The Pomonkey High School Alumni Association (PHSAA) honored 100 years of history at its centennial celebration held Aug. 20 at the Indian Head Village Green Pavilion.
Pomonkey, the first high school in the county for Black students, was founded in 1922. Before then, students who wanted to extend their education beyond grade school would have to attend classes in Washington, D.C., or other cities. The first class to graduate from Pomonkey was the Class of 1924, with the last class graduating in 1969.
Alumni — along with their family and friends — gathered to reminisce and pay tribute to the people who came before them, paving the way. “Let us not forget that the work of our foreparents is not finished yet,” Phillip Thomas, president of the PHSAA, wrote in a message to guests. “The preservation of the old school site will serve as a tribute to them and as a meeting place for us as we carry on their work of service to the community and beyond.”
During a program held during the event, elected officials — including Board of Education Chairperson Michael Lukas and CCPS Chief of Schools Marvin Jones, Ed.D. — shared their thanks and well wishes, with some donating funds to the association to carry on its work. The program also included a musical selection, poetry reading, lighting of memorial candles and the reading of the history of the school.
The PHSAA offers scholarships to high school students each year, continuing the legacy of valuing education set by families and community members more than 100 years ago.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
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