The Highlanders Will Always Have Fond Memories Of CHS And Clermont, The Gem Of The Hills

Michelle Delaney — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 18:57:36 +0000

In 1954-55 land was purchased on the east side of East Avenue and it was there that Clermont High School (CHS) was built. By 1960, the campus had a football/athletic field and bleachers, a gymnasium, cafeteria, auditorium and band room. In 1993, South Lake High School was built and Clermont High School and Groveland High School merged, thus ending years of hometown pride and rivalry between the Clermont and Groveland. The vacant school became the home of Clermont Middle School.

Today, the school on East Avenue is undergoing another change. The building will be demolished and a new school will be built on the site. The Aurelia M. Cole Academy, named for the beloved educator who was a dean at Clermont High School, will serve students from K – 8th grade.

Meet Highlander Cheerleader Karen McGuire-Johnson: Karen comes from generations of Clermontians sharing lots of community pride and memories of growing up and living in Clermont, “The Gem of the Hills”.

Because of her efforts to purchase the original Highlander Field sign, the CHS Highlanders may be losing the site of their beloved high school but not a significant memento.

On Friday, October 22, The sign was delivered to Clermont Brewing Company, a local on-site brewery and restaurant, owned by Karen and Darren Johnson. It wasn’t difficult to gather CHS Highlanders to witness the relocation of the sign which will be displayed at the brewery until it can be mounted at the Village Marketplace (VMP), part of the 1.04 acre Victory Village project, located on the northwest corner of West Avenue and Minneola Avenue intersection. Victory Village is another Johnson downtown Clermont project which will be built in two phases:

Phase One: The Village Marketplace will be approximately 8,000 sq. feet of open-air, post and beam barn, offering retail and foods. This is where the Clermont Highlander sign will be proudly displayed (behind the Clermont Historic Village). Scheduled to open Feb/March 2022.

Phase Two: 25 Lakeview residential units with fitness center and clubhouse.

The Victory Village Project

Other Projects:

Pictured L-R: Darren Johnson and Karen McGuire-Johnson and Michelle Happ-Formato and Richard Formato

Darren and Karen partnered with Clermont Highlander Alumni Richard Formato and Michelle Happ-Formato to open The Southern on 8th, located at 801 W. Montrose St. Clermont (Clermont Partners)

Woodhouse Day Spa

The Woodhouse Day Spa is also a Johnson project being built on the site located next to Victory Pointe at the corner of Osceola and West Avenues, across from the Clermont Historic Village. The Victory Village project will be built nearby.

Karen McGuire-Johnson and Darren Johnson are investors in the belief that Downtown Clermont will always be the “Home of the Highlanders” / “Gem of the Hills”

CHS Highlanders

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BLAST FROM THE PAST – Furnished by Eva Sedgwick from the memory box of her dad, deceased CHS principal Dave Lofgren. Published on December 11, 1980 from the Leesburg Commercial. Written by Don McMullen

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The Highlanders Will Always Have Fond Memories Of CHS And Clermont, The Gem Of The Hills