Former Las Vegas Academy students gather yearly at reunion

Upon graduating high school, students can usually expect to see their classmates again in 10 years. For some Las Vegas Academy graduates, it has become an annual thing.

It started in 2009, when former LVA theater teacher Gerry Born made a Facebook post suggesting the get- together. About 80 people showed up, he said, so he kept the event going. It is always on the evening of Dec. 26 at Don’t Tell Mama, 517 Fremont St., a downtown piano bar. About 50 students attended the 2012 reunion.

Born is the assistant principal at Odyssey Charter School of Nevada, 2251 S. Jones Blvd., but taught at LVA, 315 S. Seventh St., from 2000 to 2008. He said many of the graduates who moved away are in town for the holidays anyway, making it the best chance to get together.

This past year, Born and some students also watched "Les Misérables" before going to the bar. Born said they saw that movie because LVA did the musical in 2003. Even Melissa Magarowicz, who did not perform in the school musical but was an usher, said she began to tear up in the movie theater upon hearing the first song.

Born said the reunions are open to "anybody who had anything to do with the theater department" and that they meet at a bar to prevent underage drinking.

"They love it when I can remember their names," Born said. "I like watching how everyone’s changed. … The ones I’m most proud of have gone on this wild journey and gotten their life together."

Michael Denman, who graduated in 2006, acted and was a theater technician during his time at LVA. Life since high school has been a "crazy roller coaster ride," he said, which involved attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, then dropping out and working in the wardrobe department for "Spamalot" at the Wynn Las Vegas, attending the College of Southern Nevada, moving to Tacoma, Wash., and joining a band.

Denman works as the popular entertainment programmer for the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma and recently booked Bill Cosby for a February show.

Denman said it is "fantastic" seeing his classmates again and that the theater department’s staff and students always shared a close relationship.

"This is the nicest group of people you’ll ever meet," he said.

But Denman also was one of several former students who first described seeing old classmates with another word: weird.

Class of 2002 graduate Christian Jose said, "It’s like everybody I used to know but more like themselves."

Several students also shared a common memory of their former teacher. They said sometimes during class, once they badgered Born enough, he would juggle while balancing on a plank on a ball.

They also shared favorable reviews of his teaching.

"(Born) was more intuitive, more about physical work, about using emotions," Denman said. "He always knew how to get people where they needed to be."

Contact View education reporter Jeff Mosier at jmosier@viewnews.com or 702-224-5524.