TOWAMENCIN- With over 50,000 alumni from North Penn High School, the NP community not only proves its large size throughout the elementary, middle, and high schools, but also in life after graduation. With NP graduates pursuing careers close to home, across the country, or around the world, connection with fellow alumni can be lost easily. However, with the launch of the Alumni Association in 2012, graduates have the opportunity to maintain connection not only with their class, but also current NP students.

Miss Kaitlyn Andrey, Communications and Development Specialist for the NPSD and Coordinator of Alumni Relations for the Alumni Association, started working with the Alumni Association in 2015, and since then, the database that the organization encompasses around 7,000 alumni.

“I think this is going to take a few years probably to get the ball rolling on it, but I think we’ve got a good start on it now, but we really want to be able to connect alumni of all generations, whether it be someone who has been in the workforce for thirty years or someone who just got out of college to be able to lean on a North Penn contact or needs some guidance in the workforce,” explained Andrey. “In order to do that, we need to get our name out there, build a good database, and build a good background for people to trust us and just to be a more well-known organization. We also just want to be a fun place for alumni to get together, to reminisce on some of the best years of their life, to reconnect with people, to visit some of the places they used to enjoy, and do some of the stuff that used to be really meaningful to them back in the day.”

Andrey went on to explain that most challenging aspect of the Alumni Association is receiving information from students and graduates that will ensure connection in the future. Because the Alumni Association’s members join voluntarily, there is no system in place in NPSD where students are required to sign up. However, the Alumni Association has proven successful in building a strong database since their initiation through their various events, which have increased involvement from the NP community.

“To lead up to our goal, in order for us to be able to build a strong network and to reach our career initiative, we definitely need to have a strong association,” stated Andrey. “The best way to do that is to increase engagement, and that’s primarily achieved through our events at this point, especially the alumni football game. That’s been a really big one for us, and it’s the most successful event that we’ve had since I’ve been here…I’m hoping that our events will feed into our bigger goals as we move forward.”

By participating in events such as the Alumni Football Game, the Next Steps College and Career Fair, and the Lansdale Mardi Gras parade, NP alumni have had the opportunity to connect with the members of their class and meet with other North Penn alumni. Andrey noted that as a district employee and Coordinator of Alumni Relations, she has the opportunity to connect current NP students with NP alumni, which has been one of her goals for the Class of 2017.

“My personal biggest effort, whether it’s for the association or for me personally, is connecting with the current students,” explained Andrey. “I think it’s the best way to grow, because if they hear from us next year, and they have no clue who we are, they’re not as inclined to respond.”

To connect with the Class of 2017, Andrey explained that she will be present in NPHS in the coming weeks to communicate directly with students about the Alumni Association. During lunch periods the last week before finals, Andrey will be hosting giveaways and raffles and giving students the opportunity to sign up via Google Form.

One can sign up to be a member of the Alumni Association at the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSczQKR1h7qvBiumlIgftJz-vyp7BJsuCiGRIN0I72ieOmXJNg/viewform

In addition to lunch periods for one week, Andrey will attend Class Night on Friday, June 2^nd at 6pm in the courtyard to encourage students to sign up, host more giveaways, and sell T-Shirts.

The Alumni Association is also hosting a clothing sale until May 25^th. The link for the clothing sale can be accessed here: http://youngsportswear.com/t/north-penn-alumni

With graduation less than a month away, Andrey is looking forward to encouraging the Class of 2017 to join the Alumni Association and maintain connection with fellow NP alumni. For students who are unsure about joining the organization, Andrey explained the benefits including not only staying connected with one’s Alma Mater, but also having the information at one’s fingertips.

“It’s a good way to stay connected to both North Penn and also the North Penn community,” said Andrey. “It connects you to a network of alumni that you might not reach otherwise. We have a lot of really awesome, willing participants and members right now, who are interested in helping current students, recent grads, or even students in college now with any questions they have about careers. People have even offered internship possibilities and job shadowing. People are out there. People that are North Penn grads are so excited when they get to come back and help or when they get to help someone that’s in college or fresh out of college. North Penn grads love helping other North Penn grads, and this is the avenue to do it. We have the ability to connect these people, and they’re connections that grads may not be able to get on their own.”