What's Happening in Cougar Country

When the doors to Lake Catholic High School opened in 1970, 221 ninth graders walked through. It was the beginning of something new and exciting.

A few years ago, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary of those school doors opening. The celebration, however, was muted because of the global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. 

Those 221 students, back then, eventually became the first graduating class of Lake Catholic. That was in 1974. One by one, year by year, students continued their march through high school and eventually across the stage to receive their diplomas, adding to the number graduating classes. So now, not slowed by the pandemic, we are able to countdown the months until we can celebrate Lake Catholic High School’s 50th graduating class – the Class of 2023.

As we move toward May 20, 2023, when this year’s seniors will turn their tassels and become alumni, we will look back at the decades of classes that came before them. 

We took at look at the 1970s (’74-’79) last month. 

Today we highlight the first half of the 1980s (’80-’84). Images from all these memories can be found on the Communications page of the school's website.

1980

This was the seventh graduating class. Some of the class’s highlights included the impressive boys basketball and golf teams, Pippin the Musical, Senior Homecoming nominees and escorts, Senior poll results; Graduation, the Class “80” on the grass, and how many schools could say they had a Slim Whitman Fan Club? LC sure had one!

1981

Highlights from the eighth Lake Catholic graduating class included welcoming home the 52 hostages who were held in Iran for 444 days, the football team’s impressive victory over St. Eds (called the most memorable event for the Class of ’81), the volleyball team and boys cross country team, Bye-Bye Birdie Musical, cultural week, the stage band.

1982

Some of the memories from the ninth graduating class included welcoming the boys and girls tennis team, showcasing our senior girls basketball players striking a pose, the varsity football cheerleaders; and who can forget typing class, along with senior class reps, Homecoming Court nominees and Turkey Day. Not every class can say that they rode donkeys in the Donkey Basketball Game or that they had Elvis in the building during the school’s Variety Show!  Remember Spring Break in the snow?  And finally, the Class of ’82 captured in the early form of clip art…using magazine clips!

1983

The 10th Graduating Class – 1983!!! Highlights included remembering the senior members of Student Government, Music Ministry, the annual Blood Drive, the Halloween Dance (with costumes remembering the Chicago Tylenol scare), the public phone in the hallway (how else could you contact your family or friends?!), the senior Close-Up trip to Washington, DC as well as travel to Spain and France. How many classes can say that they had an aspiring ventriloquist participate in Cultural Week who became an accomplished comedian/ventriloquist? Hats off to Lynn Trefzger Joy! Who can forget the outstanding musical production of Oliver; the amazing singers at Commencement; as well as the rally where the football team members came into the gym on a golf cart? We’re sure this helped the team become Regional Champs!

1984

Memories from the Class of ‘84 included a trip down memory lane with the TV Guide listing – do you remember what was on TV during 1984? (and living without cable??), special guest speakers Mark Sharenbroich and Jim and Mary Jo Beers, remembering the musical production of The Music Man, the annual Tux Show, Close-Up Trip, the powder puff football game, the night before the big Lake Catholic-St. Joe’s football playoff game and the season recap, the baseball team, the girls basketball team and the wrestling team. And who could forget the big Flower Sales and what a day in the life of the Cougars’ cafeteria selections for lunch looked like?!

Be sure to check back later this month as we continue our Countdown to the 50th Graduating Class with the rest of the classes from the 1980s (’85-’89).