One alumnus's path wound 22 years through the grocery and construction businesses and then custodial work at other schools. Several others took a four- or five-year road through college. Some taught at other schools, waiting for their chance.

Eventually, the 13 came home to La Sierra High School.

Today, they walk across the Riverside campus as 12 teachers and a head custodian, examples to today's students of what La Sierra graduates can accomplish. La Sierra officials say they haven't heard of another school with so many alumni on its staff.

The alumni say the benefits of returning to La Sierra go beyond working near home. Their tales of "the old days," when everybody knew everybody's name and the campus wasn't encircled by a tall fence, can help them break the ice with students.

"The kids love it, they eat it up," said Wendy Long, an English teacher and member of La Sierra's 1989 graduating class. "They'll be saying things about their teachers, and I'll add in tidbits."

Marge Congress, the school librarian some of them remember from their school days, hopes the alumni can add something else.

Congress wants the alumni whose paths have circled back to La Sierra to help her create a new path. One made of bricks.

Congress, who leads the Renaissance Program, the school's effort to recognize academic achievement, wants to raise scholarship money for La Sierra students. She plans to sell commemorative bricks to be installed in the concrete around the campus flag pole. The proposed area will be called Alumni Walk.

"We have so many kids who get accepted to college and can't go," Congress said. "So I think college scholarships is the way to go."

Each brick will have a plate engraved with an alumnus's name and year of graduation. The bricks will cost $35 each. The 13 alumni will get their places on Alumni Walk for free, an effort to get the drive started, but Congress will accept donations.

Her plans also call for allowing community members and businesses interested in helping the scholarship fund to buy commemorative bricks on the walk. Businesses can contribute $100, $200, $300, $400 or $500 for a brick with their company's name.

The alumni said they will eagerly help because they consider La Sierra home even after all these years of changes.

For head custodian Ben Savage, a member of the graduating class of 1973, La Sierra's first, the biggest changes are "tons more students" and more trash across the campus. But some things have stayed the same since he graduated. Although the school has added a science wing and performing-arts center, it still has no cafeteria.

Several of the alumni left their mark on campus as students. Science teacher Karin Ribaudo was 1990's valedictorian. Long gave the 1989 salutatory address.

Three remember one another from the class of 1988: science teacher Mike Cryder, social studies teacher Bryan Roby and art teacher Jeff Ribaudo, Karin Ribaudo's husband and "high school sweetheart."

Another three now serve as department chairmen: 1983 graduate Joel Whelchel heads the social studies faculty; Long, the English department; and Karin Ribaudo, science.

The rest of the returning alumni are: from the class of 1982, physical education teacher Denise Cornett and math teacher Gary Nichols; 1986 graduate Craig Shiflett, who teaches science; 1993 graduate Genevieve Brown, a math teacher; and class of 1995 members Christa Allen and Christina Costello, who teach math and English, respectively.

Some, like Roby, returned after teaching at other schools.

"I knew there was a lot of positive things here," he said.

Karin Ribaudo said she never got a chance to consider another school. She was recruited out of Cal Poly Pomona, by former principal Jack Menzia, who knew her mother.

"I didn't really have any intention of teaching here," Karin Ribaudo said. "But I'm still here."

Whelchel smiled and shared a similar story.

"I always said there were three things I wouldn't do: never teach, never marry and never have kids," Whelchel said.

He has done all three and is glad he did, he added.

For information on the Alumni Walk, call La Sierra High Librarian Marge Congress during school hours at (909) 351-9340 or (909) 687-4663.

Mark Acosta can be reached by e-mail at macosta@pe.com or by phone at (909) 737-1366.

Published 4/8/2000