As Jasmine Sun ’22 visits her hometown of Buffalo Grove during college breaks, she passes by the traffic light, catching a quick glimpse of the glistening lake, with the Stevenson building towering over. As the pointed tip of the roof grows further and further away, Sun begins to reminisce on the friends and teachers she encountered and the many hours spent after school for extracurriculars. 

As Stevenson completely fades from her view, she gives a sincere yet bittersweet smile, content that she was able to attend Stevenson High School (SHS), but not sure if she has completely left it behind. 

Since it opened in 1965, Stevenson has had almost 60 graduating classes. It has seen generations, formation of clubs, state championships, first generation students, and much more. 

After graduating, alumni like Sun have kept relationships with old peers and teachers, even visiting whenever they have the time. Sun hasn’t forgotten the relationships they built over four high school years, choosing to reach out to their old peers once in a while.

“It’s definitely not a constant back and forth,” Sun said. “But I’ve had opportunities to reconnect with teachers, and it’s good because they definitely supported and built me up in a lot of ways, and I’m very grateful to them.”

Sun is one of the many alumni who still contact past teachers, thanking them for their guidance and contribution to their time at Stevenson. Yumna Ali-Khan ’24 has also experienced a positive time at Stevenson, recognizing the freedom SHS offers to students.

“I definitely say I did enjoy my time at Stevenson,” Ali-Khan said. “There’s a lot of ups and downs, but it introduced me to how things work outside of high school; in the real world or in college, it was helpful knowing how interactions with other people were or the work ethics you need to have.”

Ali-Khan attributes her relationships with fellow peers and classmates to making her four years of high school so enjoyable. Almuna Anne Arora ’89 upholds that the Stevenson community formed strong bonds with each other; these friendships didn’t end when high school did.

“My best friends from high school are still my best friends now and back then,” Arora said. “Stevenson was a much smaller school, so I pretty much knew almost everybody in my whole entire grade, and then also being on Student Council, I knew a lot of people who were in the other grades as well.”

Arora’s friendships were not limited to those who were the same age as her, attributing that to the clubs she was a part of. Ali-Khan agrees that classes or clubs at Stevenson helped students of all ages build relationships that last. 

“I keep in touch a lot with the people who are younger than me, because my closest friend, and many others who are a grade below me, still attend Stevenson,” Ali-Khan said. “When I get the chance, I’ll always send a little text message to them or reply to them if I see their post. There are also some friends that go to the same college as me, so I get to see them there in person. We definitely keep in touch in little ways.”

Ali-Khan enjoys keeping in touch with old friends, but other alumni also have other ways of maintaining a relationship with the school. Ryan Fowler, communications and alumni relations director, explains how alumni can connect with the school and how the Alumni Association works.

“We keep alumni connected and engaged by sharing news and updates through our monthly newsletters, social media channels, and website,” Fowler said. “Our in-person events—like Homecoming, the Alumni Lounge, and class reunions—bring graduates together to strengthen bonds and celebrate their time at SHS.”

Alumni like Arora maintain their interaction with Stevenson through the social media platforms of Stevenson. She makes contributions to Stevenson and the Alumni Association as a way to stay connected while her children attend SHS.

“We have three kids currently at Stevenson,” Arora said. “I am really fortunate that Stevenson has grown to become such a powerhouse in terms of academics and all the other activities and clubs and sports. We still actively donate to the alumni fund, the Stevenson Foundation, and will continue to donate to the Stevenson Foundation.” 

For many like Arora, Stevenson alumni continue to keep in touch with Stevenson and even support the school through donations or volunteering in school events. Recent alumni Bayaramaa Bat-erdene ’22 is grateful for the unique opportunities at Stevenson that other schools do not have access to. 

“My favorite part of Stevenson was the sheer abundance that the school offers its students, which has become even clearer after leaving the school and learning about my other friends’ high school experiences,” Bat-erdene said. “The class selection, diversity, clubs, and food are leagues above so many places in the United States and worldwide.”

Bat-erdene expressed gratitude for attending Stevenson, as the opportunities provided to the students elevated her high school experience. Alumni like Sun also recognize what Stevenson had to offer for her high school experience.

“I felt like I was able to take a lot of different classes at Stevenson and explore a lot of different interests,” Sun said. “They definitely just offer a lot of different classes, way more than most public schools do. It was a really great opportunity, and I feel very privileged to have gone there.”

Sun acknowledges how the school’s range of classes and extracurriculars enhanced her high school experience. Bat-erdene agrees with Sun, however, even though Bat-erdene enjoyed her time at Stevenson, there were also negative aspects she shared with other alumni.

“At the same time, the school comes with its own unique struggles,” Bat-erdene said. “What I hear most from other students and alumni is the academic and professional pressure that it breeds, and while I agree, part of that also really pushed me to be better, which I value.”

Bat-erdene continues to appreciate Stevenson’s qualities even in the midst of the hardships that occurred during her time in high school. Alumna and science teacher Kristen One ’10 agrees with this sentiment, mentioning how her time at Stevenson even influenced and inspired her to return to Stevenson but not as a visiting alumni.

“I am definitely grateful for my experience at Stevenson [and] I [had] always hoped that I would come back to SHS,” One said. “I really think [my time here] prepared me for college. I still walk through the hallways and think about all the amazing experiences I had and love sharing my own Stevenson stories with [my students].”

One asserts that Stevenson held many great memories for her, ultimately resulting in returning to the school to teach. Alumna Kristin McInnis ’94 agrees that Stevenson also played a role in her future plans. 

“I loved the German exchange program that existed back then; my family hosted a student for three weeks, then I stayed with their family in Germany for three weeks,” McInnis said. “It was a great experience that inspired me to study abroad in Europe.”

Stevenson alumni, like McInnis, have each had their unique experience throughout their time as students. Bat-erdene agrees that she has utilized Stevenson’s various clubs, courses, and resources in a way that caters to them best. 

“I have been really grateful to go to Stevenson,” Bat-erdene said. “It was very stressful at times, but I think given my goals, it would’ve been stressful at any high school. The opportunities the school gives are unmatched.”