Rapid City Central Class of 1977 Receives Acts of Excellence Award
On August 14, 2025, Rapid City Central Class of 1977 officially received their Acts of Excellence award in a public ceremony in Rapid City, South Dakota.
The South Dakota Hall of Fame first announced the list of 2025 Acts of Excellence recipients in April 2025, and has been honoring individuals and organizations throughout South Dakota with award ceremonies in each act’s hometown.
About Rapid City Central Class of 1977
What started as a desire to “do more” for their 35th reunion has grown into a remarkable legacy of service. The Rapid City Central High School Class of 1977 has redefined what it means to come home, transforming reunions into engines for real community change.
Since 2012, this alumni group has completed three major projects, each one more impactful than the last. For their first endeavor, they partnered with Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity to build an entire home over one reunion weekend for a single mother and her family. In 2017, they shifted focus to building raised bed gardens for assisted living facilities and schools, planting both food and connection.
Their most ambitious effort yet came in 2022. Teaming up with the nonprofit, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, the Class of ’77 set out to build and deliver 77 complete beds for children without one of their own. They exceeded that goal, constructing and equipping over 800 beds with mattresses, quilts, sheets, pillows, and even a Huckleberry Hound stuffed mascot. But they didn’t stop there. They created their own volunteer delivery team and continue to support the organization year-round.
Beyond the tangible results, their generosity has sparked a movement. Other alumni classes have followed their lead, launching projects like school clothing closets, prom dress giveaways, and lunch debt relief funds–all inspired by the Class of ’77’s example.
These acts are not only thoughtful, they are transformative. They reflect deep community roots, a sense of shared responsibility, and a belief in giving back with heart and humility. From housing to hunger, comfort to confidence, the Class of ’77 continues to show what’s possible when connection leads to compassion–and compassion leads to action.