John B Connally High School

I WAS PROUD STUDENT OF CONALLY GO COUGARS!!

I love it :))

@Mary Jane - It breaks my heart to read your post. I'm from the class of 2000 - the 1st class to go all the way through Connally from grade 9 to grade 12. So...my first day at Connally was EVERYONE'S first day at Connally because we were its first students...ever! :-) Actually, all 4 years that I attended CHS they were still building onto it. The staff, administration, teachers AND students all loved our new school (it was SO shiny and new)! We all took pride in it and babies it because we were all about "setting traditions." That is what we all tried to do...together! We knew that we were making decisions for generations to come so we thought really hard about them and took great pride in that. My years as a student at CHS were amazing...the best four years of my life! The teachers were awesome! Each grade level had its own principle and we all loved ours!!!! -Mr. Littlefield. During Saturday detentions he had the student out cleaning up campus. I just look back and wonder if there is anything we could have done different to better pass the torch. Is there some way we could have shown the incoming class what an awesome gift we were giving them...one the would have loved, been proud to be a part of and babied like we did. Of course there will always be students who don't share the enthusiasm and maybe even do things to sabotage the hard work of others. But they are a select few who are greatly outnumbered. I just know that feeling when that new car smell is gone and I hate that that is what our beautiful Connally High School smells like now. Such a shame that the leaders we had while I was there were not able to stay longer to rally you all like they did us. I understand, especially now that I'm an adult, that there are a lot more pressing matters in a teenagers life than a little graffiti here or there, or that they have better things...more fun things to do than try and make something that's seems so far gone like the school better and great again...especially when you all didn't get to see CHS in her glory days. Just know that a little elbow grease, some school spirit and a nice dose of Big Ol' Texas pride can make what is old new again. The luster, the color being a little brighter, the sense of unity that can become real between two separate groups when working towards the same goal, even the warm tinglies in your gut when you're when you start to make real progress...those things will come on their own. But only you...1 single human being can start a movement. So I hope you can believe that what seems impossible can easily be achieved...if you take a stand. Every movement begins with one person making the decision to act choosing to just talk. Will that person be you? I'll tell you what I know is absolutely certain no matter what: after this is real life...and it's NOTHING like what you see on TV. Making your mark among your peers, your community, your nation, your world...that all starts now...right where you are. So I say, why not set yourself apart now. Why not use the stars that twinkle in your young innocent eyes, your unjaded perseverance and hormone fueled confidence to do something great. Something for yourself, for your fellow student, for your baby brother when he gets there, for generations to come after you...maybe even a little for me ;-) You are about to venture out into unknown territory unsupervised and completely responsible for yourself and what you become. Set the tone. Set yourself up for success in life and maybe even surprise yourself a little when you see what your actually capable of...greatness. God bless and best wishes to you. I only want what was amazing to me to be amazing for you. Oh and BTW...your Mom IS right ;)
Shannon M. Gunckel CHS Class of 2000
GO COUGARS!!!