It has been 23 years since the last class of grads graced the corridors and classrooms of East Chicago Roosevelt. The newly constructed Cental building is now were most of us had the greatest years of our lives. The memories of those times, vivid though they may be, continue to occupy a special place in all of our hearts. We manage to summon them up now and again whenever we bump into a former classmate, come across an old photo or rummage through some memorabilia.

We all left graduation with the hopes of our generation-to do well, to have families, and to make the world a better place. With the hope for a better life, we came from a time of innocence; protected by our elders, knowing that if anything was wrong, they could right it or make sure we knew it was wrong. A lot has changed since our cocoon days at ECR. It was a time of discovery that we could increase our longevity by improving our health and creating a better environment, and that no matter what nationality we were we all got along. Any idea of precisely where we were headed and what the world might be like 25 years later was little more than a wild guess.

Now here we are 23 years after on a web site I started for the very fact of staying in contact and keeping the memories of ECR alive even though the school is gone. Very fortunate to be reliving those days spent in class, at front entrance, on the benches and even behind the school by the gym, if only for a short while, to pass some time with our old classmates, to reminisce and remember some special moments of a time gone by, to reflect upon all the great times we had since and to be able to say we got through them reasonably well.

Perseverance is something I took from my high school days, and is the one word that still has the same meaning today as it did the day we graduated. That is the message we leave the next generation-be positive and work together and anything is possible. With the ability to touch someone around the world with just a fingertip, the dream of making that world a better place is more in our grasp than ever. A lot of us had to deal with either having a loved or being the one who has so graciously served in our military during this difficult period in time. For that my family and I Thank You. I pray everyday and hope that we will soon emerge from this war and that all of our family, friends and troops will make it home safely to be with their families.

For every reunion held, for every class that is still bonded together and for all my friends - Thank You for making this site so special and meaningful. We are all experiencing a rare opportunity, an opportunity for us to revisit what for most of us was a happy and meaningful time. It is also providing us with fond memories to hold onto, to refresh in our minds a distant past, a chance to put our own lives into clearer perspective and a place to show our kids that we were just as cool as they were. It has even opened doors to new friendships with people from different classes across generations.

So let all of us who have not been together as a group or class, do our utmost to spend a few days out of a month together renewing memories and remembering old friendships.

Thank You , Hector Rosario Jr.

Main Sporting Goods still makes ECR shirts, sweat shirts, hats & more. Here is the info to the store.

3822 Main St.
East Chicago, Indiana
46312
1-219-397-5870