On October 4, 2024, Gibson Southern High School will celebrate its 50th anniversary on the Jack Jewell football field. Planning this event was important to the principal of Gibson Southern High School, Jon Adams, and Assistant Principal Amanda Sefton. A lot of planning went into this event to make it a memorable night.
“We started this project about a year and a half ago,” Sefton said. “Our Assistant Superintendent, Tim Armstrong, is a graduate here himself. He brought to light the 50th anniversary. It was not on my radar until he brought it up in the administration meeting.”
Many ideas were tossed into the air to make the 50th year celebration possible.
“When we started meeting, she (Sefton) likes to plan a party, so she grabbed it by the horns and threw some stuff together,” Adams said. “Now, Mrs. Hollis, Mr. Bledsoe and myself were all in the room throwing ideas off of each other. As far as grabbing an idea and saying ‘let’s do this,’ Mrs. Sefton gets tons of credit for that.”
Before the football game, a walk through parade will represent all aspects of Gibson Southern.
“Mr. Adams has always had a vision that he has wanted to do a parade,” Sefton said. “We looked into a lot of different options of having a pre-game parade in one of the towns and even down Coal Mine Road. But, when it came down to the logistics of how we can safely plan to involve kids moving around safely, we found the safest place is to put everyone in the gates so the parents could enjoy connecting with alumni and kids can be enjoying the different activities we have.”
With various activities happening on Friday night, cheer coach Melissa Matsel and Athletic Director Nick Hart often have to remind people there is still a football game to be played.
“As being Mr. Hart’s athletic secretary, it is one of those things that we just keep saying, ‘Oh yeah, we have to play a football game that night too,’ because there is so much going on beforehand, at halftime and after the game,” Matsel said.
To celebrate 50 years of Gibson Southern, picking a date was not difficult but fell on October 4, due to fewer home games this year.
“The first game was on August 31, so it was usually hot that weekend,” Adams said. “The next home game was Homecoming and the last football game was senior night during Fall Break. The 50th event just fell onto this Friday, October 4.”
Many of Gibson Southern alumni are participating in cheer and band to help root on the Titans at the football game. Adams expects Friday Night Lights at the Jewel to be packed.
“A rough estimate of two to three thousand people at the game,” Adams said. “We were at two thousand at our game against South Warren on Homecoming night, so I would anticipate a large crowd.”
After the football game, an alumni party will take place at R’z Cafe to continue celebrating the 50 years of Gibson Southern.
“We had to be careful when planning an after-party,” Sefton said. “We wanted to find a location where the alumni could gather after the football game to connect as adults since we were planning the pre-game for more kids and alumni. [We wanted to] have something they could go to to continue to gather, much like a class reunion for those who wished to attend.”
Scott Mason will be performing at the alumni after-party.
“We had a vision for live music,” Sefton said. “We wanted a former graduate, but when we went back to one of the first graduating classes, we knew of someone who locally played music, Scott Mason. He was in the class of ‘77, so Mr. Adams contacted him.”
Adams feels privileged to witness the 50th celebration.
“As students, you probably don’t realize how big it is to be a part of the 50th year,” Adams said. “I am sure it is not that big of a deal [to high school students], and it wouldn’t have been to me either when I was in high school. But, looking at it now a little bit older, it is pretty cool that we get to celebrate the 50 years. For me, my whole family and I have graduated from Gibson Southern. Being a Titan is who I am, so it is pretty cool to be able to witness all of this.”
Sefton appreciates everyone who stepped up to make this event possible.
“Our community, as usual, shows up big when we ask them for something,” Sefton said. “So, I am very thankful to the people who have taken the lead on displays for Friday’s event.”
Kickoff for Friday’s football game against Washington is at 6:00 p.m., and the walk-through parade opens at 4:30 p.m.
