Nick Kafkas
Crowned His Majesty, and our beloved
King Nick Kafkas, of Balboa High School Alumni
OCTOBER 25, 2008
Mr. Nick Kafkas is not just a Sponsor for the Alumni Association, He was the FIRST sponsor! He has remained associated with the Alumni Association throughout these many years and helped guide and nurture the Alumni of BALBOA to form this group of people who are unique and great! Mr. Kafkas' vision was responsible for the formation of this Wonderful Association and he is always willing to assist in any way that will lead to a BETTER Alumni Association and a stronger BALBOA.
In his own words:
It was a project of the 100 Buccaneers Service Society, in the Fall of 1969, to start a Balboa Alumni Association, and with the special help of Beverly Rodriguez (S' 70) and other 100 Bucs, the Alumni Association held an organizational meeting in April of 1970, with John Payne, (S' 70) 100 Buc President presiding. Over 200 people reported and one of the shining lights I met that night was Emily Powell (F'46), many times elected Alumni President. That's one of the great things about Balboa, it's students, it's graduates. They are enormously proud and loyal to their school. There is a PASSION for Balboa that does not exist in other schools.
Of course, there are those wonderful traditions: the Senior Sweater, the Senior Panoramic Picture, the Senior Jinx, and other traditions, but none so unforgettable as the Move-Up Assembly. I will never forget the first Move-Up that I saw in June of 1957. The music from "Aida", the Senior Song, No school can match that!
Many people have helped me learn the Balboa history: Ms. Aced and Ms. Leta Wheeler, about the school beginnings, Helen Appenzeller Rodriguez, December '32, and Viola Archer Kimble, December '31 (the year of the FIRST Senior Panoramic Picture).
We love Balboa so much that many of us feel a need to "GIVE BACK", to say "THANKS" to Balboa and it's students for those wonderful traditions and friendships.
The students change every year, but we are bound together by our wonderful traditions; and when today's students see that Move-Up and see those new seniors wearing their new senior sweater, there's still that desire to be a "Part of Balboa"!
