The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters High School Class of 1999 will be celebrating their 20th reunion in July. The reunion will take place in Sisters at the Sisters Saloon, around town, and in the Village Green park.

Crista Hagan, a graduate of the class, has been working closely with their class president, Tara Schafer, who is putting on the reunion. Hagan spoke with The Nugget on the importance of the reunion and what it means to her: “Our class really raised each other, we were more like brothers and sisters and cousins, and in my journey of adult self-discovery I am reminded of my personality traits in middle school and high school and how beneficial of an experience it was.”

The class was only 88 students strong, and some of the classmates had been going to school together since pre-school. Hagan joined the class in sixth grade and went through all the way to her senior year. The class of ’99 was the last class that attended Sisters High School when it was in the building that is now the middle school. As part of the reunion, the attendees will be touring the middle school and high school buildings.

For Hagan, living in Vancouver, Washington, the reunion is important to her to reconnect with her classmates in their adult life.

“People putting this on and are working together are people that might’ve not necessarily hung out [at] high school and it is neat to see everyone as adults and working together,” she said. “Working on this has promoted some healing for myself in my journey of self-discovery this year, I have had vivid dreams about doing something like this reunion.”

Hagan and her classmates are spread out all over the country and the world. Some of her classmates have stuck around Central Oregon including Tara Schafer, whereas one of her friends is abroad in eastern Asia working in medicine — but is still helping contribute to putting it on.

The reunion is set for July 20-21. The team wanted to turn it into a big gathering, so anyone who has graduated from or worked in Sisters High School is welcome. The first night features a gathering at the Sisters Saloon, and the second day will be a tour of the school buildings and an informal family picnic at Village Green. The event can be found on Eventbrite and Facebook listed as “Sisters High School 20th Reunion.” RSVPs are welcomed.

Hagan said this of the importance of attending the high school reunion: “If you are a graduate of Sisters High School, you are a member of a small, unique community. Your membership in this community has probably shaped your life more than you probably realize. You never know what life-changing magic you may encounter when you spend time in the company of others [and] share this special membership and life experience!”