The majestic Academy High School building is marking 100 years on the hill at 28th and State Street, overlooking the city of Erie.  Although there was an Erie Academy downtown Erie, dating back 200 years, the cornerstone of the State Street school was dedicated in 1917. Alumni and school officials decided that's cause to celebrate. Current Dean Jim Vieira said, "One-hundred-years is a big time for any organization or institution, and to be an educational institution and bringing all those students all those years and making memories...that's always something to celebrate, so you put the two together and it calls for a mega-celebration."  

Karen Rugare, class of 1983 is on the Academy 100 Celebration Committee. Her family has had three generations of Academy grads, from her mom, to her daughters, one of whom graduated just this year.  "I would say the alumni are very excited, they're wondering why we haven't done this before and they're so glad that we're doing it," Rugare said, adding, "they want to help to know how they can help, they want to continue to help and they want to connect."

Planners are gathering memorabilia so alumni and and their families can come back to the school and reminisce at a free family friendly open house on September 23.  There will be tours, entertainment by current students and decade focused rooms of memorabilia from the 1930's to the present.

That evening, beginning at 7:00 p.m., they plan an age 21 and up cocktail "Party on the Promenade" followed by an alumni dance inside the school cafeteria, with entertainment by Ruby Port. Tickets for that event at $25 dollars and available in advance by calling the school office at 814-874-6300 or checking out the event facebook page or website erieacademy100.org.

Organizers hope the Academy 100 Celebration is the start of building an active alumni association so that those who graduated from Academy High and those who graduated from Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy will stay connected to each other and energized to support the school for the next 100 years.