West Central Celebrating 50 Years As A School District

Half a century is a long time but for some it feels like it yesterday. West Central alumni Terry Bornitz and Ellen Voelker Winberg graduated in 1968, the very first class of the newly formed West Central school district.
 
"It's very hard to believe that it's been 50 years. It's like, you blink your eyes and oh my gosh, where did the time go? We're very proud that we were the very first class to graduate from West Central High School," said Ellen Voelker Winberg

Every year West Central celebrates homecoming with a parade and pep rally. It all started with the class of 1968, which makes this year extra special because it's the 50th anniversary of when Hartford and Humboldt came together and consolidated as one school.

"We were the first people that decided what the school song was going to be and what our mascot was going to be, and what the colors were going to be." said Winberg

Over the years, as the school grew, so did the activities that women could do. 

"We did not have girls basketball, we did not have volleyball, we did not have track. It was boys football, boys basketball, boys track, and that was it," said Wingberg. 

Since 1968, Winberg says she's seen a lot of progress in both towns. 

"The way the communities have grown. The buildings, the housing developments both at Humboldt and at Hartford that have come about," said Winberg. 

This homecoming was no different than it was 50 years ago for these alums. 

"She had a blast in the car," said Terry Bornitz. 

"We went through and we're holding up the signs and I was so impressed with the young kids that they were doing the math and looked at the numbers and they were (shocked). Yeah, it is that long ago, we can't believe it either," said Winberg. 

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