The Crimson Mission’s Open House Anniversary Celebration was an attempt to bring alumni together and expand the alumni program.
“We want to build the network of alumni,” Assistant Principal Greg Kuhn said. “We needed a reason to make [alumni] come back, so we could celebrate them. To make it as fun as possible, we asked the marching band to come and give a performance, we had food in the senior cafeteria and each of the magnets had something to present,” Kuhn said.
The Crimson Mission is a board comprised of alumni and people in the community that sponsor things that the school board cannot afford. At the Male/Manual game, they pledged $20,000 to the field house.
“We are here to support the students and the school, and the purpose of this is to reach out to the alumni and bring them back home. Because it is the spirit week and the Male/Manual rivalry, there wasn’t a better time to have a big party for the alumni,” President of the Crimson Mission Diana Tufaro said.
Comprised of administration, teachers, alumni and their family, the festival showed the current Manual to the community.
Bobby Thompson, graduating class of 1992, said he likes to keep up with the people who he graduated with.
“There’s probably 10-15 that I am in regular contact with,” Thompson said. “I like how the Crimson Mission works, I get a nice letter from them every three months. I’d like to see it grow.”
The festival had small refreshments and games for the alumni and their families.
Gene Everson, class of 1959, said Manual is the best school there is still to this day.
“If you want to know what I think of Male, I can’t use that kind of language,” Everson said. “I’m just a loyal alumni who goes to all of the football games, and quick recall matches.”
Student ambassadors lead alumni on tours of the Manual basement as well as through open classrooms and magnet showcases.
There was also a glorified Manual history museum in the lobby of the auditorium. The Visual Arts magnet showcased some of their art in the museum.
The Crimson Mission’s current fundraiser is founder’s day plaques.
“With it being the the 125th year of the high school, we did the founder’s day plaques. We are still selling those,” Tufaro said.
The event wrapped up with a shuttle to the Old Rivalry game at Manual Stadium later that evening.
