Monte Vista High School Celebrates 50th Anniversary

This year’s graduating seniors at Monte Vista High School will be the 50th graduating class.

To celebrate the school’s anniversary, the Monte Vista Alumni Foundation held a gala dinner and silent auction Saturday at the Church of St. Luke in El Cajon.

“We’ve never done anything like this before,” said Elizabeth Liljestrom, a Monte Vista alumna and the school's community liaison. “It’s celebrating 50 years of academic excellence."

About 100 people attended the event, which raised funds for the school. Dinner tickets cost $25 per person. The alumni foundation also raised money from its silent auction and tickets for alcoholic beverages and drawings.

“I think anything that benefits the kids is a great event,” said Gracia Gregg, Monte Vista’s guidance information specialist. “This is all about the kids. We want our kids to be able to have all the opportunities that’s possible out there for them to have.

"With all the funding that keeps getting taken away from education, anything that helps put some of that money back in so the kids can benefit is definitely worth it.”

There were 26 different auction items, ranging from a signed Chargers football to movie and museum tickets. An Xbox 360 Console with Kinect had the highest starting bid at $200.

Organizers hoped the various fundraisers would raise around $3,000, Liljestrom said. The money will go toward athletics, academics and arts, she added.

“It’s dependent on the need,” said Liljestrom, who organized the event with Gregg.

About 250 people, including administrators, staff, alumni and parents, were invited to the event, Liljestrom said.

Marisa Alvarado, who teaches science at Monte Vista, was one of the attendees.

“It means so much to teach at Monte Vista and be part of the community,” Alvarado said. “I just wanted to enjoy the history of Monte Vista.”

When not entering the opportunity drawings, bidding on auction items or eating, many attendees viewed a table covered with yearbooks.

Liljestrom and Gregg began planning the event in November.

“There are several of us who are alumni at the school, and (Principal Randy Montesanto) brought us together and said, ‘Hey, can you do this?’And we did it!” Liljestrom said.

“We’re just really grateful that we’re supported by the community, the staff and the alumni.”