Joe Ashkar 
& "Captain" Ghassan Khammu

Danny Nagem, Ali Zabarah
& Tewfik Al Far

Payam Adlparvar 
& Sammy Nagem

Audrey (Debi) & Khalil (Linda)

The Nagem kids:
Nancy, Danny, Linda, Lori, Sammy

The Adlparvar kids:
Payam and Hoda

Danny Nagem 
& Nancy Nagem-Aswad

Sabah Baz 
& Hilarie Auckland-Baz

Audrey (Debi) & Karina (Linda)

Khalil (Linda) & Colby (Sammy)

Nancy Nagem-Aswad
 & Sammy Nagem

In July 1999 the 70s Old Scholars descended in force: Thamer Arab (Sanchez), the twins Yousef (Joe) and Ahmed (Tony) Arab (Sanchez), Malek Mrowa, Amer Kurdi and his wife Myrna, Ali Zabarah, Tewfik Al-Far, Sammy Nagem, Sinan Urfali (Noori), Shirley Bowman (Cottam), Jayne Kenney, Glory Taweel, Samir Lutfallah, Hilarie Baz (Auckland), Rima Dabit and Hiam Nasser, and many others too numerous to mention. And there was us: Debi Cates, Linda Nagem, and Sarmad Al-Wadi. The gathering was a uniquely inspired occasion.

Years had gone by, but now many had read the articles and saw the pictures on the BHS70s website. Many wrote expressing regret for missing it, many others wrote promising they would be there next year. Some wrote asking how they can help in maintaining and promoting this spirit of camaraderie. People with a genuine concern for one another, a true product of a golden age; time honored BHS Old Scholars.

Without a shadow of a doubt, a huge vote of gratitude should be extended to Mrs. Nuhad Misk, who was instrumental in organizing the logistics of getting everyone adequately housed and comfortable. With the true sense of the ‘I Serve’ tradition of BHS, she ensured that there was a friendly welcome home for everyone. She appreciated and sought to cultivate the soul and spirit of the School that is imbedded in our hearts.

And so the message went out loud and clear. It became clear to us that there was a groundswell of concerned and caring old scholars who were anxious and pining to hear news of BHS and of their old, and in many cases long lost, friends. The response inspired us to remodel the site, and expand our vision. We responded to requests to widen our scope to include and encompass in the website all those scholars who attended and graduated throughout the 70s.

Many of those who came in July 1999 remembered that feeling of homecoming from those long years ago, and the sense of security they’d forgotten, and wanted their children to feel it and sense it with them. And so in July 2000 the kids of some of those 70’s old scholars who had attended the previous years reunion found their way to Brummana. The advance guard had come, and soon discovered that they wanted to share this special experience with their kids, and in the new Millennium they brought their children with them: Debi Cates came all the way from Texas once again. This time however she brought her daughter Audrey with her. And Audrey created a sensation when she sang beautifully for the gathered crowd on the night of the Street Party, with magnificent fireworks complementing, and signifying, the end of her performance. Tewfik Al-Far came from Qatar and brought his daughter Tara with him. We have no doubt that we will hear in future years what thoughts entered her mind as she experienced the events going on around her. Linda Sawaya’s son Khalil insisted that he wanted to be there throughout; he’d been struck the previous year by the unique sense of friendship that existed between all those 70s Old Scholars who were his mother’s friends. Colby Nagem accompanied his father Sammy all the way from Louisiana, for the second year running. There’s no keeping him away now! For those who observed the trend it was wonderful to see the children of those old friends bonding and forming young friendships of their own.

Let’s not forget those who were inspired by what they had read on the BHS70s website and made a significant effort to attend. Payam Adlparvar travelled from California to be there in time for the reunion. His sister Hoda, a graduate from the 80s, accompanied Payam curious to find out what all the fuss was about. Richard Annison and his wife Caroline came especially from the UK to attend. And Danny Nagem returned to Lebanon for the first time in 25 years from Louisiana to be there too.

Many others found their way to Brummana on the off chance that they might be reacquainted with long lost friends too. Sami and Issa Mina, Nayla Abu Fadel and Christine Sabieh were not aware that there were so many 70s Old Scholars there. They were pleasantly surprised to be confronted with such a turnout of old friends.

Let me however tell of my regret… Having said all the above, I am sad and disappointed to confess that I didn’t have the privilege to witness any of this, or any other event, of the July 2000 reunion. On the BHS70’s website we had made a great effort to encourage those who missed the July 1999 reunion to attend, and I was looking forward so much to seeing Payam and Danny again. I knew that they were both going to be there.

Furthermore, I was also very much looking forward to seeing all those friends I had seen in July 1999 whom I knew would be attending again in July 2000, and those who had missed the July 1999 reunion but who had promised would be attending in July 2000. I must admit that I was also more than just a little curious to see who else would show up.

We do however aspire for the future. From disappointment new motivation is born. There are many whom for one reason or another failed to attend this year but have signaled their intention to attend next year. Thamer and his brothers are amongst those who have promised to be there. We also hope that 2001 will be the year Fuad Ramadan makes it, and that Sinan, Amer and Jayne will return again. And maybe Yahia Hamidaddine will also make good his promise to be there. We have no doubt that there will be many others who will surprise us and turn up. My hope is that Payam and Danny will keep their word and be there too, as they have both promised they would do. Payam has become the latest ‘Advance Guard’ and has announced his intention to bring his family with him next year.

So we remain hopeful. It is enough for me to know that I have served in some capacity to keep this spirit of friendship alive. We will continue with our work to nurture this spirit, and to encourage more of our and your friends to make a special effort to attend next year’s reunion. We will work to ensure that July 2001 will be the best yet.