Reflecting on the high school years, which were anything but ordinary

By Maureen Callahan

High school is a significant time. A lot happens in the four years that transpire between middle school and college, or the start of your adult life. It’s the beginning of figuring yourself out, yet it’s over in the blink of an eye. Your classmates from that period of life are the ones who saw you start to become who you are now.

They’re worth catching up with, so if you were in the Class of 2000, get thee to your reunion this month!

Whether you’re a Mustang or a Trojan, this is the group that graduated in hard hats instead of mortarboards. Okay, not really, but the Class of 2000 is unique, not only because they hold the distinction of being the millennial graduating class, but because this class attended high school – and graduated – in full-on construction zones at both District 99 schools.

This class became experts at dodging scaffolding and dealing with relocated lockers and classrooms that became work zones – all while Y2K fears loomed above them! “I just remember how loud it was sometimes at school,” said Sarah Gavin Proper, who is helping to plan the DGS reunion. “As a student with ADHD, it was very hard to concentrate in class. A few times, I remember construction crews actually working in the same classroom while the class was in session!”

Students walked through “the mighty blue tunnel” on Main Street to enter DGN. There may be social media pages to prove it (MySpace had just launched). According to The Cauldron’s 81st volume (DGN’s class of 2000 yearbook), a storm of chalk dust actually set off the fire alarm!

“Whether you went to North or South, the Class of 2000 was there during the first round of construction at either school. Some of our classes were in trailers on the lawn,” Kelly Dussman, one of the DGN reunion chairs, reminisced.

“I didn’t mind the outdoor classrooms at DGS,” Proper opined. “Actually, the portable classrooms weren’t as daunting as you might think, because you got to get outside for a break while walking out to them. Also, when you got there, they were air-conditioned, and that was nice on the hot days in the beginning and end of the school year.”

“Our senior yearbook had a construction zone theme,” laughed Dussman. The Cauldron’s forwarding message stated, ‘Each one of us helped construct this school year. We built the memories that will be cherished for the rest of our lives.’

Like siblings forced to share a room during childhood, going through high school in a construction zone forged strong – even if unintentional – bonds. Sometimes great friendships evolve from less-than-ideal circumstances. At least this class could commiserate via text from their state-of-the-art flip phones stored in the pockets of their cargo pants. And use AOL, which was becoming mainstream at that moment, to stay up on the endless pregnant and dangling chad wars from the election that January.

This year, DGN’s committee hopes to reinstitute the decades-long tradition of the Homecoming Parade, complete with floats. “The parade was always a big deal when we were in high school,” said Dussman, “but parades and floats seem to have lost their steam over the years, until they pretty much stopped during COVID. We’re hoping they become part of the tradition again.”

As luck has it, the annual golf outing for Sergeant Tommy’s Kids – an organization named after Sergeant Tommy Gilbert, a United States Marine and member of DGN Class of 2000, is also scheduled for the morning of the 27th. The 501(c) 3 was founded by Gilbert’s family shortly after he died in the line of duty in Iraq. All additional proceeds raised at the reunion will be donated to Sergeant Tommy’s Kids in loving memory of their fallen classmate.

“It’s serendipitous that the golf outing happens to be the same day as the reunion,” said Dussman. “We didn’t realize that when we started planning, but it’s great.”

There are a number of legacy students at both schools. “Of my group of six friends who are particularly close,” said Dussman, “five of us are back here in town raising our kids together. I went to Hillcrest, then Herrick, then North and now my kids are going to those same schools. We love it!”

Elaina Ktisou, is also helping to coordinate DGS’s reunion. Ktisou had the unique opportunity to graduate in the middle of the renovations and then have her first teaching job at her alma mater. “I did a long-term substitute stint for my former geometry teacher while she was out on maternity leave,” she said. “Her classroom was part of the addition, so it was in the brand new section and had air conditioning. It was perfect!”

Ktisou played softball during her years at DGS. “The new field house is amazing. We had practices at 6 a.m. before school, because we were always vying for gym space. The weight room was in a dark basement. My team would have loved all the new athletic facilities!”

The updates to the athletic facilities had become more of a need than a want. Ktisou recalled that once during a game, a foul ball went out onto 63rd St. and hit a car! “The driver came storming into the parking lot, so upset,” she recalled as she laughed. “They have batting cages and a fence and a nice press box area now, along with a huge net facing 63rd St.,” she mentioned. Dangerous situations such as that will likely be avoided going forward.

The last time the Class of 2000 at either school met was for their ten-year reunions. And while the turnout wasn’t huge, it was fun. COVID derailed any plans for a meetup to celebrate 20 years. But this year, it’s going to happen!

“The response so far has been positive,” said Dussman. “Several friend groups who regularly travel together are using the reunion as this year’s trip.”

So, if you graduated from DGN or DGS, come out and reconnect with your classmates on a beautiful fall weekend. These were friends from a distinct moment in life. They’re worth finding again. Even if it’s been a minute, what have you got to lose? Life gets busy after the high school segment of growing up is complete. Time and space seem to separate us, but a reunion is a great opportunity to have some laughs and reconnect with lost friends. Take a chance. It’ll be fun!

Downers Grove North: For more information on the reunion, hop on the DGN Class of 2000 Facebook page.

To register for the DGS Class of 2000 reunion, visit: dgsclassof2000reunion.rsvpify.com