Robert McQueen High School

1990 was a strange year for me. I would start out at Oak Harbor High School and then move to Carson City High School for the remainder of my Sophomore Year. By the time Jesse Arthur died in December 1990, we were preparing to go back to Reno.

Despite having proof of attending McQueen since the beginning of 1991, there was zero mention of me in the yearbook. I have no photos–not of me participating in anything and not of me just being a student.

Over the course of high school, I went to six different schools:

9th Grade-Oak Harbor Junior High
10th Grade- Oak Harbor High and Carson City High
11th Grade- Oak Harbor High, Wooster High, Reed High, and Robert McQueen High School
12th Grade-Robert McQueen High School

What proof do I have of all these different schools?

I was in the 9th Grade Yearbook for Oak Harbor Junior High and I have certificates I won that year. Shortly after starting 10th Grade at Oak Harbor, we moved to Carson City.

For 10th Grade, I have a parking pass from Oak Harbor High and transcripts/letters of recommendation from Carson City High School. I won a Journalism award in 10th Grade and was made editor of our school newspaper for Junior Year but my mother decided we were moving back to Oak Harbor.

11th Grade is the tricky one. Jesse died in December 1990-right in the middle of me starting 11th Grade in Oak Harbor and us moving back to Reno. I missed a debate competition for Oak Harbor because I had just received news of his death and our move. Within two weeks, we were gone. When I got to Reno, my step-dad was renting an apartment near Wooster so I decided to stay there and attend that school. The only proof of my stint at Wooster High is a text from my parents confirming it. At Wooster my wallet was stolen the same day I was called to the counselor’s office to show around a new girl (even though I was new). She was instructed to do everything I did. The weirder part was when a woman in the counselor’s office said the girl could at least pass for my cousin. In retrospect, it seemed like they were finding someone to take my place or impersonate me.

I gave up the apartment and moved back with my parents in an area zoned for McQueen. My attendance at Spark’s Reed High School was brief. I was attending McQueen and told my counselor I wanted to try out Reed to be closer to my boyfriend. I really liked Reed and the fact that they had more Journalism/Creative Writing options, but I only lasted about a week. I left the school when we broke up and went back to McQueen. Due to all of the moves, my grades and involvement were looking lackluster. I was more focused than ever on making it the best year possible and getting back on track.

My Junior Year at McQueen was amazing, insane, and devastating.

From the memories of others and my mementos, it would seem the opposite. In my story, I tried out for lots of different sports so that I could letter as soon as possible. I loved volleyball, swimming, tennis, and cheer leading. I even liked football, basketball, and softball but I could only pick a few to get involved in over the two semesters. While I don’t remember being on the team, I do recall going with the ski team on a couple of trips. What I can say for proof is that my photo is nowhere in the McQueen yearbook. My name is not even in there but I clearly have transcripts from my Junior Year.  As part of my story, I was “erased” from a yearbook that I was dominant in. The people trying to hurt or erase me took my cheerleading jacket that I had received as a collective birthday present from my family, as well as the letters I had just received. All of my ribbons, awards, and certificates were taken also. Little did I know that was just the beginning.

By Senior Year, I was deflated. My purse was stolen along with a piece of Moldavite given to me for protection and an emerald from my father. I also lost all my personal items and money in the purse. It had been under my desk in Geometry and someone in the next class took it. The guy later admitted that he and some girls rummaged through it for what they wanted. I found the purse in the trash later.

There were still a lot of great times but I was happy to finally graduate.

People in my story wanted us gone my Junior Year but we argued to stay for graduation. We would have moved right after had my step-dad not been in the Navy and required to stay until his transfer. We had agreed to move within a year of my graduating since that would correspond with his orders. In 1993 we moved back to Oak Harbor.

Unbeknownst to me, so did people involved in my past from Nevada.

I graduated in 1992. In my story, some events that occurred in 1991 and 1992 have their dates changed in history to three years on either side (1988-1995).

Guess that dress must have been a “thing” for a long time to go from Dern’s movie that was filmed in 1989 and released in 1990/ early 1991 (which I had not and have not seen) to a similar dress for my graduation in June 1992.  I would have been around 16 when her movie came out and we did not have streaming or instant video like they do now.

Sometimes movies took years to come out on VHS. The VHS release date was possibly sometime around 1995, but the first DVD release was in 2004.

Trends were much slower back then and clothes harder to source as there was no internet.

My dress was from Macy’s.

Then there is still the question of my lettermen jackets. I remembered two. I was given one at Oak Harbor High and a girl named Princess might have gotten it. Then my whole family chipped in for my jacket from McQueen. It was given to me for my 17th birthday. It was in a large white box and covered in white tissue paper. Both were cheerleader style. I also had letters to go on the McQueen jacket but didn’t have it long enough to attach them before it was taken also. I can’t remember if my mom or grandma picked up the jacket for me, but I know my dad sent a check for part of the costs since they are so expensive. I am still hoping my mom can find a receipt or notation about it. My mom thinks she remembers the Oak Harbor jacket and one of my sisters remembers the McQueen jacket so I know they happened. My other sister did not remember one. Until they are returned to me, in pristine condition, the current holders will know nothing but pain since all of my belongings, property, creations, etc. are cursed against theft or attack.