All-City Alumni Association event set Oct. 22

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Ron King, a Youngstown native, knew there was something missing when he returned to the city to serve as the new parent and community training development coordinator at East High School.

That something was school spirit and an identity.

He’s hoping an event he’s spearheading later this month can begin the process of reclaiming those qualities.

King graduated from North High School in 1972 when there were five other high schools in the Youngstown City School District – South High, The Rayen School, Woodrow Wilson, Chaney and East.

King can remember a time during his high-school years when school spirit flourished and each school had its own identity.

Now, only a renovated version of one of those schools – East High – exists, and it lacks the undeniable school spirit all the high schools once possessed, he said.

“We’ve eliminated 419 years of school spirit, school history and school pride,” King said. He hopes, with a little bit of past help, East High can claim its own identity.

King is championing the first All-City Alumni Association Gathering scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Rayen Stadium parking lot. The stadium on the city’s North Side is the East High Panthers home field.

King said he hopes to attract citywide support for East and its football team, as well as serving as the stepping stone for the start of an East High Booster Club.

The Panthers are 1-6 this season and can hardly fill the stands in their stadium Friday nights.

Panthers head coach Jerron Jenkins thinks the gathering will not only help his team, but also the school’s other athletic programs.

“It’s great to bring back alumni from the old schools. It lets our kids know that someone’s behind them,” Jenkins said.

King says fewer than 20 people are in the home stands, while the visitors side nearly quadruples the amount of Panthers fans.

He described the stadium as a “brand-new apartment that hasn’t been furnished,” meaning there’s not even a sign that says home of the Panthers on the scoreboard or anything that can help East claim its identity.

To remedy that situation, King has teamed up with several area businesses to help sponsor the event, including FASTSIGNS of Boardman.

The father of the FASTSIGNS owner was a former gym teacher at North and Rayen and has a special place in his heart for the city schools, King said.

King said the company is donating a sign for the football field that will be revealed at the gathering. The sign’s logo will also be printed on T-shirts, which can be purchased at the event.

King hopes alumni from all the city’s former high schools will attend.

Stanley Jones of Star 94.7 will emcee the event, while entertainment will be provided by the Beck/Ward Experience, and performers Sandra Miles, Jeff Green and Clarence Ross.

King says the alumni gathering is just the first of several events planned to help create the booster club.