Right, facing, Myla Taylor Williams of Bethesda, Maryland, of the New Trier East High School Class of 1971, greets classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press
Left, Debbie Leavitt Roof of the San Francisco Bay area and of the 1971 New Trier West High School Class is among classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press
Center, Dana Savocchi of Skokie, and of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class, talks to classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press
Debbie Leavitt Roof of the San Francisco Bay area and of the 1971 New Trier West High School Class is among classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press
Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press
Center, Margaret "Peggy" Heinzen Smith of Wilmette, of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class, greets Chris Kirkland of Lake Forest, also of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class. Also pictured is Walter Radloff, reunion chair and also of the 1971 New Trier East High School class. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press
Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press
Center, Margaret "Peggy" Heinzen Smith of Wilmette, of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class, greets classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press
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Right, facing, Myla Taylor Williams of Bethesda, Maryland, of the New Trier East High School Class of 1971, greets classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey's on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have altered plans for the New Trier Township High Schools 1971 reunion, but it did not stop classmates from gathering this month.
Called the 50 plus one (50+1) reunion, the classes of 1971 from New Trier East and West merged school spirit for a combined 50th high school reunion over a three-day weekend starting Oct. 14.
Center, Margaret “Peggy” Heinzen Smith of Wilmette, of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class, greets Chris Kirkland of Lake Forest, also of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class. Also pictured is Walter Radloff, reunion chair and also of the 1971 New Trier East High School class. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Chaired by 1971 New Trier East graduate Walter Radloff, the reunion committee included graduates from both East and West.
“It feels pretty good, it’s finally started,” Radloff said on Friday night.
The reunion’s date had changed three separate times due the pandemic leading to a fair amount of uncertainty according to Radloff.
Right, facing, Myla Taylor Williams of Bethesda, Maryland, of the New Trier East High School Class of 1971, greets classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
“We had no idea what to expect because we got a lot of rejections because some people weren’t comfortable traveling or being in a big group together,” Radloff said. “So they’re a little bit wary of it. When we had our 40th reunion, we had 465 people so we’re about half that (attendance).”
The weekend began with a Friday night event at Hackney’s in Glenview on Lake Avenue where classmates from feeder junior high schools mingled and dined.
Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Saturday included guided daytime tours of the East and West campuses and dinner at Skokie Country Club in Glencoe, with also a Sunday brunch at the same Glencoe venue.
Debbie Leavitt Roof, of the San Francisco Bay Area and of the 1971 New Trier West High School Class, grew up in Glencoe.
Debbie Leavitt Roof of the San Francisco Bay area and of the 1971 New Trier West High School Class is among classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
“I’m very proud of having gone to New Trier High School,” Leavitt Roof said. “It has a nationwide reputation. It’s a great school still.”
Margaret “Peggy” Heinzen Smith of Wilmette, of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class, had children attend New Trier Township High School. Heinzen Smith’s grandmother and father also attended New Trier.
“We have a lot of privilege,” Heinzen Smith said. “There’s a lot of privilege associated with growing up on the North Shore.
Center, Margaret “Peggy” Heinzen Smith of Wilmette, of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class, greets classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
“People are impressed that we went to New Trier. It continues to be impressive,” Heinzen Smith said. “It’s a legacy.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
Left, Debbie Leavitt Roof of the San Francisco Bay area and of the 1971 New Trier West High School Class is among classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Center, Dana Savocchi of Skokie, and of the 1971 New Trier East High School Class, talks to classmates. Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
Images from the first day (Oct. 14, 2022) of New Trier High Schools 1971 reunion weekend opening night celebration held at Hackey’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Ave.) in Glenview.
