Rolling Meadows alumni pass along school spirit to freshmen

A group of Rolling Meadows High School alumni celebrating their 35th reunion this weekend is passing along their Mustang pride with the purchase of spirit shirts for incoming freshmen.

Glenn Chelius, who is helping organize the Class of 1983 reunion Saturday at KC's Cabin in Spring Grove, wanted to find some way to give back to the school. Athletic Director Jim Voyles suggested the T-shirt idea, since some students go through four years without acquiring any Rolling Meadows-branded clothing.

Organizers have set a goal of raising $2,400 to pay for some 500 shirts that will be handed out at freshman orientation in August. Students have already started making the shirts in-house, using screen printing machines in the school's graphic arts studio to apply gold Mustang logos on purple shirts.

Alumni also will be making a video at the reunion to pass along words of encouragement to the Class of 2022.

Voyles said the spirit of the Class of 1983 fits with the school initiative, "Mustangs Wherever We Roam."

"There's some cool people who have come and gone through here. We want the incoming class to think it's a great place and their goal is to make the most of it," Voyles said.

"It's not just the shirt, it's the message."