There was talk among some Highline School District staff and students at Evergreen High School last week about changing the designation from (EHS) to maybe an acronym like TEC, HS3 and AAA. That stands for Technology, Engineering & Communications High School (TEC), Health Sciences and Human Services High School (HS3), and Arts and Academics Academy (AAA).

Some students apparently do not agree with the idea of changing, even going as far as chanting "EHS, EHS" at a recent basketball game where the EHS logo had been covered up. The three separate entities of the "Evergreen Campus" were formed in the last few years as part of the district's focus on education through some help from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The stir on campus is over tradition vs. ideological change.

Whether this happens or not I have some fond memories of Evergreen. Nearly all my kids went through the school. As the owner of the White Center News, I printed the school newspaper (Timberlines). I had to. A few of my kids were on the staff of that paper. Virginia Nerheim was the newspaper advisor. She ran a tight ship.

We were a busy family. There were games and concerts to attend. I made as many as I could and nearly always found a way to get to Highline Stadium to attend the football games. As a member of the working press I carried a card I did not have to show to the gate attendant, Mr. Fred Lapasin. Fred was my #4 son Patrick's elementary school teacher at Hazel Valley. Fred is a great guy (now 75). He would always recognize me as I approached the gate. His warm smile and friendly greeting made me feel honored to be there.

We cheered for the home team, bought some hotdogs and hot chocolate at halftime and generally stayed in the spirit of the season.

Oh, there was one occasion that is memorable for the angst we suffered. It was not exactly a homecoming loss, but close. Our car was broken into sometime during a game. Elsbeth lost her purse. I lost a beautiful Battenkill Fly Rod I had in the trunk. The police never caught the guy. I hope he used the money to buy fishing lessons.

Evergreen produced some great athletes and students during the years we were close to the school. Chuck Brigham, a former University of Washington star, was the track coach. It seemed that the Wolverines were always near the top of the league with their performance. Howard Dowdell set a state record in the 440 yd run in 1959.

John LeCompte was a star pitcher in baseball in those years. John Leslie wowed the crowd with his all around athleticism in three sports. Dick Sample and John Gambill were terrific basketball players. In 1965 Larry Almberg became a near world-class distance runner, competing against the likes of high schooler Jim Ryan (world record holder in the mile run in those days).

We mentioned in an earlier article how our current governor, Jay Inslee, attended and played basketball at Cascade Middle School. Jay left before he got to Evergreen where he would have played on the state title contender in 1968 with John Aumann, Jack Steadman, Wes Clingan, Rick Reed and Jay Hambly.

Maybe one of the finest football players in the state lived in little old White Center. The "Throwin Samoan," Jack Thompson, thrilled the crowds taking his team to the state playoffs two out of his three years as QB.

Our own family member, Charlie Ganong, was a lineman on Jack's team, later attending Harvard University. More recently Senio Kelemete made his mark with the U.W. Huskies and is now with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL.

Most of those kids lived in or near White Center. They likely munched down on hamburgers at Lou's Drive-In, owned by Lou Dapas. Dapas came from a long-time White Center family.

The history of Evergreen athletes can be celebrated like some beautiful contestants for Miss Washington. Lynda Kilp and Diana Cindrich are two that come to mind. Lynda went on to win the state crown before she became a touring professional singer with former Evergreen alum Bobby Williams.

Since the fall of 1956 the Wolverines have truly made their mark on the community. Will the school with a new name be able to carry on that tradition? Will alumni attend homecoming games for the Technology, Engineering & Communications High School (TEC), Health Sciences and Human Services High School (HS3), and Arts and Academics Academy (AAA) Wolverines? It does not have the flair and simplicity of EVERGREEN.

Besides, how can they possibly get all those letters on the jerseys?