The 90s were an era of self-expression. It was full of color, funk, and positive energy. High school in the 90s was memorable for most of us and very different from high school today. From big hair and baggy clothing styles to the environment and classes offered then, so much has changed within the last 35 years.
There are many classes that were very popular at Willow Glen High School in the 90s, some of which include woodshop, plastics, and auto mechanics. Since this time, there has been a shift in the goal of education and the classes offered to students. Eric Ostrowski, the athletic director at Willow Glen, describes how “education in general shifted its standards” from tactical subjects to strengthening core subjects like science, math, and social studies. Katie Delucchi attended Willow Glen in the 90s just like Ostrowski. She is now a teacher at the school and talks about how the school used to provide courses like Driver’s Ed and Home Ec. Stating that there was a “connection to teachers”. This may be caused by the classes that had a more emotional connection to students because they could take electives that they enjoyed. As well as the fact that kids wanted to participate in activities that they saw themselves pursuing in the future.
The bold and electric trends of the time made up the student fashion at Willow Glen High School. Ostrowski shares his memories of how he and others dressed back in the 90s. “The girls were what they call ‘grunge’ and would wear extremely baggy pants and sweatshirts.” He explains that fashion is different from today, however, 90s fashion is making a comeback. Ostrowski adds, “90s rap culture was coming into school which changed the style a little bit.” Students expressed themselves through clothing inspired by their favorite musical artists. That is one aspect of the 90s that has stuck with fashion trends today.
The 90’s was a transformative time and a distinct educational era at Willow Glen High School. The bold fashion choices and hands-on elective choices made this period of time unforgettable for the class of ‘90. Although the school campus remains the same, many things have changed in their own way to create a new atmosphere.