Contributed
In Sanford and the surrounding community, there is a quiet but remarkable story unfolding—one built on pride, gratitude, and a deep belief in education. Since 1990, the Seminole High School Community and Student Action Committee (SHS COMSAC), a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit alumni association, has awarded nearly 600 $1,000 scholarships to Seminole High School graduates. What makes this effort unique is not just the number of scholarships, but the spirit behind them: graduates helping the next generation take its first step forward. For 35 years, Seminole alumni have contributed annually to support local students pursuing college or vocational training. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need, academic performance, and community service. Many recipients go on to volunteer in hospitals, nursing homes, churches, and local organizations—extending the cycle of service that began with a single gift.The scholarship program grew from modest beginnings. What started in 1990 as a four-page alumni newsletter has become a 70-page, full-color annual magazine mailed free to alumni who graduated from SHS from 1930 to the present. That magazine—The Seminole—is written, designed, and distributed entirely by alumni volunteers. More than a publication, The Seminole is a bridge across generations. It features alumni news, reunions, school activities, education and local history pieces, travel stories, and a popular Alumni Mailbag that reconnects classmates decades after graduation. Many readers say it feels like walking the halls of Seminole High School again. The magazine has highlighted nationally recognized alumni, including the late cartoonist W.B. Park (SHS ’54), whose work appeared in The New Yorker, and Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Marlette (SHS ’67). Marlette’s award-winning cartoon following the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia captured the nation’s grief with a single powerful image. But some of the most meaningful stories are lesser known. One feature told the story of 1955 SHS alumnus Bob Billhimer and his late wife, Ramon, who led a mission bringing clean water and medical care to remote areas of Uganda. The mission helped oversee medical teams treating disease and drilled more than 1,000 wells in villages where water had previously been contaminated. Another story highlighted an SHS graduate, Bruce McCoy, (SHS '58) who played a key role in NASA’s Apollo space missions.
These stories reflect a shared belief: education opens doors—and giving back matters. After receiving The Seminole, many alumni choose to “pay it forward” with tax-deductible contributions. That generosity sustains the scholarship program and strengthens a unique generation-to-generation bond rooted in affection for their alma mater. SHS COMSAC’s mission is simple but powerful: encourage, incentivize, and reward community service while reinforcing the belief that education changes lives. For many scholarship recipients, the award represents more than financial assistance. It often sparks a pivotal realization—“I can do this.”
The organization continues to reach out to younger alumni across Florida and beyond, inviting them to share reunion updates, personal milestones, travel stories, and professional achievements. Some of the magazine’s most popular features come from alumni who once thought their memories were too ordinary to matter. Recently, members of the Class of 1967 sent a contribution with this note: “Thank you all for a magnificent job from cover to cover, touching lives of all ages and continuing to connect people while bringing history alive through your tremendous magazine and dedication.” Seminole High School alumni from any class year may receive the free annual Seminole magazine by emailing their mailing address to the COMSAC chairman at [email protected]. There is no cost or obligation, and addresses are used solely to deliver the magazine and are never shared or sold. To learn more, visit The Seminole Magazine | SHS Sanford, FL Alumni Association.
For 35 years, alumni volunteers have proven that school pride does not fade with time. It grows, and when nurtured, it changes lives. If you once walked the halls of Seminole High School, this magazine is for you. Since 1990, past and present Sanford-area residents and SHS alumni who have volunteered to serve on SHS COMSAC include Bernard Brown, Gretchen Schapker, Barbara (Moses) Machnik, Bonnie Caolo Collins, Karen Whigham Coleman, John Cullum, Bill Edwards, Wayne Epps, Billy Higgins, Kim Higgins, Verna Jackson, Ned Julian, Nancy Julian, Fran Kemp, Carol Oxford Klavens, Edith McNeill, Earl E. Minott, Jeanette Minor, Peggy Noell, Nell Oxford, Jay Payne, Ron Risner, Bill Royster, Pam Sawyer, David Scott, Marvin Sheffield, Bettye D. Smith, Robert Smith, Earl Smith, Janice Springfield, Mary Stasie, Tom Stevenson, Christy Turner, Toby Wells, Gene Williams, Kay Williamson, and Ceni Wheatland Zampini.
