December 2005,
"Kewpie of the Month"
Mistie Hardt, Class of 1996
 
 

I’m not going to kid you; I wasn’t the ‘classic’ Kewpie, per se.  I didn’t do sports; running a mile in the shape I was in would’ve taken me many days, possibly years.  I couldn’t find time to be on the debate team (though, I loved to argue with anyone who had time to argue back!) and singing in tune was like asking a pig to fly.  But I still enjoyed the overall high school experience . . .
Memories of the Lounge, The Gold Room and unending hours of Study Hall are filled with those famous Otis Spunkmeyer Chocolate Chip Cookies and Mountain Dew.  Days filled with classes, counselor visits, off campus lunching, the occasional all-school assembly and extracurricular activities: sports, clubs, dances and talent shows.  The Cresset and The Purple and Gold sometimes brought a hush over the student body, depending on the included topics and pictures. While other times, they just caused numerous letters to the Editor.
 While I look back on those years, and at times wish I would’ve done one thing or another different, it was a time filled with memories that will last a lifetime.  Friends we call family, even though it’s been 10 years.  Choices that were made that determined the destiny of our life.
I started checking into the reunion, just wanting to help out with stuffing envelopes or something like that.  But then Charley sent an email plea for help.  We needed someone to fill in and take control.  I have always been an organized person; though, I think there might be an English teacher or two (or maybe just my parents) that would disagree—you know, that for one reason or another, all assignments were late, no matter how hard you tried for them to be on time!
I decided that I wanted this reunion to be a success so that old acquaintances could be renewed and new friends could be made.  I’m not the same person that I was back then; and while some would take a look at my life and say I’m not a success, I made the conscience decision that I would live each day to the fullest, no matter what I faced and things happened.  I wanted to show my fellow classmates how successful my life was and give them the opportunity to do the same.  I’ve lost a few pounds, changed my hair color a few times, starting wearing contacts instead of geeky-lookin’ eyeglasses and overall I am a better person than I was 10 years ago.
I know that I’m not the only one, out of 572 of us, that has always wanted the opportunity to ‘show off’, so to speak.  So that’s why I decided that I would make every effort to find as many fellow classmates as possible.  I’m dedicated to Kewpie support.  I have the desire (the driving factor and the reason that I’m doing this, if you will) to see the Class of 1996 a close knit family unit that all works together and knows who (and where) everyone is, and not just another graduating class from David H. Hickman High School.  We were the 100th graduating class and received medallions at graduation for our achievement.  It’s my dream that we have the largest reunion turnout overall through the years for any reunion (or all of them, that’s okay, too!).  I want David H. Hickman High School Class of 1996 to be remembered and talked about for our ‘family one-ness’.

                    Mistie                        mom & daughter Sunnie Mae      grandmother & son, Rockie