Twin Rivers Elementary School held a celebration last week to mark 20 years in their current Seventh Ave. campus. An open house was followed by a ceremony that was kicked off by the grade seven choir who showcased their instrumental and vocal talents.
Students also shared information about the items that their classes had prepared to put into a time capsule that will be put aside to be opened by future students in another 20 years.
The school opened in May 1996 with 260 students. According to principal Kere MacGregor, over the last 20 years 100 staff have worked at the school teaching more than 1000 kids. "Many of those kids have gone on to be doctors, lawyers, tradesman, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters and this place holds a really special place in the community," said MacGregor.
Previous administrators Doug Hickey, Patrick Audet, Peter Evdokimoff and Paul Phipps, who was the administrator that worked at obtaining the new facility over twenty years ago, attended the event. Phipps gave back to the school a gold school bell that had been given to him upon his retirement. "What you see now, is a result of all the hard work that took place. I feel very privileged to be one member of a large team of people that helped make this building a reality," said Phipps. "Having said all of this, I remind you that a building is simply a building. It is the people in the building that make a building a school."
MP Richard Cannings also attended the event and spoke briefly, congratulating the school on its accomplishments. "I just want to reiterate how important schools are, obviously for the education of children, but also to build a better Canada — schools are the heart of any community," said Cannings.
Twin Rivers PAC president Catherine Zaitsoff presented a plaque to Principal MacGregor commemorating the anniversary. After reading the plaque wording, "To go further than I thought, to run faster than I hoped, to reach higher than I dreamed, to become the person I need to be," Zaitsoff added, "I think that is one of the things we really try to do and I am beyond proud to be a part of this community."
The student's favourite part of the event however, was refreshment time after all of the speeches were over. The kids dug into the cakes, cupcakes and pastries with gusto and smiles.