Valencia High School opened its doors in 1994, the first Santa Clarita high school to be built in almost 20 years. In its first year, Valencia had only freshmen and sophomores who transferred in from the valley’s other schools. Those two classes experienced the growing pains of a new school together: new teachers, raising funds for their own marquee and shade structures, and establishing new traditions for future classes.

After three short years, Valencia celebrated the class of 1997, their first graduating class. Those students, thrown together from Saugus, Canyon, and Hart High Schools, became unlikely friends as they completed the school’s maiden voyage together. The following year, the class of 1998 became the first class to complete all four years as Valencia Vikings.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 23 years since those first students began their journey at Valencia. Some of those first graduates have gone on to become very successful in business or professional sports; many have children (and even grandchildren); some have joined the military or moved overseas. There are so many amazing stories from the students that first opened the school.

Now, the classes of 1997 and 1998 are preparing to celebrate Valencia High School’s first 20-year reunion. Since the classes of 1997 and 1998 were so small (especially by today’s standards) and they paved the roads together, they’ve joined forces for an epic celebration. They’ll be bringing together alumni from both classes as well as the teachers and faculty members who played such an important and inspirational role with those original students. The reunion planning committee, made up of 13 alumni, remembers one thing from their days at Valencia: Go big or go home! They are expecting hundreds to attend what is the likely to be the largest high school reunion this valley has ever seen.

Any students from the classes of 1997 or 1998 who attended Valencia High School at all during high school are invited to attend. Teachers and faculty who worked at VHS between 1994 and 1998 are also welcome. For tickets and information, please visit www.vhs20.com. Let’s “raise the ruckus” again!