The Class of 1958 has made possible the creation of a permanent display at Highlands featuring small mementos donated by HHS students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and others. The display, Highlands Stories, will open later in 2022 in the library and is expected to grow as the display gains attention and additional items are donated. 

Highlands Stories will be a collection of small items –  each of which is in some way part of the history of the School. Each item will be numbered. Via a smartphone, observers can access a 360 view of the item and additional information about it.

 It is in this feature that the display will ‘come alive.’

 Examples for the case could include: 

-A charred relic from the fire bringing down the “Old Building” in the 60s. That day truly lives in infamy in Ft. Thomas: the fire itself, what you were doing, and the aftermath, when the whole town went to the rescue.

-A piece of the net from a state basketball championship.

-A commemorative mini-football from the 2014 “100 Years of Football” celebration.

The most important part of the display, however, will be the stories associated with the items: where they came from, their significance, their role in Highlands history, and why that memory is special. The items will be physically displayed in a lit case in the library, and additional information about each item and its story will be available via smartphone.

  The concept for this gift was inspired by a display called “My Philadelphia Story.”  This concept is an art installation located at the Philadelphia International Airport, that explores the cultural diversity of the city through a collection of more than five hundred objects.

The gift from the 1958 class also includes a cash fund known as ‘the Class of 1958 Fund’, which will be available to the School to maintain Highlands Stories and for other projects to chronicle history and accomplishments. This will be managed through the Fort Thomas Education Foundation. Although a final goal for the Fund has not been established, members of the class have pledged lead gifts of more than $10,000. 

“This class has a special pride and a special place at Highlands, partly because it ushered in, in many ways, the evolution of the traditional 50’s to the revolutionary ’60s, and partly because of its sports accomplishments,” said Waddell, chairman, and graduate from the Class of 1958. 

 This class produced national business and professional awards winners, college sports stars, recognized artists, prominent business figures, published authors, and other outstanding personas. 

 A remarkable number of class members were or are to this day teachers, parents, grandparents, and/or avid supporters of the school. The gift was motivated by a belief that Highlands has provided some incredibly fond memories and is truly a cherished alma mater, not just a public school.