Thirteen years have passed since the class of 2010 stepped through the “kindergarten doors” of their elementary schools. When we created AIM screen names like Warriorgurl2010, the numbers at the end were virtually meaningless. But the day has come, 2010 is here, and graduation is upon us. The world has been growing and changing while we’ve been inside for so long, but just how much?      

1997                                                                       2010         

Begin Kindergarten                             High School Graduation       

As the class of 2010’s age went up, so did gas prices.

President:                                                 

 42^nd-Bill Clinton                                         44^th– Barack Obama        

Price of a stamp:          

32¢                                                                      44¢     

 $3.22                                                                  $3.50     

 Federal debt:                                        

Milk prices haven’t changed too much since 1997.

 $5.396 billion                                                $14.078 trillion         

Top-rated TV show:                         

Seinfeld                                            Dancing with the Stars          

Super bowl:                                            

Green Bay Packers                         New Orleans Saints          

 University of Nebraska              University of Alabama          

1997 Top TV Show: Seinfeld

NCAA basketball champs:            

University of Arizona                       Duke University         

Best Picture:                                            

Titanic                                                      The Hurt Locker          

Change the World- Eric Clapton     Single Ladies- Beyonce          

 Best New Artist:                                 

LeeAnn Rimes                                                  Zac Brown Band          

Most Popular Names:                     

Michael/ Emily                                               Jacob/ Emma          

Hottest clothing:                                

Tommy Hilfiger                                                 Ed Hardy          

Hottest footwear:                              

Adidas Trails                                                       Sperrys/ Uggs          

MHS Valedictorian:                          

Gabe Howles                                                              

MHS Salutatorian:                            

Melissa Donnelly                                                    

–          Timothy McVeigh is sentenced to death after being found guilty of the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombings, the most deadly act of terrorism on US soil (5/12/97)        

–          NASA has its first look at Mars through a pint-sized rover called Sojourner (6/30/97)        

–          Princess Diana of Great Britain is killed in a drunk driving accident (9/1/97)        

–          Mother Teresa, the most famous Roman Catholic nun known for her charity work, dies in Calcutta of a heart attack at 87 years old (9/5/97)        

–          The first surviving set of septuplets are born to Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey in Des Moines, IA (11/19/97)        

Top 2010 News        

–          Pro-golfer Tiger Woods’ secret life of sex and partying is revealed when he is caught cheating on his wife, Elin Nordegren (12/2/09)        

–          23 year old Nigerian Abdul Mudallah attempted to set off a bomb in his underwear on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit (12/25/09)        

–          7.0 earthquake rocks Haiti, destroying Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area. It killed 230,000 people, making it the 6^th most deadly earthquake in history (1/12/10)        

–          The United States won the most medals at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC, Canada, with 37 total (2/28/10)        

–          President Obama successfully passes the universal healthcare bill, a long-time Democratic dream, without a single Republican vote (3/21/10)