John F. Kennedy Middle School staff member and alumna Emily Dickson and her children, Spencer Dickson, 7, and Molly Dickson, 4, hand out “Happy Birthday” party hats during the JFK birthday party on June 11, celebrating the school’s 50th anniversary.
By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER
There is no better way to celebrate turning 50 than with a birthday party—even for a building.
John F. Kennedy Middle School reached its half-century mark on June 11, a milestone that assistant principal Susanne Vitcavage knew had to be celebrated.
“We wanted to celebrate 50 years of excellence in education,” said Vitcavage.
To honor the 1965 opening of the school, the party had a ‘60s theme. Faculty dressed in bell-bottom jeans, round John Lennon style sunglasses, and Woodstock t-shirts, while the school band, orchestra and chorus performed 60s era hits.
Faculty, families, alumni, and retired staff were all invited to attend the party.
Students, clad in Kennedy green tie-dye volunteered to help with activities throughout the school, while staff members handed out green colored carnations to alumni who returned to their alma mater for the celebration.
As the hallways filled with party-goers, more than three-hundred pieces of art work by current students decorated the walls, alongside a wide variety of memorabilia showing off the schools’ history.
Tables lined the entrance and halls, displaying old yearbooks, uniforms, and awards, while decades of newsletters provided facts for a trivia quiz throughout the building.
The school’s Parent Teacher Organization volunteered their time, two birthday cakes, and prizes for contests, including a quiz to identify the baby photos of current and past teachers.
Two hallways worth of classrooms were open for alumni and retired staff to tour and reminisce, while display cases showed off pieces of history, including a “50 years of technology” display with old phones and cameras, and two cases of historical artifacts pertaining to the schools namesake, John F. Kennedy.
While Vitcavage said she hoped the open-house would not take away from the reveal of renovations this fall, current and past students thought the party was a great way to equally celebrate the building’s historical integrity and modern updates.
Sixth grade counselor and 1995 Kennedy graduate Emily Dickson handed out party hats that read “Happy Birthday,” with her daughter Molly, 4, and son Spencer, 7, who will both attend Kennedy.
“Kennedy is a great school,” said the alumna and staff member, “It has a family atmosphere, and now with the renovation there is even more to be proud of.”
For those who have watched the building’s updates unfold, the party was a great way to celebrate progress over time.
Seventh grader Gianna Wadowski, who volunteered for the baby photo contest, said the historical items on display during the party helped students and staff “show how much we’ve grown, and how important we are to the town.”
Matthew Scotia, a sophomore at Southington High School, came back to tour his old classrooms and visit former teachers and said he most enjoyed seeing how the building has changed over the five decades.
“It’s nice to see all the progression,” said Scotia.
An alumni of Kennedy, Scotia said he really appreciated the school’s impact on his family throughout the years—his grandfather started his middle school education during Kennedy’s first year. His father, aunts, and uncles attended the school, and his mother, Karen Scotia, now teaches sixth grade language arts.
Appreciating the history and progress of Kennedy’s fifty years with the Southington community was the goal in mind for the celebration.
“This building has been through a lot,” said Vitcavage, “We wanted everyone to have a fun time and really experience it”
To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Taylor Hartz, email her at THartz@SouthingtonObserver.com.