WCS Santa Visits, as remembered by Santa!

I started visiting the campus of Wichita Collegiate in the fall of 1990.  That first year I visited the Early Childhood classrooms. In the years to follow, I not only visited the Early Childhood classrooms but was invited to attend the Lower School and the faculty holiday get-together. This has become a very special annual event for me! I have seen many smiling (and some frightened) faces as I visit the classrooms, but they are mostly smiling. It is my personal challenge to make every child feel comfortable is my presence.  As the years have gone by, I have begun to recognize some familiar faces and names as being very similar to those I knew in the past. Well, sure enough… they are the sons and daughters of students I visited in the ‘90s. Collegiate holds a very special place in my heart, and I look forward to continuing to visit the campus for many more years to come.

Ho ho ho ho ho ho!

Enjoy these photos from my visits to WCS!  Feel free to post your own memories from my visits to WCS, and your photos! 

 

 

 

The WCS Holiday Concerts, by Sherri Pilgreen

Okay…So put yourself in our shoes.  We have just returned from Thanksgiving Break, having successfully performed the Thanksgiving Extravaganza, and now we have 7 to 10 days to put together and teach a whole new 45-minute concert of holiday music!  Amazingly, it usually turns out well, but I can remember feeling many times as though I was the mother bird feeding music into the open mouths of the baby birds. It was hectic,  but so worth it The evening of the concert was even more exciting due to the exhibition of brand new dresses and suits and the anticipation of the upcoming holidays and travels. The history of our school was built on such observances, and I am so glad that we continue it still!

 

Enjoy these photos from the concerts in 1987:

 

 

Do you have some favorite memories from holiday concerts past?  Please post them here, along with your photos!

The Alumn i Basketball Games and Chili Feed, by Dave Hawley

The Alumni basketball game and Chili Feed has been a modern tradition for Wichita Collegiate, throughout the tenure of Mitch Fiegel. Targeted for both the boys and girls' teams, the Friday after Thanksgiving has provided a chance for the former Spartan players to come back to face off against each years' newest edition. The night usually consisted of several games, including alumni vs. alumni, the alumni women versus the Spartan women, and the evening ending with epic battles of the aged against the youth. Unofficial scoring has taken place, even though the games are worked by certified officials. Free shirts have been given to the alumni, even though one year, the shirts read "ALMUNI". On two occasions, Maurice Evans has played in the contest, once after transferring to Texas and in 2012. The chili feeds have been a great chance to raise money for Booster Club and to have a chance to catch up with each others' lives!

The WCS Thanksgiving Concert, by Sherri Pilgreen

The WCS Thanksgiving Concert, by Sherri Pilgreen

I will never forget my first Thanksgiving Assembly as a new music teacher at Collegiate in 1988. What??? We were going to pull together all of our students, Early Childhood through Upper School, invite family and friends and fit everything and everyone into the South Gym to perform an hour-long concert? Is this place crazy?

Well, was I ever surprised! Not only did the school dedicate a good portion of class rime to rehearse and organize such a huge task, but our maintenance department moved risers and chairs to make the event successful. I was even more amazed that most all of our families were willing and happy to defer holiday vacation until after this special performance. Students arrived in their finest, including handmade pilgrim hats. Again to my surprise, in came hundreds of parents, grandparents, neighbors, and even Kirstie Alley, who had a front row seat! People were standing four and five deep to watch this one-of-a-kind performance.  I was so touched by the spirit in the room. A small “town” came together to celebrate their children, their school, their God and their country. I fell in love with the whole thing and many concert moments still bring tears to my eyes.

Happily, this spirited tradition remains  and we have two separate programs, one for Early Childhood and one for grades 1-12. The concert includes a thriving instrumental program along with the long-standing vocal excellence which fills the floor and bleachers of the Upper School Gym. People are still standing along the sides to be a part of this important tradition, “Turkey Tango” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic” included.