The Tribune

LYFORD Cay International School is holding an alumni reunion weekend as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

“We wanted to create a series of events to celebrate our accomplishments as a school, and to help restore connections with alumni that may have lost contact over the past 50 years,” said LCIS principal Stacey Bobo.

The LCIS alumni committee has been busy locating past students and encouraging them to attend the weekend, planned for November 2 to 4.

“Social media like Facebook has been invaluable,” said Rebecca Massey, Development Coordinator at LCIS.

“We have been able to reach past students and faculty as far away as China and Australia and we have used Facebook to reconnect some classmates that have not been in touch for many, many years,” she said.

The alumni weekend is designed to give a more personal experience than simply an email or comment on Facebook.

“We are targeting all alumni, and we are promising them a weekend where they can unwind and reconnect with classmates and see, first hand, how far their school has progressed,” she added.

The reunion weekend will be one of the highlights of an extended commemoration of 50 years at LCIS, during which the school will reflect on its history, the attributes that make LCIS unique and the goal of the LCIS vision - all grounded in its founder, E P Taylor.

The weekend starts with an alumni cocktail party poolside at the Lyford Cay Club on November 2.

“We know it will offer a great starting point for many alumni in attendance that weekend,” said alumna and LCIS alumni committee member, Sarah Farrington (nee Smith).

“Most alumni will have very fond memories of time spent at the Lyford Cay Club,” she added.

The weekend continues with the 10th annual family fun run on November 3.

“The fun run will bring together past alumni with current LCIS students and families, and is always a great fundraising event at LCIS,” said alumna and alumni committee member Alannah Ginns (nee Kay).

Last year’s family fun run was supported by more than 500 people. “Most of LCIS families participate along with other other community members and we all have a great time walking, running and biking through a 5k course in Lyford Cay,” she added.

There will also be an alumni reunion celebration party on campus on the evening of November 3.

“It will be an casual elegant evening on campus where LCIS will be able to showcase the tremendous advancements that have been made to the school’s campus over the last 50 years,” said Mrs Massey.

The committee is also planning an official opening of the school’s new athletic building, campus tours and an alumni soccer match.

Lyford Cay School alumni are distributed across the world and it is a monumental task to locate them all.

The LCIS alumni committee are encouraging all alumni to contact the school at alumni@lcis.bs.

“This is going to be an annual event for our school and our alumni,” said Mrs Massey. “Even if you do not attend this year, please contact us. We are very proud of our school and want to share our accomplishments with past students and staff.”

LCIS launched its 50th anniversary celebrations last year at its annual Founder’s Day service and has included the launch of the 50th Anniversary Speaker Series, the 50 Book Challenge, where LCIS students were encouraged to read 50 books within the school year, a visit to the school by Gillian Johnston, the daughter of the first LCIS Headmaster Thomas E. Millar, and the incredibly successful 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Auction.