the reunion. Invite a surprise guest like a teacher that everyone loved. Put in plenty of time for everyone to talk and catch up, but have some structure to the event.
A high school class reunion is a great way to catch up with old friends and see where everyone from high school ended up. A successful class reunion requires a great deal of planning. With the right team of people, a high school reunion can come together perfectly, stay on budget, and give everyone in the class some great memories.
