Newport Harbor High School Class of 1976
50th Reunion Saturday, October 17, 2026
On a beautiful balmy night in October, with the King Tides looming large
The Tars of ‘76 gathered at Lido, the evening held promise, our hometown a co-star
The committee planned well for a solid year and nothing was left to fear
JB’s mantra “many hands make light work,” the day was finally here
A check-in with the youngins, a badge and a scan of the crowd
“Who is that? Haven’t seen you in 50 years,” not a stranger was found
A childhood growing up in a small beach village, definitely not a tough gig
Feet in the sand, ski ball at the Fun Zone, fishing the pier, the ocean so big
Scout troops, slumber parties, sunburns, TP’ing in the hood
Mariners, Heights, Kaiser, Newport El, Ensign, it’s all good
The waves are up, ditching school, 35th Street, Mr. Reese
Waterskiing the Back Bay, the ferry, the River Jetty, Orange Street
It was never boring in Newport Beach some 50 years ago
NHHS our draw, a milestone, the bell tower casting its historic glow
Hail our Alma Mater, we give her love and honor, our loyalty to Harbor High
Our class graduated about 800, her biggest class and the best one, we certify
Nutrition break, streaking in the quad, “deep sea groping” at Squeezums, and the prom
Bug collections, the Round Galley, Ski Club trips to Utah, the end of Vietnam
The names we all remember, some having an impact on our lives
Jewell, Newland, Barnett, Gage, Jacobsen, Cochran, Wentz helped some survive
Caricof, Bauermeister, Lyons, Giroux, Newkirk, Robinson, and Tagami
Adams, Marino, Duffy, O’Hern, Cunningham, Ulander for a hard won “B”
Way too many to name here, careers of distinction, we extend respect
Their legacies live on in their students, their visages we won’t forget
The smiles were genuine and a general feeling of happy reunion emerged
The catch-ups were epic, conversations deep, the time melted away for sure
Cell numbers were taken, photos of kids shared, 5 hours flew by in a blur
We’re aging at different paces, but gratitude for our shared memories is the word
Shades of our high school identities disappeared without a thought
Cheerleaders, jocks, drama geeks, loadies, nerds and soches we were not
Just a bunch of 68 year olds gathering for another Moon Dance
Let’s not make all those goodbyes of our stellar evening stand
– a poem by Gina Sammis, Newport Harbor High School Class of 1976
NHHS Class of 1976
50 Years Later
Old Friends – Fresh Laughs – Shared Memories
No Formalities – Just A Once In A Lifetime Gathering
Saturday, October 17th, 2026
It’s our time to connect and reconnect on this one special evening only.
Listen to the soundtrack from our era, curated specifically for our reunion
Public Playlist on Spotify:
NHHS 50th Reunion 2026
116 songs, about 8 hrs of music
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Qru1H7BsiBhLyjDMAaRBG
or use the QR code with your phone’s camera
View 50th Reunion Photos posted here:
https://nhhsclassof1976.com/50th-reunion-photos/
Share your reunion photos via email to:
nhhsclassof1976@gmail.com