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Danville’s very own SRVHS San Ramon Valley High School turned 100 this school year and both the students and community have enjoyed one event after another honoring this milestone.
On Saturday, March 19, the Blackhawk Museum will host the SRV 100-Year Gala — an elegant event to honor the high school’s centennial in “true San Francisco East Bay style.”
An estimated 600 guests including alumni, parents, community residents and city officials will enjoy an evening featuring wine tasting from Napa and Sonoma County wineries, a light supper buffet catered by Scott’s Seafood, an auction and dancing to local band Artison.
“The staff and I are very excited for our…celebration events in March,” said
Principal Joe Ianora. “We are extremely lucky to have the parents and alumni that we do here at San Ramon Valley and I know the Gala will be an enormous success. It’s no secret there have been a lot of famous people who’ve walked these halls, and I have been in touch with several of them this year as we honor and celebrate 100 years. Everyone is extremely proud of their high school.”
The Gala’s silent auction items are collectively worth more than $100,000, and the live auction items include both exotic and glamorous world travel destination packages.
“We are truly amazed at all of the generous donations we’ve received for the auction,” said Leslie Madden Ward, SRV 100-Year Gala co-chair and class of 1975 alum. “Items such as an African Safari for four people, a one-week stay at a private condominium in Nuevo Vallarta, a seven-night stay on Carnelian Bay, Nate Schierholtz World Series items and marketing internships at Comcast are only a few of the incredible items we have.
“In addition, the response from alumni is almost overwhelming. It’s as if no one wants to miss their high school’s 100-year birthday party, especially because it will include wine tasting and dancing to a great band.”
Currently, more than 2,000 students attend the high school, and despite recent upgrades to several classroom buildings and the addition of the new gym, several facilities and programs, including the pool built in 1954, are in need of support beyond what the San Ramon Valley Unified School District can provide.
In 2009, a group of parent volunteers formed the SRVHS Wolf Foundation, which is dedicated to raising funds to augment those available from the SRVUSD, bond measures, parcel taxes and the state. The school has a rural zoning designation, further reducing the amount of money it receives from the state. The gala is hosted by the foundation with proceeds returning to the school’s academics, arts and athletic programs.
“The Gala is something I definitely won’t miss because the proceeds will go to such an important cause,” said Linda Decker Merriamk, another alumnus from the class of 1975. “San
Ramon Valley High School is a special high school to everyone, not just current students and alumni. The school has such a long, rich history and its downtown Danville location makes it a school the entire community takes pride and ownership in.”
A sampling of San Ramon Valley High School’s notable alumni include Jim Bogios, drummer for the Counting Crows; Mark “Mad Dog” Madsen, NBA player for the Minnesota Timberwolves; Nate Schierholtz, MLB player for the San Francisco Giants and 2008 U.S. Olympic Baseball bronze medalist; Randy Winn, MLB player for the St. Louis Cardinals; Brandon Schantz, broadcaster and TV producer; Laura Anthony, ABC news reporter, and Jason Lucash, inventor and founder of Origaudio, Time Magazine’s Top 50 Inventions of 2009.
To purchase tickets to the SRV 100-Year Gala, visit www.srvhs.net or call 437-2034.
Other March festivities include the grand opening of SRVHS’ main gym on Friday, March 18.
This grand opening is particularly noteworthy because early on into the construction project, workers unearthed Native American remains while digging a water line, and construction came to an immediate halt. More remains were found as the foundation was dug for the gym, stopping the project once again as archeologists were brought in for a dig.
Today, a new, modern-day gymnasium stands at the front of the school and the more than 49 Native American remains have been safely relocated for proper re- burial in the Ohlone Indian Cemetery in Fremont.
