MADISON TOWNSHIP — A 100th anniversary is a big deal.
Madison Local Schools is treating it that way. The 2025 graduating class will be the 100th in school history. School personnel have planned a variety of festivities throughout the school year.
"You think of alumni over that time period for 100 years and a school district that's still going strong," said Superintendent Rob Peterson, a 1986 Madison alumnus. "Some of our greatest memories are of things that happened in the hallways and in the classroom and on the fields or gyms.
"To still be going strong, providing a great education for kids and quality extracurricular activities, we take great pride in that."
A steering committee formed in January to start getting ready. Madison residents won't have too wait long for the fun to begin.
"The real big kickoff is alumni night at the first home football game," Peterson said of Madison's matchup with River Valley on Aug. 30.
Alumni can buy a T-shirt for the occasion. The $20 cost will also cover entrance to the game.
Longtime art teacher designed logo for T-shirts
The T-shirts feature a logo designed by Matt Godsil, a longtime art teacher for the district and former varsity football coach.
Missy Wigton, Eastview Elementary School principal and a 1997 Madison alumna, is heading up the steering committee. She encourages alums to register by the end of July by going to a link on the Facebook page "100 years of Madison."
The fun will start before the game with a trip down memory lane from 4-6 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. People will get to enjoy memorabilia and "all the yearbooks that we can get our hands on," Wigton said. The Ohio Genealogical Society is helping with the latter.
Food trucks will be on the grounds at 5:30 p.m. to complement the regular concessions.
Alumni football players are invited to come on the field and welcome the 2024 Rams.
"They hope to make a big tunnel for the team to run through," Peterson said.
Cheerleading alumni are welcome to participate in the first quarter, while band alums will join the high school band for a halftime performance.
Alumni invited to participate in football team's home opener
"We really hope to have a great turnout and have a lot of alumni for that game," Peterson said.
Doug Rickert, athletic director and a 1987 alum, is a little on edge about alumni night.
"My involvement is, 'How do we get all these people into the stadium?''' Rickert said.
All tickets will be presale, a change from Madison's routine.
"We want to know exactly how many people are coming," Rickert said, adding he thinks the alumni night is a "really cool thing."
Rickert said his time at Madison taught him discipline and a work ethic. He has been a teacher and coach with the district, along with being athletic director for 11 years.
"I wanted to come back," Rickert said. "People leave school and say they'll never be back, and I've been here 31 years."
During basketball season, Madison Local Schools will invite players from individual decades for alumni nights. February will feature a reception for all former school employees, likely to take place at Mid-Ohio Conference Center.
Wigton's son Owen is a senior member of the basketball team.
A parade is being planned for May.
"We just really want to celebrate," Peterson said. "This only comes around once every 100 years."
mcaudill@gannett.com
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