Early Childhood Pioneer Day, by Kathy Wagner

Early Childhood Pioneer Day is an event that has been going on since the 1980s. In an effort to celebrate Kansas’ birthday on January 29, students have gathered in various places to learn about the pioneer way of life.  Over the years, there has been a teepee in the quadrangle, a horse and carriage in the parking lot, and various farm animals throughout the campus.  When the multipurpose room was built, the entire event was moved to that location and activities were added. Roping sawhorse calves, grinding corn, making butter, eating cornbread muffins, playing pioneer games, cleaning clothes on a washboard, peeling and eating apples, watching a spinner or quilter, listening to a real cowboy, singing pioneer songs, and scatter square dancing, all became annual experiences.  As the event moved to the south gym in the 2000s, students continued to learn from many individuals who were willing to share their expertise about the pioneer days.

Enjoy these scenes from past Pioneer Days!

Collegiate Cares -- A Day of Service in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by Sherri Newlin

The first MLK Collegiate Cares Day was in 2010. The day was originally started by the Focus on Diversity parent organization with Bunny Hill as the sponsor. MLK Day seemed like a perfect day for a family community service opportunity. The FODC group called it "Collegiate Cares - A Day On, Not a Day Off."  For four years, WCS students, teachers, and families joined forces with the United Way to help many local organizations and individuals.  Over the years, volunteers have assembled layette kits for new moms and babies, care packages for the homeless and the military, information cards and ribbons for local organizations, and gifts to be delivered to Meals on Wheels recipients. Bunny Hill loves this day, "seeing the kids and parents working together, and knowing that Collegiate families are always generous and do, indeed care!"

This year, we are not having organized projects at school due to a change in the United Way program, but we are encouraging families to use their "day on" in a way that will make someone else's life better. Each act of service matters to our community.  If families will send us photos and descriptions of their activities, we will feature them on our Facebook page and in the Connections.

Do you have favorite memories from Collegiate Cares?  If so, please post your memories and photos on this blog for all to enjoy!

Tradition of the Week: WCS Talent Shows, by Suze Anne Norton

WCS students are given the opportunity of sharing their talents with peers and parents at an early age. Talent Shows are one important way this is done.

In Lower School, students usually have Talent Shows by grade level in the black box theater in March before spring break. Talents range from skits and joke telling to accomplished musicians, vocalist, gymnasts, and dancers. This venue is where we begin to see the budding artists who will very likely become the stars on the stage in the Upper School.

Middle School students also have a long history of talent sharing. The most recent version of Middle School Talent Shows happens on the Friday morning of the All-School Picnic. Students gather in the U.S. Galichia Auditorium to share their talents. Again, the range of talents is broad, and the skills displayed can be exceptionally high.

Upper School Talent Shows have taken many forms through the years, being called The Connection and most recently, Show Stoppers. In the years when there was a fall and spring musical, the U.S. Talent Show was usually in January. When having just a fall musical, it would be held in the spring. These shows truly showcase the amazing talents that students have honed through years of opportunities to perform in the comfortable settings of their school.

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.