If there ever was a family of 622, then the Cherokee High School Class of 2008 would be that family.

Made up of the same groups of scholars, artists, musicians, athletes and those who defy the easy categorization present in every high school, Cherokee's latest graduating class gathered on the grass of one of the county's most storied athletic fields and celebrated the four years they shared together.

With their families and friends filling the bleachers on either side, more than 600 seniors processed around the football field under a clear blue sky to begin commencement exercises for the class of 2008 at the school in Evesham Friday, June 13th.

Salutatorian Tim Olsen opened the proceedings by thanking...

Former Cherokee pitcher Ryan Kulik ('04) recently had his dream come true. After a stellar career with Cherokee and more recently with the Rowan Profs, the St. Louis Cardinals drafted Kulik in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. This is a culmination of all the hard word Kulik has put in since an early age. I started playing tee ball when I was 6 or 7 in the Marlton Rec Council," he said. And this moment has been an absolute dream of mine since I was 7-years-old." Kulik was drafted with the 245th pick in the eighth round, and was the first Division III player selected in this year's draft. Kulik compiled a 29-10 record with a 2.81 earned run average and 337 strikeouts ...

Marlton native Ryan Kulik, right, with his former Cherokee coach William Haessler.  Haessler also recently retired after 25 years of heading the Cherokee Chiefs baseball program.

The 16th annual Kiki Open Scholarship Golf Tournament will be held on July 28, 2008 at the Little Mill Country Club. The Cost of a full day of activities is $210; Cocktails and Dinner only: $95. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. with registration and a luncheon buffet. The shotgun start is at 1:00 p.m.; Reception at 5:30 p.m. and Dinner and Awards at 6:30 p.m.

The Cherokee family was pleased and proud to learn that one of its own, Cathy Mayher, was honored by the County Advisory Council on Women and the Burlington County Freeholders among the Outstanding Women of Burlington County '07. Her award was for exceptional service in the field of education.

Cathy came to Cherokee following six years of teaching English at Burlington County Institute of Technology. Among her many talents, this twenty-three year veteran of Cherokee serves as the Coordinator of the English Department and Media Center, teaches English and Humanities, and is involved in numerous activities at Cherokee. Following her recovery from cancer in '05, Cathy became an Ovarian Cancer Awareness speaker in health classes for the Lenape District. She mentors female students on building self-esteem, and she has inspired many to pursue teaching as a career. During teaching breaks, she advocates cultural literacy escorting students through Europe and pointing out the many architectural structures and works of art along the way. A former student commented, "Even I am impressed with the knowledge I have after my learning experiences with Ms. Mayher." Whether visiting Broadway, performing in local theater productions, including a cameo in Cherokee's fall production of Narnia, or stamping and stacking books in the bookroom, Cathy's vivacious nature and go-get-'em energy cannot be denied or go unnoticed. Congratulations, Cathy, a well deserved award for a gifted and talented lady.

Joe Laufer, LRHSD Alumni Coordinator, has reunion planning kits available for reunion committees and planners. Each kit contains information to help you plan your reunion such as a suggested backdater, facility locations, reunion planning companies and more.

The Office of Alumni Relations maintains an electronic bulletin board with current information on Alumni activity. An electronic version of the Reunion Planning Kit is now posted, as well as information on the Alumni Cable TV program, "Where Are They Now?". Current reunion information will be posted as well as special bulletins about alumni issues.

It is with great pleasure - and a measure of relief - that I share the good news that the majority of voters in the Lenape Regional High School District yesterday approved the 2008/2009 budget. On behalf of the board of education and administration I thank you and all of the Alumni Ambassadors for supporting the budget and, more importantly, for your unwavering commitment to the Lenape Regional District and our mission to provide a stellar education to our students. 

As I’m sure you may know, this is the first time voters approved the district’s budget in the past seven years. Bolstered by a 10 percent increase in state aid - the first significant increase in many years - combined with a decrease in regional school taxes in five of the district’s eight communities, we were optimistic that this would be the year to stem the tide of failed budgets. I’m elated and I know that it was possible only through the dedication and hard work of the community, particularly those individuals who have gone the extra mile as Lenape Regional Ambassadors. 

The administration and board made a special effort to reach out to all our constituents to be sure everyone was educated about the budget, to address any concerns and answer questions. This is just the beginning of renewed open communication with groups and individuals to keep them informed and involved about the district throughout the year. 

If you have any questions or concerns about the approved budget, please do not hesitate to contact Business Administrator Jim Hager, 609-268-2000, ext. 5535 or me, 609-268-2000, ext. 5545. We appreciate your feedback and input.

Again, thank you! 

Emily Capella
Superintendent of Schools

One man. One bicycle. Two years. Thousands of miles. Follow along as a teacher rides the earth in search of tailwinds, smooth roads, and students he can learn from.

Andrew Morgan (Class of 2000) is riding his bike and pulling his trailer from New Jersey to Argentina, then taking a freighter to South Africa, then riding to Egypt. You can follow his Blog to see what he is up to and where he has been. He is a teacher and stops at schools along the way. His blogs are interesting and well written, it is worth checking out. He has gear lists and stats on his trip. It's all pretty descriptive. Check it out, comment, sponsor him, tell your friends. It's a pretty cool trip.

This group on Facebook has nearly 1000 members.  If you're already on Facebook, please ask your friends to sign up here on CherokeeAlumni.org too.

The Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center has announced the 2008 Summer Series of shows for July through September, plus a holiday concert for December.

Keep your e-mail and mailing addresses current and you'll receive the details of alumni information, activities, events, and reunions.

Please note that CherokeeAlumni.com (that's dot com) is unauthorized. The only place for official information and news is this web site (CherokeeAlumni.org). We do not recommend becoming a member of this other site.