POCATELLO — Thanks to a Pocatello High School art teacher in collaboration with alumni, a project is underway for a permanent history and hall of fame display dedicated to preserving and showcasing the school’s rich heritage.

For over eight years Pocatello High School art teacher and school historian Shawn Phelps has extensively researched, updated and expanded the history of the historic school in an effort to preserve its legacy for future generations.

The project, soon to be completed, will intimately detail the robust and diverse history of Pocatello High School dating back over a hundred years.

The effort will include scanning and archiving all the Pocatello High School yearbooks from as far back as the 1930s, digitizing over 5,000 pages of school newspapers, cataloging over 13,000 article titles, and preserving academic, student council, sports, music and drama department scrapbooks.

The preservation effort will also include an archive of school record books and valedictorian speeches dating back to the 1930s along with scanned original blueprints of the school with some even dating back to the early 1900s.

Many of these materials have already been converted into searchable PDFs, making the school’s history even more accessible. The plan is to make these archives available for public research in the future. Significant Pocatello High School artifacts and physical memorabilia have also been documented and preserved via professional photographs.

As the historic preservation project moves into its next phase, Phelps and others are searching for additional contributions from alumni and the community and are asking individuals with historically significant items related to Pocatello High School to share them. Items such as vintage uniforms, event programs, trophies or memorabilia from school activities and clubs are being sought.

The items can be temporarily donated so they can be documented and scanned before being returned to their owners or they can be given to be part of the school’s permanent collection.

Phelps is also asking for personal stories and meaningful and memorable moments from individuals who have a history with the school. These stories can be added via a Google Survey at tinyurl.com/historicpokyhighsurvey.

The historic preservation project was made possible due in part to the invaluable support of Pocatello High School alumni Thomas Haskett and Teresa Vialpando, other alumni contributors, former teacher and school historian Arlen Walker along with the Bannock County Historical Society, who have been instrumental in the effort.

Anyone interested in contributing to the project can drop off items at the Pocatello High School main office.

Donations will be accepted through May 29 and will be paused over the school’s summer break. The project will resume acceptance of donations beginning at the start of the next school year in the fall of 2025.

“The Poky History and Hall of Fame display will be housed in a highly visible location within the school, allowing students to engage with their school’s history throughout the year,” a Pocatello High School press release stated. “The exhibit will be featured in secure display cases alongside vibrant visual displays, ensuring both preservation and accessibility. The display will also be open to the public during select school events and class reunions, offering alumni and the community an opportunity to experience the rich history of Pocatello High School firsthand.”