When I first moved from Fairbrook to Ankeney in the Fall of 1984, our former arch rivals from Valley Elementary were converging into the same junior high. Therefore I had a whole new set of faces and potential friends and enemies. The smart kids now had more competition, the pretty girls now had more competition, and the popular kids now had more competition if they were going to be running as class officers. My friend Eric Welch attempted his bid for the 7th grade presidency, but it was not to be. There was a new regime of smart pretty girls who were taking over.
Throughout all my years at both Ankeney and Beavercreek High School, I can not recall ever sharing a class with Mindy Roney, Adrienne Dickinson, or Jill Manter. But I certainly knew who they were. Mindy and Adrienne, along with Angie Slouffman and Jodi Austin were the class officers during my first of my three years at Ankeney. Mindy was President, Angie was Vice Presient, Jodi was Treasurer, and Adrienne was Secretary. In eighth grade, they resumed their positions…except for Adrienne, who was replaced by Jill as Secretary. I have absolutely no idea what their functions and duties were exactly – but they were all pretty and amiable so I had no real objections.
Adrienne, Mindy, Angie, and Jodi – the 7th grade officers
Jodi, Angie, Mindy, and Jill – the 8th grade officers
Being attracted to cute gals, I made sure that I made an ample fool of myself talking to and teasing Mindy during our after-lunch moments outside on the huge patch of cement that had replaced the playgrounds of yore. I talked to her, teased her, and then in the school’s after-hours even prank called her house now and then. But unfortunately, as tempting as I’m sure it must have been for her, we never really became friends.
Mindy’s senior picture
With Mindy at the reunion
Adrienne was surely the quietest of them all. A tiny gal with a quiet, mousy voice that I can never actually recall hearing in school, Adrienne was perhaps also the cutest of them all. She went on to marry another former Ankeney Charger name Chris L’Hommedieu, who shared two periods of Mrs. Schmidt’s class with me. They now live in Texas.
Adrienne’s senior picture
With Adrienne at the reunion
If I thought the others were cute, I had quite the crush on Jill Manter. Although I never was in the same class as her, I can remember that she had Mrs. Schmidt for English in the class before mine and I would often rush to ge there so that we might have ample time to bump into each other.
Jill’s senior picture
With Jill at the reunion
I think during junior high, Angie Slouffman was the prettiest of all of them, but she and I got along the least. She didn’t quite have the tolerance of my geeky and annoying junior high school demeanor as the others did. However, Angie and I became rather good friends in Trigonometry during our senior year. In fact she wrote this on the back of her senior picture:
Brad! Hey Bud! Well, what can I say, you are a really great person & I’m so glad I’ve gotten to know you better by being in your classes. I’m really glad to be friends with ya! Thanks for all your help in Trig! Love! Angie
But of all of them, I got along best with Jodi Austin throughout all years of school. We shared several classes and would often chat and joke…and I would demonstrate my ability to write in cursive backwards. She was fascinated by this and when we saw each other at the ten-year class reunion, this was the first thing she remembered. She unfortunately didn’t make the 20th reunion on July 17, 2010, as she and her family were in the midst of a big move from Columbus to Virginia.
After the eighth grade, Mindy, Angie, Jodi, and Jill all went on to the Executive Student Council. As for the ninth grade officers, some of the Fairbrook contingent took the helm, as well as my good friend Ashleigh Heath. During the BHS senior year, Mindy and Jill were both class officers again. But to me, seeing these four girls together at the reunion brought back a floodgate of nice Ankeney memories. Too bad Jodi couldn’t make it.
Adrienne, Jill, Angie, and Mindy – retired officers
The Ankeney Charges will continue…
Return to the BHS 20 year reunion here…
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