Beautiful weather, lifelong friendships, and wonderful memories are just some of the successes of reunion weekend, and the rest are too numerous to count! Hundreds of Hilltoppers came back to their alma mater to celebrate this past weekend, meeting at the school on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, up the North Shore, and at favorite spots throughout Duluth. All pictures taken by Marshall School photographer Kim Kosmatka can be found on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hilltopperalumni or on the website at marshallschool.org/reunionphoto. Also, a huge thank you to all who supported their reunion by contributing to their Reunion Class Gift! This year, all of our milestone reunion classes participated in class gifts, with the Class of 65 leading the pack in number of gifts made! The reunion class agents for the milestone classes also deserve a huge round of applause. It was their dedication to planning and communication that brought attendance to record levels this year.

The Duluth Cathedral Class of 1965 celebrated their 50th reunion in high style, coming to the school for a special tour through the hallways they remember so well. The memories they shared ranged from the lighthearted, like favorite teachers and Home Ec., to the serious, like the feeling in the air and where they gathered when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, just weeks after visiting Duluth. A special thanks to Bill Brewer '65, who took the stage at the Golden Topper Luncheon to speak to his class, sharing the following original poem, entitled Class of 1965 Talk.

Friday night set the stage for the Distinguished Alumni Award Ceremony, where Nora Cross '08 was presented with the Distinguished Young Alumni Award and John Ribarich '53 received the Distinguished Alumni Award. Nora was chosen by the committee for her dedication to global citizenship, and her service to her community, which she carries out with compassion and grace. On her philosophy of life, Nora writes: I think we are here to learn as much as we can about ourselves and about our world, and then to decide how we can best serve the good of the whole. It is that dedication to service that brought Nora to the Peace Corps and Mozambique. Hear more about what she is up to in her video. 

As for John Ribarich, this talented alumnus is a spaceflight pioneer, an engineer on the first unmanned spacecraft on the moon, and a lover of painting, acting, and archaeology. He writes that ‘life is an adventure. Love it and go for it”. Hear a bit more about the people that influenced his life and the classmates who worked alongside him in his video.

Alumni athletes showed their stuff during Sunday's Alumni Games, beating the current students 8-3 in soccer and 38-18 in basketball! Many of these former Hilltopper Athletes have taken their love of sports and pursued them following graduation. Several represented their colleges and universities on the field or the court, and others have supported sports in their communities.

Mark your calendars for next year's reunion, taking place July 15-17! Stay updated on the latest schedules and plans by checking the website at marshallschool.org/reunion.