Serra High School - Juniper Yearbook (McKeesport, PA)

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me some NG 09 5573764 K he first Senior class numbering 96 boys was graduated on 3 g tJunepp7, 1965.Serra became ,pa co-ed institution in 1972, 1 taking in, that year, approximtely 106 girls Being a co ed school obviously allowed for a larger enrollment. In September, 1961, Serra's enrollment was 89g in September, 1985, total enroll- ment.. reached 608 in grades,.9 through 12. .Also since that first graduating class of Serra High School in 1965, 2,369 students have been graduated. All those Students weren't just trained scholas- ticlyeither. They were also trained athleticly. Serra has claim to fivevfundefeated athletic teams. Four belong to track and one to football. it Serra truly is 25 years proud. However, there would be nothing to be,,proudp of if it weren't for special people. Thatfs why when someone asks, What is Serra I-IighSchool? , the reply is simple. The necessary ingredient of Serra High School is people. When- ever ,the name Serra is mentioned, the connotation is the people who ,,t remake up Serraw--the dozens of teachers and :hundreds of students who are and always will be Serra. tfrom Serra's first yearbook, 19655 With these types of people the next 25 years should shinefeven brighter. Holy Trinity School - Sept., 1961 6 25th Anniversary Groundbreaking April 13, 1962 Serra's first freshmen class - 1962

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1961 Fr. Luke, Fr. Kieran, and Fr. Duch enjoy dinner as , 'Qk suv ff ' x, Former alumni Father Graban and Father Luke Father Alexis speaks at the 25th anniversary Celebrants enter church dinner b , 25th Anniversary 5

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l .45 my X XX ., XX ,t 1 tt aw Xml. Hitt M ' 'W will Xt 1 ,b ll it t. Xllf , .-f, - -if 5' X' X v imulxtwif ,Q Wi , X ti i X X ttXwXXi l X l X. t., 1 ,. X .X X .tr , li il Aerial view of Serra High School - 1966 Fr. Luke Ciampi, O.F.M., 1961- 1967 Fr. Simeon Distefano, O.F.M., 1970-1976 'K-W' Fr. Alexis Anania, O.F.M., 1967-1970 W1 Fr. Kieran Monahan, O.F.M., 1976- 1986 We are journeying back in time approximately 25 years to a meeting regarding the soom to be established Christopher Columbus High School. The meeting is to discuss a mascot for the new school. One person suggests the Christopher Co- lumbus Explorers. Another person mentions how difficult pantiloons are to find. Still an- other adds how uncomfortable they would be. Suddenly, they hear a knock at the door. They answer it to find a man solicit- ing money for the Save the Eagles Foundation. That's it! , Someone cried. What? , asks another. Our mascot , said the first, it can be the ea- gle . The eagle truly is a noble bird , said another. The stu- dents would be inspired to soar above the others , still another commented. Thus transpired the transformation of the Chris- topher Columbus Explorers into the Serra Catholic Eagles. Well, maybe that's not exactly the way it happened, but the change in the school's name was the first in a series of changes that would lead to 25 years of pride. Serra was named after Friar Junipero Serra, O.F.M., famed founder of 22 mission churches in California. It was began in temporary quarters at Holy Trinity Parish School on Sept. 5, 1961 with an initial enroll- ment of 89 boys. Serra moved to it's present site at the start of its third year. The cornerstone of the present school building was laid and the school was of- ficially dedicated on Sept. 13, 1963 by his Excellence John J. Wright, Bishop of Pittsburgh. Serra is under the adminis- tration of the Franciscan Friars of the Province of the Immacu- late Conception in New York Cityg 25th Anniversary 7