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Founders Day

Catherine Kasper and Chloe Fuller

      Nothing says Portledge School like our highly acclaimed Founders Day Fair! Rain or shine, Portledge students and faculty come together to attend this school wide event with even more joy and excitement every year!  Whether enjoying the Varsity Boys and Girls Soccer games, the Faculty band, the famous Kona Ice Truck and fun rides, or the Club Fair, attendees have the opportunity to commemorate our beloved school and immerse themselves in all kinds of fun.

      The central vision for this year’s Founders Day was to encompass an inclusive event that focused on Portledge’s 60th Anniversary, an accomplishment  the development team wanted every attendee to feel proud of.  One of our writers got the privilege to sit down with Ms. Askland, the director of development, to discuss the planning of this year's event.  As a student or parent, it is always amazing to see the final product of functions held by our school, however we may tend to forget how much planning and effort goes into it behind the scenes.  Ms. Askland told The Press that, “The planning process begins about 10 months in advance. This allows time to coordinate logistics, secure the necessary resources, and refine event details to ensure everything runs smoothly.” For an event that seems so seamless, it is interesting to take a couple of steps back and understand what goes behind our classic fair, whether that is fundraising, booking delicious food trucks, or even marketing the event to make sure there is a great turnout. All these factors have led to a memorable day for the Portledge community year after year.  Additionally, The Press was able to discuss some new changes made this year, as our school tries to always strive for improvement. Askland stated, “Founders Day had been canceled for the past two years due to weather.  This year, the event was moved to the central part of campus and was made complimentary for everyone, which helped create a welcoming atmosphere for the whole community.” And it did just that! Students and parents were able to indulge in refreshing Kona Ice and sing along with Ms. Amaya while enjoying the warm atmosphere that makes the school so special. 

      A second addition made to our beloved Founder’s Day was the introduction of the Club Fair, thanks to our wonderful Ms.White, our head of Clubs this year. It was an exciting opportunity for more students to sign up for clubs and for families to see the student involvement at Portledge. This year, an incredible amount of clubs were created by passionate students! Whether it be a community service based club or an affinity club, Portledge students showed up and supported each other!  The exciting spirit of the club leaders were unmatched, as they created beautiful boards and visual representations that motivated students to get involved in activities that they were perhaps unfamiliar with in the past. 

      Finally, it is also important to recognize that after years of building and design, our School was able to unveil its most awaited addition, The Chen Center or as others may call it, The AWC.  As Ms. Askland told the Press,  “It was a huge Milestone,” and also an opportunity to take our student athletes’ performance to the next level. This brand new building includes a beautiful basketball court, a training center, multiple new classrooms, a boys and girls locker room, and so much more. It truly was such an exciting moment to unveil it to the public and a key step in making our school the best it can be.

      Broadly speaking, The 2024 Founders Day Fair was a breakthrough for our school from new buildings, to a shift in location, and even an opportunity to reflect student life. And while these concrete aspects are incredible, moments of unity such as this fair allow us to look around and appreciate the beautiful community that Portledge has given us.

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