The Ultimate Gathering of the Clans: La Habra High's 50th Anniversary Celebration

In November, 2004, bagpipes again resounded through the halls of La Habra High School as the golden anniversary of the school was celebrated by fifty years of Highlander alumni, faculty and staff.

It was a big party. The plans were over a year in the making. Over the course of two days, over 5,000 people attended.

The festivities began on Friday night, November 5. La Habra Stadium was packed to overflowing for this very special Homecoming night. The theme selected by the senior class of 2005 was "My Heart's in the Highlands." Swordbearers in full Highlander formal attire took the field at halftime. The Rampant Lion flag, which according to tradition can only be displayed in the presence of royalty, was flown in honor of the homecoming court. The queen and princesses carried bouquets of Scottish heather. And the two-time CIF Champion La Habra Highlander football team was victorious over Sunny Hills 28-0.

The next day, the Ultimate Gathering of the Clans began. Faculty and staff past and present formed a welcoming column and greeted over a thousand alumni who entered the stadium by decade, escorted by the La Habra High School Marching Band and a host of bagpipers, many of whom were LHHS alumni themselves. The school was then formally rededicated in the presence of school administrators and local government officials, including LHHS graduate Rose Espinoza '69, who was now the city of La Habra's mayor. The ceremony ended with a burst of fireworks.

Then the celebrating crowd spread out over the campus to enjoy the rest of the day. Whether it was in the quad, in Senior Park or  along the Argyll, everyone had a wonderful time renewing old friendships, greeting favorite teachers and staff members, eating delicious food provided by school clubs and organizations, laughing (and shedding a few tears) over the memorabilia displays put together by each graduating class, getting a feel for Scottish heritage with living historians, listening to a lively fifty-years-in-the-making soundtrack and applauding the Scotscapades All-Star Revue. The day ended with hugs and warm promises to keep in touch, as a solo bagpiper played Amazing Grace.

Out of that extraordinary day came the realization that there was more to remember, more to accomplish and more to enjoy—and the La Habra High School Alumni Association was born.

(Coming soon) Visit the Hieland Photo Gallery to see more about this event.