The 1986 class of John Yeates High School celebrated its 25-year reunion July 22-24, 2011.

During the event, John Yeates High School, now John Yeates Middle School, was remembered by alumni and their spouses, guests and children.

The weekend kicked off July 22 at The First Lady, where alumni enjoyed a slideshow, socializing and music. Heavy hors d’oeuvres were served, including shrimp cocktail, seafood stuffed crab shells, Virginia baked ham on fresh yeast rolls, assorted fresh vegetables and fruits, Hawaiian meatballs, cheeses, olives, pepperoni, chicken teriyaki, assorted deli spirals, rotisserie and hot chicken wings, desserts, lemonade, water and fruit punch.

On July 23, alumni met for brunch at Cracker Barrel restaurant near Chesapeake Square Mall and then attended a dinner cruise aboard The Spirit of Norfolk from 7:30 to 11 p.m.

Concluding the reunion was a family get-together where alumni brought their families for a buffet/brunch and a class meeting on July 24.

Brunch that day at The First Lady included whole fried chicken, sliced Virginia ham, pulled pork barbeque, coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, green beans, fresh yeast rolls, desserts, iced lemonade, water and fruit punch.

Live entertainment was provided by JYHS Class of ’86’s Monet Ledbetter-Glaude, and class members sang their song, which Ledbetter-Glaude wrote and produced 25 years ago.

Also, members voted to hold their next reunion in five years.

Mistress of Ceremony for the events was Melody Copeland Darby, who was voted class secretary in 1986. The reunion committee for the event included Darby, Ramona Gillis, Antonio Ward, Ellen Lawrence Langston, Fritz Whitfield, Elaine Turner Nichols and Mavis Milteer Coward.

“This reunion was very relaxing and it was such a pleasure to see classmates again for the first time in so many years,” Gillis said.

This was the second class reunion for the class of ’86, which celebrated its 10-year reunion in 1996.

“We are definitely ready to start planning for our 30-year,” Darby said.