THE EVOLUTION OF THE MEMORIAL

The concept for a memorial began in the year 2000 with a group of alumni from the Class of 1980 who, while preparing to gather for their 20^th Reunion, discussed the friends that had passed away over the years and their desire to honor them.  A tree was planted that year and ribbons with the names of departed Alumni and Faculty were tied to the branches in the first of what has become an annual ceremony held in conjunction with Homecoming.

In 2004, the last of a series of trees was replaced with the current sandstone boulder, which was donated by a generous alumnus and set in a place of honor in front of Chaparral High School.  Individual nameplates for departed Alumni and Faculty were created and affixed, as they became known, through 2017, growing to nearly 650 in number.  Corresponding ribbons continue to be created and made available at the annual ceremony for friends and family members to take as keepsakes.

By spring of 2018, it became apparent that replacing weathered, damaged or missing nameplates and adding nameplates as the list of departed Alumni and Faculty grows was no longer a sustainable endeavor.  The individual plates were removed and replaced with a bronze plaque, depicting our beloved Cowboy school mascot.  Our website was then created by another generous alumnus so that we can continue our tradition of honoring departed Alumni and Faculty by name on a platform that is easily accessible to all.

From its inception to the present date, the memorial has evolved in its presentation.  It has been sustained through the volunteer efforts of many stewards and the financial support of many alumni and friends.  The mission of the memorial has also evolved, and with the continued support of alumni and friends, we look forward to this new chapter by “Honoring the Past, Supporting the Future.”