|
A Message from our PTA President, Kamela Aboussie
Dear Bradfield Families,
Our historic Centennial week is here! These plans have been a long time coming, and so special to create!
Much of what we have planned was inspired by various celebrations that took place during Bradfield’s 50th year. The sentiment all year has been that the strength of our school's next century is based upon learning about and continuing the traditions of Bradfield’s last 100 years.
So, with that in mind, we looked back 50 years for ideas.
First up this week on Monday our students will be dedicating a new Live Oak “Centennial Tree” to the school. Back in 1975 Bradfield’s students did the same! Below is some precious artwork created by those students, along with newspaper clippings and photographs.
On Tuesday we’re hosting a Bradfield Homecoming. While I haven’t found a record of a dedicated homecoming event at Bradfield over the last century, there were many former Bradfield staff and students who attended 50th year celebrations. I woke up in the middle of the night last week remembering a guest registry from the 50th Year scrapbook, and I raced online to purchase one for our homecoming. Below are photos of alums attending the celebrations of 1976 along with a photo of the registry (maybe you’ll recognize some names!)
Wednesday our Bronco’s will throw Bradfield a birthday party! How fun!!! They’ll all receive their 100th year t-shirt at school on Wednesday morning to wear to the party, which will take place during their lunch hour. Photos below are from Bradfield’s 50th Birthday Party in 1976.
Thursday is, to my knowledge, a first for Bradfield…we’re burying a time capsule! No 100th year would be complete without one. Our Time Capsule Committee came up with the cutest idea of allowing each student to vote on the item their grade level will include in the time capsule. During the ceremony on Thursday we’ll announce the winning item, so be sure to ask your student what went into the time capsule on Thursday after school!
And Friday is our main event! Putting in a new field this year, we knew we wanted to host a big family party to celebrate the field, and when I saw clippings from the movie night in 1976 it seemed like the perfect combination. The 1976 family movie night was held in the school auditorium, which our family population has clearly outgrown, and they showed “Brighty of the Grand Canyon, which I had to look up! BUT, there are still some similarities, like popcorn and cokes for snacks, and a giant group of volunteers to pull it all off.
Last week I met with Kirk Dooley, who has kindly offered to share his vast knowledge of Bradfield with guests at our Centennial Homecoming. Kirk is a Bradfield alum himself and the father of two Bradfield graduates. He chaired Bradfield’s 75th year celebrations, and was also a dear, close friend of the beloved Sam Flores. Kirk has spent his career studying and documenting the culture of the Park Cities. He reminded me of the importance of carrying on Bradfield’s great legacy of community and tradition. That is what this Centennial week is all about!
The end of the speech given at Bradfield's 50th year celebration, after telling of the school’s history, reads “We’ve turned the clock back for a few brief minutes, but it continues to race forward. We are confident that the youth gathered here can run as good a course, if not better, than those we honor today.”
Here’s to that!
Love,
Kam
| 
