Note from Penny Platt Jones 

For my Class of 71 friends this is the text from last night's scholarship presentation of the first ever Class of 1971's annual $1000 scholarship for a senior entering a trade.  Bob and I were so pleased to be able to represent you and to see this class project come to fruition.  We've been working on it for quite awhile and to be able to watch it become a reality was truly amazing.  Thank you for all you have given in time, talents, silent auction items, raffle donations and your generosity and help each year at the fall parties.  This year's party will be a huge celebration of a job well done.  THANK YOU! 

"This is the first year for this scholarship and it's our honor to represent our classmates to present it.  The endowment of this scholarship has been a labor of love by our MHS Class of 1971 friends. 

The Class of 71 is fabled to have been one of a kind.  Teachers and community members have described us as a class of overachievers in all areas, probably both for the good and for challenging the established limits. 

We came of age during the changing times of the late 60's and early 70's.  It was a time of the selective service draft for the Vietnam War, protests, sit ins with those seeking peace, the expansion of equal opportunities and life choices, and of course the era of great rock and roll music.  We set forth from MHS on many paths that have kept us involved with our community and our world with our class motto echoing within "Not merely to exist, but to amount to something in life."

We have remained close with each other and every September 75-100 of us from across the country gather on our farm for a fall party, where we honor our beginnings, hold a class meeting, do random acts of community service, renew our lasting friendships, remember those who are no longer with us and to just have a good time. 

After our 45th reunion, when we entered a cake mix and tub of frosting in the Booster Club's Cake Auction and bought it back for $15,000, we decided we needed to work toward a more lasting and enduring gift. We accepted the realization that we were reaching that retirement and fixed income stage of life and would soon be limited in the impact we could continue to make.  You know, that we're getting really old.  At the following fall party class meetings, the plans to raise $25,000 for a scholarship investment and endowment were hatched and have now come full circle to completion. We wanted to have something that would live on annually, in the class's name, long after we are gone.

The Class of 1971's scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship and is designated for a senior who is planning to enter one of the trades."

I will be forever grateful to you all for your support and generosity in the fundraising efforts for this project.  Thank you MHS Class of 1971.  Well done!