More than 100 recently-graduated alumni gathered in the Feldman-Horn courtyard on Jan. 7 at the annual Young Alum event and stayed to support Wolverine teams in sports events. This party had one of the largest turnouts in recent years.

“Our goal is always to have people reconnect and remember their time here,” said Director of Alumni Relations Susan Beeson ’96. “And once you graduate from Harvard-Westlake, that’s not the end of your experience here. You’re an alum for much longer than you’re a student. So, we like to remind people that this is always their home.”

Past students and current teachers mingled under the heat lamps and the dim lights of an In N’ Out food truck.

The date was selected because of the number of sporting events that took place, including soccer and basketball games.

“I always go to these events because I get to see my kids, so to speak, and it makes me proud and very happy to see them all growing up and becoming successful,” middle school science teacher Elliot Parivar said.

Alumni who graduated within the past 10 years and current seniors were invited to the dinner.

“It’s great to come back and be able to have a rapport with the teachers as adults,” Rosie Mandel ’04 said.

The program allows for graduates to talk with other graduates from different years and bond over their experiences as well, Beeson said.

“[Coming to the Young Alum event] is like looking through a kaleidoscope of decades,” Jeremy Stewart ’04 said.