Royal Valley Alumni Association reflects on busy first year
Members of the Royal Valley Alumni Association (RVAA) marked a successful first year raising funds, building connections and laying the foundation for future alumni engagement, said board president Macie Smith (Class of 2002).
“The alumni are excited and supportive. We’ve had folks quickly and generously provide donations. To date, we’ve received about $3,500 through fund-raising efforts, which made for a wonderful first year,” Smith said. “Our alumni are also volunteering to help in many ways. Because of our volunteers, we will have our first alumni event on June 6, 2026, and we had a presence at the Pride of Hoyt Days parade.”
The idea for an alumni association came from members of the Royal Valley Board of Education, who hoped to better connect graduates, support schools and mentor students, Smith said. A subcommittee helped lay the groundwork and recruited the initial RVAA board.
Officially established in June 2024 as a nonprofit under the Jackson County Community Foundation, the RVAA’s mission is to “enrich, engage and connect alumni through social and written communications, events and fellowship. The RVAA strives to support past, present and future students by contributing to the growth and success of Royal Valley USD 337.”
“The work we’ve done so far, and our future work, will focus on this purpose,” Smith said. “This year, our big goal is to finalize a scholarship for Royal Valley seniors and graduates. This winter we will publish scholarship criteria and award a scholarship in the spring. We also have a subcommittee of RV alumni volunteers working on plans for our first ever Royal Valley alumni event on June 6. Long term, we hope to engage more alumni and find projects to help support our school district.”
Last year, RVAA raised more than $2,000 during the Jackson County Community Foundation Thoughtful Giving Day, earning an additional $1,200 in matching funds.
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