How to Contact Us...
Hello, Rising Sun High School Graduates!
For information on the Rising Sun High School Alumni Association's Events and Activities, please contact us.
WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU!
If you're a graduate of Rising Sun High School and have never received an invitation to the annual RSHS Alumni Banquet - there may be several reasons for this.
History of the RSHS Banquet
During the 1960's & 1970's, (in the days before computers) planning activities for the banquet were delegated by the school to the 10-year graduation class. Graduate names and addresses were manually maintained in a box of index cards that was passed down from one class to the next to update information and mail out invitations.
Unfortunately, one year there was a mis-step and all of the records were lost; hence, the tradition of the annual banquet was going to end...! To prevent this, a group of former graduates (volunteers) formed a committee with the mandate of keeping the banquet alive!
Possible reasons you've never received an invitation to the annual banquet:
1. You never knew about the RSHS Alumni Association. This used to be a major function of the administration,
however, over the years, administrations changed and so did their priorities to students. No harm, No foul.
That's just the way things were in the "good old days"...!
2. We (the RSHS Alumni Association) DO NOT have your current address information, or
3. You've never paid your annual dues (Don't worry, it won't break the bank - it's only $5).
Given the hurried activity involved with school graduations, many graduates didn't even know about the Alumni Banquet or the Alumni Association! But, NOW YOU KNOW!
Since the first graduation class in 1924, more than 10,000 students have passed through the halls of Rising Sun High School, and keeping in contact with a group of individuals this size is quite a daunting task!
To keep the organization going, graduates must pay an annual fee of $5 per year to stay on our active mailing list. These funds are used to create our Newsletter "The Rising Sun Graduate," and mail out invitations to the annual banquet. Our newsletter is updated in March and mailed to active members in late March or Early April. For less than a cup of coffee, you can enjoy getting back together with former classmates once a year at the Annual RSHS Alumni Banquet...!
Attendance at the annual banquet typically varies from 175 to 250 patrons, however last year at the 100th celebration, we had a packed house (345 attendees!!!)
We now have an active (computerized) database of RSHS graduates from 1924 to the present. Our database currently contains more than 7,000 names, addresses, etc. Each year, our committee mails out invitations to members that have paid their annual $5 dues, as well as graduates celebrating anniversary years (5 yrs, 10 yrs, etc.). At the banquet, the 50-year class is given the honor of presenting a short message about their years at RSHS.
Each year the message is different, however, the focus typically comes down to one key issue: The relationships created with fellow classmates, other students, teachers, faculty members, etc. in our "small town" of Rising Sun usually had a big influence on who we've become today. Rekindling these relationships is often a time of fond remembrance.
The annual Alumni Banquet is held each year on the 3rd Saturday in May. The date for the 2025 RSHS Alumni Banquet is Saturday, May 17th, 2025.
The event is held at the Rising Sun Banquet Hall (300 Biggs Highway) in Rising Sun. The evening's festivities start at 6:00 pm and run until midnight.
FYI: The Rising Sun High School Alumni Association, Inc. is an IRS registered 501c3, non-profit organization run by a committee of volunteers. We operate on a very tight budget, but we've been able to keep the Alumni Banquet alive. In fact, last year (2024), the Alumni Association celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the first RSHS graduation class (1924)! For those of you who didn't know, the first graduation class consisted of only four (4) students!
If you'd like to join (or remain on) our mailing list and be included in future mailings, please contact the Alumni Association at 410-658-7100 and mail in your annual $5.00 dues.
Our contact information is included below:
RSHS Alumni Association, Inc.
P. O. Box 672
Rising Sun, MD 21911
Phone: 410-658-7100
Email: dalejohnson@zoominternet.net
Website: www.rshsalumniassociation.com
Rising Sun Banquet Hall Location:
300 Biggs Highway Rising Sun, MD 21911
This page was last updated on January 10, 2025
