First-ever Les Fons alumni reunion features members from 6 different decades
“Don’t you know, I’m still standin’ better than I ever did?
Lookin’ like a true survivor, feelin’ like a little kid.”
———
These words from the chorus of Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing “ rang true Saturday night, Nov. 15, for a group of more than 50 Bellefontaine High School Les Fons alumni spanning the generations, who dusted off their dancing shoes for the group’s first-ever alumni reunion and performance during the show choir’s annual Cabaret show.
BHS graduates from the 1970s to 2025 kicked up their heels and sang their hearts out to this energetic and light-hearted tune following multiple rehearsal dates to practice their moves that were choreographed by class of 2000 graduate Kristen Lang. It was a major wave of nostalgia being up on the stage again at the BHS auditorium that holds so many memories for them.
“It’s been fun and energizing getting back out there on the stage. We weren’t sure if we could do it,” 1993 BHS alumni Rachel Moreland said with a laugh just prior to the stage entrance of the group, opening the second act of the Cabaret show. Her sons Jake and Charlie Moreland are current Les Fons members, and she said her brother and sister are alumni of the group as well.
Some of the alumni members are now teachers and administrators at Bellefontaine City Schools, and serving in a host of other professions, both near and far. Several Les Fons alumni traveled from out of state to participate in the reunion gathering that proceeded the Cabaret show and to participate in the performance itself.
“For this to become a reality is just a cool dream come true. What a joy it is to share music,” said current Les Fons Director Brice Henry, who joined in “I’m Still Standing” as a member of the alumni group and a class of 2011 graduate.
Henry said it was about a year ago when he brought up the idea of hosting a Les Fons alumni reunion, something that had never been done since the first show choir formed at BHS about 65 years ago. In 1960, Larry Weaver was the young, visionary director who gave the choir its first name, “Carmen Wefons,” or “song weavers,” a reflection of the voices intertwining in harmony to create beautiful music.
“When I brought up the idea of having a Les Fons alumni reunion, I wasn’t really sure how it would go or what it would look like. It went way better than I could’ve ever imagined,” Henry said following the show.
“Sharing the stage with past Les Fons members I used to watch dance in awe of their talent; sharing the stage with former students; sharing the stage with my cousins Carrie Robb and Derek Robb….Huge thanks to Kristen Lang for agreeing to come along with this dream and coming up with great choreography.
“It has been a lot of work, but a lot of fun to see the span of the love of music, the love of singing and dancing, and the love of Bellefontaine to come back and to learn this song. It’s just a lot of fun to see people who still want to get up here and share the stage.”
Lang and her husband, Caleb, were each Les Fons members when they were BHS students. Now their daughter Elliett is a senior Les Fons member, and so it felt like a fitting time to pursue this alumni reunion and performance idea.
“I was talking to Brice (Henry) over the summer about how fun it would be to get everyone together and to perform together again.
“I remember always loving our Cabaret show. It was a time when each member could get involved and share songs that suit their personalities.”
Lang teaches Jazzercise in Bellefontaine, and she recorded herself running through the choreography to “I’m Still Standing” in her studio, and sent out the video to each of the participating alumni members.
She also recently conducted two local rehearsals prior to the show, and then a third rehearsal Saturday afternoon for the alumni peers.
Following the rehearsal Saturday, the alumni gathered for a dinner in the BHS cafeteria prior to the Cabaret show, where they enjoyed catching up and also watching a video of BHS show choir performances from each of the decades, created by Jere Daniels.
Les Fons alumni member Sara Stahler, a class of 1979 graduate, compiled a history booklet of the show choir from the very beginning, featuring the group members and directors from every single school year. She researched by utilizing the school yearbooks, and also by combing through Logan County History Center archives.
Sara and her husband, fellow Les Fons alumni Ben, now have a third generation of their family in the show choir, as their granddaughter Zoe Jervis is currently a freshman in the group this year. Their daughters Lauren Burkhardt and Jennifer Jervis joined them on the stage for the alumni performance, and their son Rob was also a Les Fons member as well.
Following the very first director, the energetic Jack Frost took the reins in 1966, and the show choir became the Swing Tones. Then came Charles Croutwater, who served as the director from 1968-1986, and added a touch of sophistication and elegance, renaming them Les Fontaine Chanteurs — French for “The Fountain Singers.”
Later directors have included Allen Hadley, 1989-2010; Jason Stanford, 2011-2012; Stacy Calton, 2013-2021, and now Brice Henry, beginning in 2022, have continued the tradition, shaping the choir’s sound while mentoring generations of talented singers. Honoring their roots as the original Wefons, the Les Fontaine Chanteurs choir adopted a new — yet familiar — nickname: Les Fons.
“The name stuck, and it resonates just as strongly today, a symbol of pride, tradition, and musical excellence,” Stahler said in the program history.
Alumni members who participated Saturday night include: 1972: Danyse Christiansen; 1974: Beth Harman; 1977: Judy Cordrey Harvey, Lisa Spain Collier; 1978: Keith Jeffrey, Lori Jenkins Scott, Kathy Kellogg Berg, Lori (Krouskop) Reimer, Kim Ritter, Laurie Suiter, Mary Tynan; 1979: Sharee Markiewicz, Sara Stahler; 1980: Holly Harris VanBuskirk, Ben Stahler; 1981: Russ Foust, Chris Hildreth Blair, Susan Loesch; 1982: Kris Shannon; 1983: Ronald Jacobs, Chris McConnell; 1985: Tim Snapp, Steve Wolford; 1986: Christina Moran (Graham); 1987: Kris Hadley-Gregory; 1991: Susan Stahler; 1993: Stacy Calton, Rachel Lang Daniels, Rachel Moreland; 1995: Jennifer Neeld; 1999: Carol Fultz, Craig Fultz, Erin Gillig, Brian Hogan, Caleb Lang, Luke Miller, Troy Shively, Jessica Simons; 2000: Cliff Core, Kristen Lang; 2001: Ashley Reser, Martha Ruggles; 2003: Alicia Dinovo, Jordan Reser, Kileen Sprouse; 2004: Lauren Burkhardt, Becky O’Rielley, Geoff Stevenson; 2005: A.J. Foust; 2007: Jennifer Jervis; 2009: Jessica Penny Guerrero, Lauren Stamegna; 2011: Brice Henry; 2012: Marisa McLaughlin; 2014: Shantelle Barhorst; 2017: Carrie Robb; 2019: Derek Robb; 2021: Samuel Brown, Anastasia Hiatt, Maria Stolly; 2022: Gage Crouch; 2023: Corbin Baker, Ally Baker, Joslyn Robinson; 2024: Kyndal Newkirk; 2025: Ryan Alexander, Lilly Hudson, Hunter Kerns.
Henry said the reunion was so enjoyable and “definitely something I will do again,” maybe every three to five years.
