ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HISTORY

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The Zanesville Alumni Association (ZAA) was organized in October 1994. Jennifer Stewart brought the idea of forming an Alumni organization to the Zanesville Board of Education in September, 1994. The Board of Education supported the idea and Jennifer worked with Jim and Susan Cultice Brown to set up the legal aspects of the organization. All are graduates of Zanesville High School.

The first meeting of the group was held on October 13, 1994. The purposes of the organization were to:

Foster and promote pride in and advancement of the programs and projects of the Zanesville City Schools.

Locate and organize graduates and promote alumni activities.

Assist in the preservation of the history of Zanesville High School, Lash High School and other Zanesville City Schools.

Provide financial support to the Zanesville City Schools to support their Academic Fund, provide scholarships and other forms of financial assistance and /or academic enrichment.

Recognize and honor the significant community, scientific, athletic, educational, and charitable contributions that alumni have made to the community and society.

SCHOLARSHIPS: The very first scholarship in the amount of $500.00 was awarded to Leah Mason Hauser in May 1996. From May 1996 through May 2010 nineteen (19) ZHS seniors were awarded a $500.00 scholarship. A total of $9,500 was given to graduating seniors during this time. Beginning in 2011 one $1,000.00 scholarship was awarded. In 2016 John Darringer, Class of 1960 began funding an annual $1,000 scholarship for a senior choosing to major in Engineering or Science. In 2018 the family of the late Darrell E. Lear began funding two $1,000 memorial scholarships. From 2011 through May 2020, with growing memberships, generous gifts, and successful fundraisers, ZAA has awarded/facilitated $61,500 in scholarships to 71 ZHS seniors to help further their education.

HOME OF ZANESVILLE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION: In 2010 when the ZAA was reorganized, the Board of Education allowed the ZAA to have a space in the Central office on Fourth Street in Zanesville, from which we could work. ZAA began to seriously collect memorabilia and had a “home base”. Membership increased and regular fundraising efforts began. In 2011 the ZAA office was moved to the Zanesville Community School building on the corner of Pine Street and Pershing Road (formerly Grover Cleveland Middle School). This move allowed the ZAA to display memorabilia and hold meetings in a much larger space. In 2015 it was determined the space used by the ZAA was needed for classroom space and ZAA moved to its present location in the Administrative building on 956 Moxahala Avenue. ZAA was able to establish its identity, and create a space that is dedicated to promoting the history and excellence of Zanesville City Schools.

ALUMNI CENTER AND RESOURCE: The Alumni Center has many donated items and artifacts dating back to the early 1800s on display. The purpose of the center is to help keep the Zanesville High School legacy alive for all past, present, and future Blue Devils! A few things include a ZHS Comus Collection, which dates back to the very first Comus which was printed in 1896, Zanesvillians which were printed in the Zanesville papers on Sundays, dated from the 1920s thru the 1970s, vintage uniforms, various sweaters, jackets, graduation programs from 1974 to 2020, many pictures and documents too numerous to list! A variety of DVDs including the Hall of Fame inductions, the demolition of the fourth ZHS, the 1995 State championship basketball game can be viewed on the 50 inch screen in the center. Currently the center is open to the public on Thursdays from 10:30 AM till 4:00 PM. We are also open by appointment for people or groups that cannot come in on Thursdays. ZHS classes that are planning reunions have begun to schedule a tour of the center as a part of their reunion activities and we are happy to provide that opportunity to them. To schedule a tour or to donate memorabilia, please call Sharlene Goff Ward at 740-704-5979 or Cinda Pollock Cooper at 740-607-9999.

ZAA is a resource for class reunion committees. We have ideas for venues, decorations, favors, fundraising, ways to honor deceased classmates and sample class reunion booklets from other classes. We have several table decorations for your class to borrow.

ZAA ACTIVITIES: In addition to awarding scholarships, the ZAA has been involved in the dedication of the new high school, the burial of a time capsule at ZHS, maintaining the display case in the entryway between the front doors at ZHS and purchasing and planting the flower urns at the front entrance of ZHS.

MEMBERSHIPS and DONATIONS: Membership dues are only $10.00 per year, due each December. Lifetime memberships are available for a one-time fee of $150. If an alumni has been out of school for 50 years, the lifetime membership is $50.00. Click here for the membership application. Funds are also raised through donations. These can be made to honor an individual or class, or in memory of an individual or class. For more information on how to give to the Zanesville Alumni Association, please click here to visit the donation webpage or to download the donation form.

FUNDRAISERS: Various fundraisers have been held over the years to fund our senior scholarships. In the past, we have held pizza and salad sales, a Memorial Day celebration, selling of the "class trees" on the campus of ZHS and the sale of discount cards sponsored by local businesses to the community. To learn more information about the sale of our discount card or to view the discount card, click here.