Joyce Rippolon Cullen

Although I won't be at the reunion, I hope I'll be able to get a copy of the reunion yearbook.

Lot's of changes since 1989.

I am divorced (or will be by May), so it's to the single life. I bought the house. I love being independent.

I am also retired from Somers High School this year after 33 years of teaching science. The state incentive was attractive with all the pressures of being a Tier 1 teacher and the new state changes.

No more horses but I have a house full of cats ranging in age from 6 to 16. One (the 16-year-old) is a diabetic and has 2 insulin shots a day.

I still teach my two clogging groups, The Tusker Thumpers in Somers and Hudson River Cloggers in Poughkeepsie.

My latest interest is bluegrass music. I am learning to play the guitar and if I would practice, I would be playing it at jams. I'm on the board of directors of the Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association. I go to lots of bluegrass festivals in NY, PA, CT and NJ. I am also a deputy regional representative for the International Bluegrass Music Association. I am working to bring a bluegrass presentation to local schools.

So if any of you out there in reunion land can help or want us to come visit please contact me at 914-525-2275 or write.

I'm not computer literate or "online" yet but that is a future goal. A good friend, my computer teacher at Boces will help me when I buy a new one.

What else is new? I still travel to Yellowstone Park and take classes in the summer. I'm getting antsy to get back to Alaska. I did a raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in 1996.

Have a great reunion and next time have it in the summer!