LFHS Class of 04 – 20th Class Reunion

Updated: May 2, 2024

Iris Garcia
Special to LFN

This year, 2024, marks twenty years since the Los Fresnos High School Class of 2004 walked the stage to receive their diploma at the Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium, and were sent off into the “real world”.

Twenty years since they last walked the halls of their beloved high school as students in their once cool maroon varsity letterman jackets. A time when there were only two middle schools, Resaca Middle School or Los Cuates Middle School, and there was no such thing as a 9th-grade campus. There was only one traffic light, maybe two, and no Whataburger or Walmart in town. Not to mention, the concept of Facebook was about to change the social world. The small town of Los Fresnos has come a long way since, and so has the graduating class of 2004.

To memorialize this momentous occasion, a class reunion was organized by a committee of alumni. Mrs. Cilia I. Flores, a committee member, shared that the goal was to get as many of the alumni together as possible. She said, “Twenty years is a long time and such a great opportunity to have our classmates catch up and get back in touch with the town of Los Fresnos and each other.” A Facebook group was created by Joel Gomez, an alumnus who got the ball rolling, and as some would say, “made everyone self-aware of how old they were getting” when they received the group invite. The group was helpful in getting input from fellow alumni and voting on a date for the reunion, which was set to be on Friday, April 19^th.

As ideas for the reunion were tossed around about where to host the event and what activities to do, it came down to funding. Mrs. Flores went into action, with the help of other alumni, and organized fundraisers. They managed to raise enough to rent the Los Fresnos community center, purchase food/snacks, and to help book a fellow classmate who is a professional DJ. To continue the road down memory lane, on Saturday, April 20^th, the Class of 2004, also had the opportunity to tour the Los Fresnos High School campus, with the help and approval of Principal Stambaugh.

A lot of work, effort, and, time went into making it happen, and Mrs. Cilia credits it to a team effort. She shared that her favorite part was “seeing everyone’s ecstatic smiles, laughter and mingling. Like we never left school and picked up where we left off.”

Lastly, as a little takeaway and to provide more insight on the Class of 2004, I asked the former students two questions,

What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned since graduating high school? And,
What was the best part of attending Los Fresnos HS?

And these were some of their answers:

“Biggest lesson I’ve learned since graduating high school: You never stop learning! No matter what path you take after high school, the lessons keep coming even when you’re not in school.

The best part about attending LFHS: Los Fresnos is a small town with a big heart, and that to me was the best part about attending LFHS. We continue to be a community/family that looks out for one another and supports each other.” – Amanda Buendia Martinez, Class of 2004

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned since graduating high school is that it doesn’t matter where you were from or what you had, but how hard you worked to follow your dreams. Life is about continuous learning and finding out your passion. What in life makes us happy and fulfills us. There will be many obstacles along the way. There will be many times we might fail and not get it our way. The important thing is to never give up and continue to find our purpose in life.

The best part of attending LFHS is the beautiful friendships made and the great teachers that made a difference in my life. I created lasting friendships that I still hold dear to my heart. Even though this was a time of finding myself, I made some great memories I will never forget. I am proud to say I will forever bleed maroon and gold! Once a Falcon, always a Falcon.” – Yuri Gracia, Class of 2004

“My biggest lesson and what I want other average peeps to know is that not everyone peeks in high school. I had hard school years and was not the best student. Twenty years later, I have 3 degrees, studied & traveled abroad to 4 countries, and won awards for being the best business student in school— all of this DEBT free. I don’t owe anyone money for what I obtained. That is something I am proud of. I have a career, and in near future I WILL be working on my Doctorate. In the meantime, I help other students write, review, apply, and prepare for scholarships. Why? Because not everyone peeks in Highschool and that is ok. I remind them that the moon shines when it is its time to shine.”
– Jessica Ramos- Karmaker, Class of 2004

“Best part of attending LFHS: small community/teacher and students who cared. Many of you all know I lost my mom my junior year and everyone was so caring and supportive— principal, teachers, and students alike. They collected money for my family, attended the services, gave me a break from classes and lend me a crying shoulder. Biggest lesson: You can’t ever go back. Enjoy every moment good or bad. It happens for a reason.” – Julietta Ricardo Flores, Class of 2004

“Biggest lesson: You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf! Enjoy all the waves… the high waves will remind you of all the blessings…the lows will remind you of the fragility of life, while simultaneously enticing new hope for the highs again!Best part of LFHS: a small town/school by the border by the sea…a small treasure away from the big ruckus of city life prepared me academically in so many ways…a district that favors and supports nerd culture in a very weird fun way; all while still inciting in me the love to slow down, look forward to the local activities, and spend time with family!” – Brenda Sauceda-Mendoza, Class of 2004