By: Kirsten Rose, Kenzie Ryan, and Riley Suszkiw As a journalism staff, we randomly came across a Palindrome yearbook from 1998. While we flipped through the pages, we couldn’t help but notice three familiar faces: Diane Barnoski (front office secretary), Kendall Morton (science), and Jeremy Snyder (special education). Though Barnoski has been part of the GHS community since 1992 and Morton and Snyder since 1995, we thought it would be fun to gain some perspective from their time here over the past 25 years. How have you seen Glenelg change in the past 25 years? Diane Barnoski – Our school has gone through a huge change regarding technology advancements, clothing style changes, epidemics, and much more. Our school went through a bunch of renovations and we have had a ton of new classrooms added onto our school. There used to be smokers who would smoke in the bathroom – it seemed like there was always smoke coming out of the bathroom. Our school was a very country school. A popular style back then used to be to wear jeans, flannels, and cowboy hats. Kendall Morton – The school has changed a lot since 1998. I remember some kids used to drive to school on tractors but they don’t anymore. A huge thing Glenelg was working on was replacing grass fields with turf fields. There was an addition added onto our school allowing more students to go to Glenelg. Our principal at the time was Jim McGregor and he was hired in 1995. Band was important for students at our school. Glenelg students were the main people who ran the Howard County fair and most kids were very focused on farming. Students would skip school often during hunting season. Overall, the school had more of a country environment. Jeremy Snyder – The physical building has changed a lot with additions and such. The kids haven't changed – kids are kids. They want to enjoy high school and build relationships. Things throughout the county have changed like policies and the community. I stayed at Glenelg because of the community and the kids staying the same. I really love building relationships with students, especially those I have coached. Do you think these changes have been for the better? DB – Computer tech has changed for the better, but cell phones have given us way too much freedom. We didn't have cell phones back then and now we rely on them heavily. When I started at Glenelg we had typewriters instead of computers. KM – Glenelg changed in good ways like diversifying and learning from other groups and individuals. I am shocked about how diverse the school has become compared to how it used to be. Mr. Roger Vollrath taught when schools still had segregation and was still teaching in 1998. Even from way back then the school has gotten better with diversity. JS – Yes and no. The way technology changed over 25 years is amazing. The things we have access to, the school, and what the counties offer are amazing, but there are a lot more distractions today through social media. There was a big change in support for students with special needs. The county has provided a lot of money to allow kids to grow better and have more opportunities. Is there anything you miss about 1998? DB – My children went to school here. I miss the closeness of the school, the parent involvement in athletics and there just used to be more involvement with parents in a good way rather than a bad way. Sometimes parents argue too much today. KM – I don’t miss much from ‘98. We had an amazing staff just like we do today. I think Mrs. Hastings-Hauf is doing a great job and giving the students opportunities like ARL, Project Lead the Way, and GT mentorship. The sports are still similar to how they used to be in ‘98. I do prefer the new technology but it's amazing to see how technology has evolved from plastic transparencies to projectors. We had very little media in ‘98 – VHS cassette tapes were still popular back then. JS – I got married in ‘98. In ‘98 I was in my 3rd year, and I was younger than most of the staff. I miss the newness of starting a new section of life, getting married, kids, all things happening and getting ready to start a new chapter. But I currently love where I'm at and where my life is going. In what ways have the people changed? DB -- Students are more involved an social with sports since the COVID year. I'm glad students are doing a good job paying attention to teachers more since we have come back to school. Grades are improving and students are put in situations that make them more social. Clubs and sports give students chances to make friends and get to know their peers more. KM -- We still had the same groups like the jocks and “nerds” and the usual social groups but there were no emo kids. There were also some computer kids but since the new technology was coming out they weren’t very common. We had no smartphones or internet connection so we all had phone lines in our houses. JS -- Sports uniforms and the difference of how they looked in the 90’s vs now. The uniforms were made of cotton or mesh and they had a very baggy or big style back then. Now we have dry fit uniforms. At the time the uniforms were cool, now everything is tighter and has changed further. Change in uniform sticks out the most, going from short shorts to baggy shorts and back to short shorts in basketball. What major events have changed how the school works? DB -- 9/11 was horrible. Everyone was in a panic and parents were swarming the school trying to pick up their kids. It was such a panic and the staff had no control over anything that was happening. It was one of the biggest events to happen at our school. Graduation used to be in the auditorium with hard seats. In 2002, we graduated for the first time at Merriweather. Glenelg was always a small country school. Being a small country school made us a close community and the thought of anything happening to us was unheard of. KM -- I remember exactly where I was on 9/11 and what I was doing. Some of the students at our school had family members in the Pentagon but no one was lost that we knew of. We had a TV on a stand and everyone watched. School shootings have changed everything in schools. We now have lock down drills and duck and cover drills. We used to not have locks on doors or secure doors. Everyone is much more mindful after events that have happened in the past 25 years. JS -- I remember exactly where I was when 9/11 happened and some of the most recent school shootings. Those events changed the environment for the better by improving our security systems. Shootings have made us more aware and safer. School here at Glenelg has always been fairly safe. Awful events in the past have shaped our school system and changed us for the better. As a teacher with special education students, other students look at disabled kids differently in a more accepting way compared to how it used to be. The school system got much more accepting and thought of more ways to welcome and help those who are disabled. What do you think will change in the next 25 years? DB -- I hope students continue to realize how much work teachers put into their jobs and show them the respect they deserve. I think that technology will become way more advanced and improve many different things for school. It will change the way teachers do things and make things easier for everyone at the school. KM -- We now have a lot more technology than before. People have become more unified. We are all brothers and sisters because we are a part of this country, and we are more willing to work on our weaknesses. JS -- Hopefully there will be more advancements with mental health and mental health awareness. The amount of mental health crises and how to get across these challenges will get better. I think people will continue to become more accepting. Younger people will think of better ways to help disabled people. Could you tell us a favorite memory from any point in the past 25 years? School or otherwise? DB -- I've seen teachers come and go over the years. We've had so many neat teachers at this school. But one of my favorite memories was during Christmas. I went to a band concert that really stuck with me over the years. Mr. Endsman, the band director at the time, had an amazing concert that really touched my heart. Every time I go to a play or show I cry because of the talent here and how good it is. KM -- There were around 1,000 kids in 1996, the first year of me being here. My son and daughter were born around the same time. Clinton was our president. And the National Airport was renamed Reagan National Airport. JS -- Being the varsity boys basketball coach and JV football coach. Great memories from past years and building relationships with the boys. These relationships are always one of my cherished memories. I love building relationships in a positive way. Even today I still have prior students telling me that I had a good impact on their lives. I still try to have and maintain a good relationship with students. culture, trends, people, events from 1998
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