Community, alumni say goodbye to Skyline High School with a two-day reunion
Jul 11, 2024 07:58AM ● By Lizzie Walje
Generations of students signed their names on this Skyline poster. (Lizzie Walje/City Journals)
Since Skyline first opened its doors in 1962, thousands of students have spent their formative years here. Many of them wanted to pay their respects to the institution following the announcement that the school would finally be demolished and leveled this summer.
As Skyline’s final chapter came to a close, Granite School District officials decided that the school deserved a grand send-off and planned a weekend of festivities. This would require a massive labor of love, which would see hundreds of volunteers making plans and preparations, in addition to sifting through decades of archival footage, items and photographs.
Granite School District dubbed the multiday event the “Super Reunion,” which was a way for the District to celebrate the “cherished memories and lasting impact of Skyline High School.”
The District further explained that the reunion would serve as a chance for former students, teachers, staff and friends to gather together and “reminisce, reconnect, and pay homage to the institution that has been a cornerstone of the community for decades.”
The two-day reunion boasted a jam-packed event schedule that kicked off May 17. On the first day, alumni were invited to let loose with a massive game of laser tag that took place within the school’s “A” building. The day’s festivities ended with a showing of the movie “Unitards.” The full-length feature hit close to home as it was filmed at Skyline and Churchill Jr. High, featuring an all-Skyline community cast.
On May 18, thousands of individuals descended upon Skyline to partake in a series of festivities. The day kicked off with the 5K Super Soar fun run at 9 a.m. and had participants running through nearby Millcreek Canyon. The fun run was started by Skyline Hall of Fame inductees Joan Burdett, Deb Bennett and Becky Anderson.
An hour later at the school’s new gymnasium, a brunch was held honoring Skyline’s teachers. The brunch spanned two hours and brought together teachers, students, administrators and staff. With brunch well underway, nearby on the football field, alumni participated in the Eagle Bowl, a football game where teams of alumni went head-to-head, in an attempt to win bragging rights and the opportunity to have their team photograph posted in the newly minted Skyline Alumni room.
The day’s main event was the Walk of Ages and took place throughout the halls and corridors of the “A” building. Every Skyline graduating class was given their own table, and on that table sat photographs, sports uniforms, yearbooks, artifacts, and all kinds of archival footage that represented the corresponding year. In addition, many tables were overseen by a former student who was able to answer questions about what life was like for a senior during that given year and connect fellow alumni with one another.
Everywhere one looked, signatures and messages adorned the walls of the school. The trip down memory lane led some students to tag their old lockers, while others opted to write notes on the doors of beloved staff members.
Teachers like Syd Lott are more than just educators, they’re the very backbone of Skyline High School, and in the case of Lott, his relationship with Skyline is long and fabled. Originally a student himself, Lott would eventually teach in a classroom where he had been taught years prior. According to Lott, the teacher who occupied the room when he was in school was a habitual soda drinker who disposed of his cans by throwing them up and into a hole within the ceiling. On the last day of school, Lott rallied his students to bring down the ceiling, which resulted in a downpour of soda cans.
Unlike some of his colleagues, Lott will be returning to Skyline in the fall. Despite his impressive 20-year tenure, he still has some teaching left in him. However, saying goodbye to Skyline as he’s always known it is an adjustment. “It’s hard to take the place that I’ve called home, felt like it was my home since my teenage years, and it won’t be here when I come back,” Lott said.
The Super Reunion concluded at 7 p.m. with “Skyline Under the Lights,” a big celebration held on the football field.
Things kicked off with performances by the Skyline drumline, pep band and cheer team. Music was played that represented Skyline through its many decades. The stadium was also adorned with class photos ranging from the early 1960s to the early 2020s. The reunion concluded with an end of evening slideshow, and a fireworks send-off, as the sun set for one final time over Skyline High School. λ