Agreeing to meet, 20 years in the making

julius · Dec 31, 2009

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010653117_apwanewyearspledge.html

By BRYNN GRIMLEY

The Kitsap Sun
BREMERTON, Wash. —

Twenty years ago, a class of 20 Armin Jahr Elementary students made a pact with their fourth-grade teacher: they would meet at the school's flagpole on Jan. 1, 2010, at noon.

The date, displayed on the classroom white board through the school year in 1990, served as a reminder of the promise the 8- and 9-year-olds made.

They couldn't fathom then what they might be doing when they were almost 30. Would they be married? Probably, said teacher Richard Lewis.

He added that some might even have children a reality hard for any 8-year-old to comprehend.

The students were enrolled in the Bremerton School District's gifted program, many of them sharing a classroom from first grade to high school.

They went off to college, but they never lost their bond, held in place by a day in time. When they randomly ran into each other as adults, they fell back on a simple question: "You going to be there?"

"We've been saying it for years," said Stephen Moshay, one of the students, who now lives in Federal Way with his wife and two young children.

"Nobody knows if anybody is going to show up, but I think that's baloney," he said. "I think that at least 10 of us will show up."

Moshay will be there at noon, along with friend and former student David Thompson, who recently moved to New York City. Who else will show up has the two guessing, including Mr. Lewis.

Recently retired, Lewis lives in Seattle and is now acting in movies.

While his teaching career took him across the country and back, Lewis said the 10 years he spent in Bremerton were the highlight of his career.

Lewis, who taught the students in fourth and fifth grades, tried to impart his belief that they would be successful adults.

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"I felt a particular bond with this class," he said. "They were a really nice batch of kids and they had a good sensibility about them."

Which is why he suggested they come together again as adults.

"I thought it would be really interesting to see what happens with all of them 10 to 20 years down the road," he said. "It's the experiment, to see who really cares enough to try and show up."

So will he be there? Yes, although he admits he forgot until a former student called to remind him.

The date also slipped Thompson's mind. Watching television one night, the date Jan. 1, 2010 popped up. Memories of the date on the classroom white board came flooding back.

"It's just kind of crazy, I don't know why, but I think I can name every person in the class," Thompson said.

So what will happen on Jan. 1, 2010?

Moshay plans to go with the flow. Thompson joked that they may all "sit on the hill for five minutes and then say 'Hey good job for remembering.'"

But Lewis has a plan of his own.

"I expect that we're going out to lunch somewhere," he laughed. "It was my intention at the time that we were going to go out to lunch."

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It's nice to have a post here that's not people threatening each other and what not.

Blazer_Hippie · Dec 31, 2009

Of course the exact message was "MEET AT THE FLAGPOLE NOON ON 1/1/2010" with a gun pointing at it...

barfo · Dec 31, 2009

The teacher is going to gun down all the students at the flagpole. Revenge is a dish served very very cold.

barfo

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Agreeing to meet, 20 years in the making

julius Living on the air in Cincinnati... Staff Member Global Moderator

Blazer_Hippie Batum getting ballsy!

barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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Agreeing to meet, 20 years in the making

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julius Living on the air in Cincinnati... Staff Member Global Moderator

Blazer_Hippie Batum getting ballsy!

barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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