North Clackamas School District: Land Acknowledgement- Viet

Press release from the North Clackamas School District:

October 20, 2021

In the words of longtime teacher and Milwaukie institution Bill Haugen, Milwaukie High School has long been considered the heart of the community.

Four years after North Clackamas School District voters approved the 2016 capital construction bond, the $91.5 million renovation of the school building was completed in fall 2020. But due to the pandemic, alumni, former teachers, and community members had to wait an additional year to see the finished product up close and personal.

So when more than 250 of them finally gathered for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 8, the result was a jubilant celebration overflowing with school spirit and Mustang pride.

Welcomed by two lines of cheerleaders and decked out in their maroon and gold gear, alumni, former and current teachers, and students gathered in front of the school to revisit old memories and envision the future.

Students were showcased throughout the event, beginning with the MHS pep band blasting out the fight song to call the crowd to order. The MHS A-Choir followed up with powerful vocal performances of the national anthem and “Old Irish Blessing.” Senior Elijah Otero was one of several speakers on the program and the Ascension student group’s Baile Folklorico performance — a traditional Mexican dance — brightened the night with movement and color.

Principal Carmen Gelman emceed the event, which got a huge boost from local trio the Brown Sisters, all of whom graduated from MHS. Their pride and excitement were evident during performances of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” as well as “I Choose Love.”

Milwaukie High School was founded in 1907, but moved to its current location in 1926 after a new Art Deco building was constructed. That building underwent its first major renovation in 1958, adding a new entrance and a second-floor library, and played host to President John F. Kennedy during a visit to Milwaukie in 1960.

A separate auditorium building, later named after longtime principal J.C. Lillie, was added in 1971. A second major renovation in 1995 added the Commons and new administrative offices, but the original 1920’s structure remained the most prominent feature until most of it was demolished to make way for the latest remodel in 2018.

The crowd was excited to tour the new building after the program and streamed into through the three-story atrium, where visitors are greeted by a spectacular Mustang sculpture that was carved from one of the two cedars that previously flanked the main entrance. In a nod to the past, reclaimed wood from the old building and from the two trees has been incorporated into the new design in several places.

The structure features an abundance of natural light and students are proud of the fresh and welcoming atmosphere that, to them, feels more like a college setting.

Community members eagerly roamed the halls to visit classrooms and take in the building’s major highlights, like the second-floor library, maker space, and spectacular views throughout, before migrating to the stadium for the homecoming football game.

“Some people look for beautiful spaces, some people create beautiful spaces,” NCSD board chair Libra Forde said at the event. “This is a beautiful space that was created by every single person in this community.”

This press release was produced by the North Clackamas School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.