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The thinking is, when you turn 50, you want to have something to show for it.
South Mecklenburg High School's evidence? Its alumni.
The school marks its 50th anniversary during homecoming events this week. The celebration is triggering reflections of how the school's former students have impacted Charlotte and beyond - in politics, professional sports, arts and entertainment and more. Among the grads: the NFL's Roman Phifer, the NBA's Bobby Jones and Grammy-winning R&B artist Anthony Hamilton.
This week is all about the graduates. Festivities include a talent show and plans for an alumni band to play during a pregame show at Friday's homecoming game against Garinger High. Former football players, cheerleaders and homecoming queens will be recognized, too.
Returnees will see some differences. A brand new two-story science and technology building sits on campus. Some of South Meck's current attendance area isn't even what some would consider suburbia these days.
But the foundation remains, graduates say.
"I just got a lot of encouragement from teachers and staff and got a lot of depth in mathematics and sciences," said Dr. Rebekah Austin, a neurosurgeon in Kingsport, Tenn., and a 1984 South Meck graduate.
Recent transplants may not know that South Mecklenburg High, located on Park Road near the Quail Hollow Club, is one of the county's first southern suburban public high schools.
South Meck also helped seed other CMS schools when Charlotte's suburban growth exploded, as its students were shifted to fill newer buildings at Providence (opened in 1989), Waddell (2001) and Ardrey Kell (2006) high schools, notes Joe Mahaffey, South Meck class of 1985. He's organized a Facebook alumni page with more than 500 members.
"I think there's a lot of pride in that legacy," said Mahaffey, whose daughter, a South Meck sophomore, now has the same choir teacher Mahaffey did.
"South has planted a lot of high schools around us and really doesn't allow itself to get diluted."
Here are some of the school's notable students:
Arts and entertainment
•Award-winning artist Anthony Hamilton attended South Meck, where he sang in the school choir. He graduated from Harding High. He won his first Grammy in February, sharing the best traditional R&B vocal performance honors with Al Green for their collaboration, "You've Got the Love I Need."
•Actress Enya Flack starred in the television show "Malcolm & Eddie" in the mid-1990s and has appeared on other TV shows, including "The Game" and "Deal or No Deal."
•Former actress and beauty queen LaGena Lookabill Greene, 48, gained national attention when she went public with the news that the late NASCAR driver Tim Richmond infected her with HIV in 1986. After the infection turned into AIDS, she gave talks throughout the country about living with the disease.
Sports
•Swimmer Ricky Berens, South Meck class of '06, won an Olympic gold medal in the U.S. men's 4x200 meter freestyle in Beijing in 2008 and was a gold medalist in the 800-meter freestyle relay and the 400-meter freestyle relay at the 2009 world championships..
•Graduating in the 1970s were NBA legends Walter Davis, the league's 18th leading scorer with 19,521 points and an 18.9 average when he retired in 1992, and Bobby Jones, one of the best defenders in NBA history. Jones has coached middle- and high-school basketball in Charlotte.
•Roman Phifer , class of '86, is a Denver Broncos assistant linebacker coach and former NFL player.
Politics
•Patrick Cannon and Jaye Rao (both class of '85) are running for at-large Charlotte City Council seats. Cannon also is a former mayor pro tem.
•Dan Bishop, c lass of '82, is a former Mecklenburg County commissioner.
•Darrell Bonapart , class of '87, has run for city council and is an east Charlotte advocate.
