Olympian among alumni back at Sandwich Secondary for 55th anniversary

(Left to right) Organizer Andromeda Dean, retired teacher Mike Gloster and Olympian Kylie Masse were among a group of speakers at the opening ceremonies for Sandwich Secondary School’s 55th reunion. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)

A LaSalle high school is celebrating its emerald anniversary this weekend, with everyone who has ever walked its halls invited to return.

Andromeda Dean, one of the organizers of Sandwich Secondary School’s 55th reunion, said the celebration is overdue.

“This was originally supposed to be in 2020 for the 50th anniversary, but we all know what happened then,” she said.

The two-day event started Friday, featuring school tours, a beer tent, live entertainment, demonstrations and a Sabres football game.

The hallways were filled with hundreds of past and present students and staff — hugs, handshakes, and even tears everywhere you turned.

“This isn’t just a school reunion; it’s a reunion for the entire community,” said Dean.

Mike Gloster, an English teacher and coach at the school from 1971 to 1998, said there was a great sense of camaraderie.

“People you were friends with 30 years ago are acting like we’re still friends,” he said. “It’s great.”

As he spoke with CTV News, another man approached. Gloster’s eyes lit up, and he rushed to shake the hand of a former colleague he recognized.

Glenn Orchard, who was an auto shop teacher at the school from 1975 until 1998, said he was amazed by the people he was reconnecting with, particularly his former students.

“What amazes me most is that I had so little to do with their lives when they were in high school,” he said. “But they graduated and went on to be successful and that’s what counts.”

One of those success stories is Olympian Kylie Masse.

Just one month after returning from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she revisited the high school from which she graduated in 2014.

“It’s quite surreal,” she said. “I went around the halls and found my old locker and an old classroom. It feels really nostalgic.”

Masse, who claimed a bronze medal in the pool, said she has been enjoying some downtime with her parents in LaSalle.

“The local community is so tight knit,” she said. “It means a lot to me.”

Celebrations at Sandwich Secondary School continue Saturday afternoon from 2 p.m. until midnight. More information and the event schedule can be found on Eventbrite.