H-B WOODLAWN
JUNK MAIL
The newsletter of the H-B Woodlawn Alumni Association
Volume 1, Issue 1, Summer 1997
HELLO OUT THERE!
by Adrian Ray Stewart ('88)
It took 26 years, but H-B
Woodlawn now has an official
Alumni Association!
I wish I could say that the
creation of this organization and the
production of this newsletter took
months of dedicated work by dozens
of committed alumni, but that
wouldn't be the truth.
The truth is, it's been a piece
of cake.
That's due, in large part, to
the support provided by Ray
Anderson and the H-B Woodlawn
staff. The school provides this
Association with a mailing address
(4100 Vacation Lane, Arlington, VA
22207), a bank account (for all those
tax-deductible donations to the
Scholarship Fund), and
photocopying, mailing and
administrative services (for the
production of this newsletter).
For that (and a quarter
century of dedicated and innovative
service to Arlington County), we
thank the school.
WHY AN ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION?
The glib answer is "Why
not?" We all get enough junk mail in
our mailbox already, so why not add
something interesting (perhaps even
compelling) to the mix?
But there are serious reasons
to have an alumni association as
well.
Our primary reason for
existing is to keep track of alumni.
In this department, we have our
work cut out for us. This newsletter
is read by perhaps 300 H-B alumni,
while Ray Anderson estimates that
there are perhaps as many as 1,800
total alumni out there.
With that in mind, I hope that
you put this newsletter down
immediately, go find your address
book and fill out the survey form in
this newsletter. Just mail them to
the school ATTN: Jodee - H-B
Woodlawn Alumni Addresses
enclosed.
You can also email address
updates (yours or others) to
jmayeux@pen.k12.va.us (Judy
Mayeux).
This association can also help
organize Class Reunions.
Any alumna or alumnus
interested in organizing a Reunion
can request a list of their fellow
classmates addresses. We can also
offer space in Junk Mail, as we are
doing for the Class of 1986's 12th
Reunion next summer (see
REUNION'S, p. 3)
I look back on my six years at
H-B as a unique experience, and one
I that would not trade for anything.
I'm sure many of you feel the same
way. With that in mind,
contributing to the school in a
tangible way is the next logical step.
Hence, the Scholarship Fund.
We are currently raising funds for an
Alumni Scholarship, to be awarded
to a 1998 Senior at next year's
graduation.
Elsewhere in this newsletter is
an advertisement for our "H-B
Woodlawn" window decals. They
are on sale for $5, with all profits to
benefit the Scholarship Fund.
YOUR INPUT IS VITAL
This Alumni Association is
organized with H-B as a model. That
means your input is not only
welcome, but is vital to the process.
So please send in articles,
updates, diary entries, whatever. We
need to hear from you.
With regards to the Alumni
Scholarship, we need input,
particularly with the selection
process.
What should be the criteria for
awarding the scholarship? An essay
contest? The best academic record?
The best athletic record? Or, how
about several scholarships of smaller
monetary value to recognize special
aptitude in the arts or in science?
With enough responses from
you, we can present a "Town
Meeting Ballot" in the next Junk Mail
for you to vote in January.
Adrian Ray Stewart
astewart@jetson.uh.edu