Alumni, students and family mark school year’s start and special milestone
IMLAY CITY — At the Imlay City Christian School, the first day of classes on August 23 had more than just a ‘Back to School” theme. The start of the new school year also served as the ideal time to take a step back in time and mark the 70th anniversary of the school’s founding.
Kindergartener Harley Trudo is welcomed to school by Imlay City Christian School alumni.
In addition to new and returning students and their families, local alumni were invited to join in on the celebration.
“Alumni lined the sidewalk and welcomed students and their families back to school or for some, the first ever day of school. It was a beautiful sight to see young ones being high-fived by alumni as they walked into school,” said Principal Karen Hibbler.
“The alumni then gathered in the gym for cookies and coffee while students and teachers gathered in classrooms. Photos and yearbooks of graduating classes from the 70 years were on display for alumni to see and share memories about.”
Everyone later assembled outside the school where former students shared what decade or decades they attended.
“We had alumni from the very first classes in 1952 all the way up through the years to a recent alumni just four years out,” Hibbler shared.
She also took the time to share some of the school’s history. The five acre parcel where the school currently sits on Imlay City Road was purchased from Ray and Bud Meyer for $1 for the specific purpose of building a Christian school. The school opened in the fall of 1952. Hibbler said additional information about the school’s history will make its way into the school’s chapels so that current students can learn more about the school’s legacy.
“We ended our celebration in a time of prayer for the upcoming school year and the reminder of God’s provision and faithfulness that brought us together for 70 years of Christian education in Imlay City,” she said.
The school is also making plans to host a larger anniversary celebration in the summer of 2023.
