Meadowview celebrates 50th anniversary
Published 12:56 am Sunday, April 29, 2012
Students from Meadowview Elementary walk during a parade commemorating the school’s 50th anniversary Friday. Former and current teachers, staff and students joined in on the festivities which also included a coronation ceremony of king and queen. -- Desiree Taylor
Students, current and former faculty and staff filled the cafeteria at Meadowview Elementary School Friday to celebrate 50 years of learning. The school also held a spring coronation extravaganza for kindergarten through fifth graders and a parade to culminate festivities.
Meadowview principal Jeanne Brust said it was great to see staff from over the years come back to commemorate with students.
“It’s lots of work to put this together, so to see their face and excitement is great, that made it all worth it — worthwhile,” Brust said about the event that also served as a fundraiser for the school. “Everything we do is for the children. The children’s parents worked really hard and we appreciate it.”
Dorothy Shand, who retired after 28 years with Meadowview, is considered by many to have a “colorful” personality. The former first grade teacher felt Friday’s event was a great one.
“This has been a wonderful school,” Shand said. “I came here in ’67, it was wonderful then.”
Even students enjoyed the festivities.
Coronation Queen and fifth grader Ronia Gorden said her crowning moment felt like a “fairy tale.”
“I feel awesome,” Gorden said.
Coronation King and first grader Willie Davis agrees.
“It feels great, I love first grade,” Davis said.
Fifth grader Patrick Pettway and first grader Denise Parrish were also crowned as the 2011-2012 King and Queen.
Royal court king and queens for each grade included: Rahkyiah Crowell, Derrius Levett, Endia Ervin and Braiden Baswell, kindergarten; Kannadi Ballard, Tremiah Gorden, Caroline Hipp, Lacy Jarvis, Miranda Rose, Trey Matthews and Ethan Everidge, first grade; Katilyn Estes and Damion Collins, second grade; Aaliyah James, Amber Wills, Anna Grace Welch, Terence Campbell and Antoine Hasberry, third grade; and Kelsi Fails, fifth grade.
Meadowview Elementary was built by contractor A.D. Lovelady and architect J. Streeter Watt in 1961. Joseph A. Pickard was the first superintendent and Wilbur M. Adams served as assistant superintendent. Throughout the years, the school has seen seven principals and four secretaries.
