Yearbook Memories

Aug. 5, 2016

Pretty much everybody has some unforgettable yearbook photos. The question is, are you brave enough to share them? Thankfully for the Express, some well-known locals certainly are. In honor of the new school year, we’re taking roll call on some of the region’s best and brightest for a glimpse of who they were way back when, and how it might have shaped the people they are today.

Mary Stewart Adams

Dark Sky Park Director

Harbor Springs

Seventh grade (1976), Muir Junior High School in Milford, Mich.

Activities: An underachiever, Adams was not: “At the time, I was a cheerleader, I belonged to the junior high school choir, I ran high hurdles on the track team, and I was secretary of the student council,” Adams said. “And in this photo, I’m wearing a star necklace!”

School Memories: This photo reminded Adams of a time she got in big trouble passing notes to a boy she liked. “My history teacher made him read them aloud — to the whole class!”

Liz Ahrens

President Crooked Tree Arts Center

Petoskey

12th grade (1980), Troy Athens High School in Troy, Mich.

Activities: Ahrens’ skills for leadership and organizing were evi-dent early on: “I was on the tennis team and was also treasurer for my sen-ior class,” she said.

School Memories: Ahrens might have gotten a little more attention than she wanted for her driving. “I got the ‘AJ Foyt’ award at our senior mock awards for my driving skills,” she said. “I was the first girl in my sophomore class to get my driver’s license, and my very first day of driving to school I had a collision in the driveway into the school parking lot. My green Nova and a big yellow school bus met head-on in front of hundreds of witnesses!”

Beth Eckerle

Emmet County Communications and Web Development Director

Petoskey

12th grade (1991), Grand Haven High School in Grand Haven, Mich.

Activities: “I was obsessed with playing soccer since I was in first grade,” Eckerle said. “So soccer was my main sport, and I was a cheerlead-er, too. And I’ve always loved writing and reading, so I was also editor of the junior and senior high papers.”

School Memories: On the soccer team, Eckerle’s nickname was Hollywood, she said, “Because I had a way of kicking the ball with both feet in the air that looked really fancy. I was also voted class clown my senior year.”

Erin Ernst

Director of Communications

Boyne Resorts

Ninth grade (1996), Escanaba High School in Escanaba, Mich.

Activities: Ernst belonged to several different groups in school, but ski team wasn’t one of them. “I was in band — I played the French horn — and was also in choir and track,” she said.

School Memories: Attaining a high level in karate by her freshman year of high school one of Ernst’s biggest youth achievements. “I became only the third 15 year old in Michigan to achieve a black belt, and I was the only girl,” Ernst said.

Jeff Haas

Jazz Musician and Composer

Traverse City

Sixth grade (1961), Schulze Elementary School in Detroit, Mich.

Activities: Even back then, Haas said he was “already a music geek.” “I played clarinet in the school band and sang second soprano in the school choir, but my passion was taking piano lessons from my dad,” he said.

School Memories: “When my family moved to West Berlin for my dad’s work, we arrived just months after the Berlin Wall went up and lived there three years, with me attending a German/ American school. It was a rockin’ and sometimes tense experience living behind the iron curtain in my early teens.”

Ken Hayward

Executive Vice President, Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island

11th grade (1980), Waterford Township High School in Waterford, Mich.

Activities: From playing sports to the overseeing the world’s larg-est porch, Hayward’s been focused since his school days. “I was a basketball player — three years on varsity, all-state senior year,” he said. “And also a baseball player. I went on to play baseball at the University of Michigan.”

School Memories: “Our high school mascot was the Skippers, which was something that was made fun of a lot,” Hayward said.

Paul LaPorte,

Host of “The Art Guy” radio program Traverse City

12th grade (1962), Tawas Area High School in Tawas, Mich.

Activities: LaPorte was already on the road to cultural experiences in school, having played string bass in both the jazz and concert bands. He also was a member of his school’s marching band. “And in addition to being class president, I was also in the National Honor Society and Key Club,” he said.

School Memories: “My nickname in school was one my father gave me: Poody,” he said. Why Poody? “I really don’t know! I’ve often wondered the same thing. Heck, with nine kids, I was happy when he called me by any re-al name, whether it was the actual one or a nickname!”

Chris Ludwa

Artistic Director Bay View

Ninth grade (1993), Miami University in Oxford, Ohio

Activities: Ludwa’s road to his current job was pretty clear, even at the age of 18. “I was involved with music, drama, and the variety show throughout school,” he said.

School Memories: “I used to go to Brownwood on Torch Lake all the time, back when they had summer theater — I was convinced I would be on stage there one day,” Ludwa said. “But I actually ended up as one of the Schussycats, a troupe of singers and dancers at Shanty Creek!”

Sam Porter

CEO Porterhouse Productions, Traverse City

First grade, Rapid City Elementary School in Rapid City, Mich.

Activities: Porter tried all the usual school sports early on but fell in love with beach volleyball. “I went to two UCLA camps to tryout for college teams,” he said. “Other than that, I’d go out for breakfast every Friday at 6am throughout school with my best friends. And I had boundless energy, so not much has changed!”

School Memories: This self-proclaimed “little rascal farm boy” actually brought a live pig named Charlie to school for show ’n’ tell in first grade. “For two whole years after that, I was called ‘Piggy Porter,’” he said.

Carlin Smith

President of Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce

Fourth grade (1973), Jefferson Elementary School in Frankfort, Ind.

Activities: To anyone who knows him, it seems like Smith’s always been community-minded, and his youthful activities were no different. “I was in Little League, 4-H, and Cub Scouts,” he said.

School Memories: “I loved baseball then, loved and played baseball throughout my school years, and continue to love baseball today!” he said.