History of the Shaw High Alumni Association

As we celebrate Black History Month and honor those who have contributed to our struggle and perseverance, we must celebrate ourselves and what we have accomplished. We, fellow Cardinals, have built a strong community some refer to as the “Cardinal Nation”. The power of a strong community lies in its ability to provide a sense of belonging, support, and shared purpose, enabling individuals to access resources, learn from each other, and collectively achieve goals, while fostering personal growth, emotional well-being, and resilience through strong social connections and shared values; essentially, it empowers people to feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves and can rely on others during challenging times. We have done that.

Inspired by an earlier event sponsored by alumnus Danny Barnes ‘81 that served as a great homecoming of alumni, the current Shaw High School Association (SHSAA) was established in 2005 by Gabrielle Ross ‘78, Grennetta Taylor ‘77, Kathy Grant ‘77, Belinda Eddings Kyle ‘77, and Renee Kendall ‘77. Those initial “coffee and talk” meetings were held on Saturday mornings at the Eddy Rd McDonalds. We were later joined by the Shaw High Athletic Alumni: Bruce Coffey ‘73, Quintero Mack ‘80, Greg Bell ‘83, Robert Seats ‘73, and Michael Tucker ‘84. The synergy was magic. Together, we organized the first Alumni Weekend celebration with events commemorating the demolition of the old Shaw High School building. Other contributing members during the initial development were Paula Warren ‘86 and Charlynn Parker ‘86 who brought organizational skills and excitement; and Bambi Cash ‘84 who brought the talent of the Alumni Highlighters.

The Shaw Alumni Weekend demonstrated our strong bonds and continued connections. The Alumni Association wanted to catch that vibe for a positive reason. The purpose is to support the students at Shaw High School. Our mission plainly stated is dedicated to contributing to the further development of the educational, cultural, physical, social, and athletic attributes of past and future alumni of Shaw High School located in East Cleveland, Ohio.

Shaw High School Alumni Association is fully chartered within the State of Ohio and is a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization; therefore contributions are tax deductible. To date over $200,000 has been raised for the benefit of scholarships and student activities. In addition to scholarships, the Association has provided financial support to student athletes, student enrichment activities, band trips to China and Hawaii, holiday food baskets, and repairs to Shaw Stadium.

Over the years there have been many Shaw Cardinals that have participated with the Alumni Association. Long term participants who have diligently offered their time and resources are:

• Mark Parks, ’79
• Denine Parks-Goolsby ’73
• Virmeal Wright Finley ’72
• Denise Pruitt ’79
• Debbie Payton Fason ’70
• Kimberly Seats Thomas ’81
• Michelle Brown Lewis ’73
• Andre (Nubbs) McKinney ’78
• Vernon Robinson ’79
• Jaquetta (Tootie) Steele ’77
• Christine Mays ‘77
• Jeannette Haynes Gordon ’78
• Bernadette Pace ’79
• Paula Franks ’77
• Arthur Hill ’11. Arthur was a scholarship recipient, who returned to serve the Alumni Association and is currently employed at Shaw High School.

The history would be incomplete if we did not pay homage to the hundreds of Shaw Alumni supporters who have attended events, bought t-shirts, participated in online engagement, and contributed financially.