Portrait

Kathi Terry grew up in East Lansing, and remembers downtown grocery stores, working at local businesses and skating down main roads in an ice storm. "Things have changed a lot," she tells ELi's Ann Kammerer, "but for the most part, you still get that same East Lansing feeling."

Twenty-two years ago, East Lansing's City Council asked the Arts Commission to "put on some jazz concerts." Beth and Al Cafagna stepped up, and they're still filling our City's streets with jazz for one weekend every June. Sarah Spohn reports.

East Lansing resident Conni Crittenden just finished her 43rd year of teaching, and now she's getting ready to oversee another year of MSU Kids College. ELi's Ann Kammerer has the story of this dedicated educator (including why she chose green & white over maize & blue.)

Today we bring to a close our series of "congratulations" to the ELHS Class of 2018. The final well-wisher is someone familiar to all of Sunday's grads, and to most of the community. 

"I have fond memories of the Jersey Giant location on M.A.C., the old Sneekers restaurant over by Frandor, and of course Pinball Pete’s. But I think far and away, my favorite place was Charlie Kang’s. At the time, it was one of only a couple restaurants really doing Korean cuisine in an authentic manner. Our family went there often, and I take my family there now."

"Don’t feel like you need to have everything figured out or know where you’re going in life. College doesn’t have to be the only option; there are so many ways to get you to where you’re supposed to be." 2014 ELHS grad Chloe Reynolds shares what she's learned with this year's graduating class.

"Having steered clear of behavior that would have attracted the attention of ELPD at the time, my favorite memories from high school relate to my closest friends then, who remain my closest friends to this day. Three of us from ELHS ’71 have breakfast every Saturday morning and the conversation usually includes a recollection of something about our high school days that was funny at the time. Now we just shake our heads."

"The principal looked like an owl and every time we had an assembly we would all hoot when he came on stage. He was quite distressed." Read about about this and other memories of ELHS from 1957 & 1958 grads Linda and Bob McKnight.

Find out what advice 2014 ELHS grad Elizabeth Beckett has for this year's graduating class via ELi's Ann Kammerer.

In the 1980s, you could walk from ELHS to downtown East Lansing and have lunch. 1986 grad Debbie Holden Petersen remembers, and Ann Kammerer reports.

Even though her class took last place in Homecoming floats, Pam Weil has some fond memories from her days at ELHS (like hanging at Pinball Pete's.) 

"My favorite place was probably El Azteco—it was in the basement back then. On half days, it seemed that we would all go there and it was pretty chaotic and, while I felt really sorry for the employees, I hoped they thought it was a little bit fun." Ann Kammerer has the story of Karen Weil Henry's days at ELHS, and her advice for the class of 2018.

"Working should feel like a hobby; we all love our hobbies. So do something that you’ll LOVE to do for a lifetime!" Find out what else Dena Goodman Smith has to say to this year's ELHS graduates.

"I moved here when I was 5 because my parents got jobs at MSU. I’m currently studying at MSU, so I haven’t left just yet." What's Jonas Hallstein up to three years after ELHS, and what's his advice to the Class of 2018? Ann Kammerer reports.

In the fifth of a series, ELi's Ann Kammerer profiles East Lansing High School graduates who live, work and retain ties in EL. From now through early June, we'll feature their reflections and informal advice to the graduating class.