OXFORD HILLS — Recognition and Publicity of Alumni: Communicate through portraits of Oxford Hills graduates the success of their lives and careers. Alumni Relations: Develop a clearinghouse and database of alumni resources.

This is what the SAD 17 district strategic plan says about developing alumni relations for the district.

“The ultimate goal,” explains Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Principal Ted Moccia, “is to create an alumni association.”

To that end, Moccia and Oxford Hills Technical School Director Shawn Lambert are gearing up for Homecoming.

Homecoming is defined as a returning home, an annual celebration for alumni at a college or university. However, at the high school level it is usually focused on school spirit and beating rivals on the sports field.

This year, however, OHCHS will also have a focus on alumni. Included in the annual parade will be alumni, arranged by decade, marching along with class floats, youth sports, booster organizations, OHMS students, cheerleaders, band and high school students. In fact, they say, alumni children and grandchildren are encouraged to march, too, and there will be face painting and other activities for children afterwards.

This year, the high school has created an Alumni Hall of Honor to annually recognize one of its own who has contributed to society in a meaningful way.

A committee of educators and administration will accept nominations and chose an alumnus to honor.

Then, on Saturday, Oct. 1, participants will line up at 10:30 a.m. at the county courthouse in South Paris and starting at 11 a.m. the parade will march to Gouin Athletic Complex.

The Hall of Honor alumnus will lead the alumni section of the parade.

Alumni marchers will receive a bumper/window sticker that gets them into the game for free – OHCHS versus. Massabesic with a 1 p.m. kickoff. There will be an alumni hospitality tent (loaned to the high school by the Kiwanis) with light hors d’oeuvres created by the technical school culinary arts students. The marketing and hospitality students are also working on this event.

The first Alumni Hall of Honor inductee will be recognized with a plaque at halftime.

The school is looking for help in spreading the word about the parade. It will utilize an eblast, its website and Facebook but recognizes that word of mouth is invaluable and hopes that the community will step up and get involved.

Further, any alumni who were members of the high school band are invited to join the band to play the school song. Those interested should contact Kyle Jordan at k.jordan@msad17.org.

Although nominations for this year’s Hall of Honor inductee are closed, future nominations can be from anyone employed by the district, anywhere in the district. A nomination should include how the nominee contributed to society and is continuing to contribute as well as what they did while they were in school in the district.

Nor do they have to have been an exceptional student, notes Moccia and Lambert. In fact, they could have been a “problem child” as long as they have turned things around.

As Moccia succinctly put it:

“It is not about where you were but where you are now.”

asheehan@sunmediagroup.net