Hey Class of '97!:

It used to be that planning a high school reunion was a monumental task. Reunion planning committees would meet for months leading up to the reunion and would try to piece together a master class list from various out-dated sources. The end result typically was a reunion that was poorly attended because most classmates weren't aware it was even taking place. However, unlike previous graduating classes, our class and the classes of the future have a distinct advantage in planning their reunions: The online people search.

Though many people use people search web sites for background checks, many are unaware that these sites are invaluable for finding people or "people searching." Sites like PeopleFinders.com and VoomPeople.com provide access to billions of public records at the click of a mouse. Within the last few years, people search sites have also dramatically improved their search technology allowing users to locate almost anyone in a matter of moments. Thus, finding former classmates and spreading the word about the reunion has never been easier!

To start searching for a classmate online, first sign up at a people search web site. Once you have registered at one of these sites, PSN recommends purchasing a monthly membership. Therefore, you can have an unlimited amount of searches instead of paying by the search. (Note, the cost of a monthly membership is usually justified if you are looking up more than three people in a one month period.) After purchasing your membership, it is time to search.

Your first step in people searching is to enter into a search box any current information that you have on your former classmate. Information such as a classmate's current address, phone number or city of residence can be extremely helpful in locating him or her. Current information, along with a classmate's first and last name, is often enough information to obtain a classmate's complete contact information.

If you don't have any current contact information, old or "historical" information is often just as valuable. With new people search phone technology, phone numbers up to 30 years old have even been used to find people. Even better, historical information such as old phone numbers and addresses can often be found scribbled in yearbooks. Combined with a classmate's name, historical information can often lead you right to your classmate.

Finally, you may only have the name of your former classmate to work with. This situation requires reunion planners to put on their detective hats as a little investigating is required to find the missing classmate. Once the classmate's name has been entered at the people search web site, you are typically given a list of potential matches to your classmate with additional background information surrounding each potential match. These results typically include a person's name, age, address and phone number history, listings of possible relatives and neighbors and possibly some criminal history information. Once you have narrowed down your results to a few candidates, you can use information such as address history and age to zero in on your classmate.

So there you have it Class of '97. Before you follow in the footsteps of the classes before you and spend months trying to locate your former classmates, give online people searching a try. Who knows, with all of the time that you will save searching, you may even have time to find a date to the reunion.