Lake Havasu High School
Celebrating its 30th Year
 

Before the high school was built, Havasu's high school students were bussed to Kingman. I myself, living at the time on the California side of the lake, was bussed to Parker for my freshman year. Since there were no California high schools nearby, I was given the choice of attending either Parker or Havasu for my sophomore year. Because of the long bus ride, my parents decided on Havasu, sending me across the lake each day in my boat.

One of the things I recall about that first student body was its diversity. Today many of my children's friends tell me they grew up in Havasu. Back then, most residents were fairly new. That first year a good portion of the student body was comprised of new residents. In fact, there were students who came from practically every state in the Union.

This created a unique high school environment. Most of the student body was able to start the year on an even playing field. It was a new beginning for many of them. What made it doubly unique was the fact that no one needed to feel like the "new kid". Although a group of the student body was comprised of those who traveled to Kingman the year before, I do not recall this creating any cliché, making it difficult for newcomers to fit in.

In those days the hang out was Mundell's Drive In or Nautical Inn beach. The Cinema Theatre was a theatre. And highway 95 from Bill Williams River to Lake Havasu was unpaved. The Island was a peninsula, and the London Bridge had not been reconstructed at its new home.

There were members of the original teaching staff who remained at Havasu High School for most of those years. I was a student in Dean Rowe's sophomore English class, and my son was a student of Mr. Rowe's when Rowe retired, in 1997. Dave Kuch was a member of that first teaching staff, and remained with the school until his tragic death last year. Although Mr. Rooney, the current principal of Havasu High, didn't come to the school in 1969, he did join the staff while I was still a student.

Today the high school looks nothing as it did in 1969. Our library was a small classroom, we used our gym for all indoor school functions, and there was a lawned courtyard tucked between the two wings of classrooms, which has since been replaced by offices.

In spite of the significant changes in the school's appearance and size, I still have to ask....are you sure it has been 30 years?