Students and faculty at Augusta Preparatory Day School kicked off the 60th anniversary school year with a birthday party, complete with singing and blue and yellow birthday cupcakes.
Seventh through 12th graders gathered behind the school’s library to form the letters “APDS” for a special photograph.
The lower grades joined the festivities to sing “Happy Birthday” to the school.
“Of course, it’s a birthday – we had to have cake,” Head of School Derrick Willard said.
Originally known as Augusta Preparatory School, its first classes were held Sept. 5, 1961, on the third floor of The Hill Baptist Church.
At that time, the school consisted of only 38 students, grades seven through nine. One grade was added each year until 1965 when the first class of seniors graduated.
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It was not until 1973 that the school moved to its Flowing Wells location where it shared a campus with Augusta Country Day School for 15 years before the two schools decided to merge for the 1988-89 school year, creating Augusta Preparatory Day School.
According to APDS Director of Communications Chris Gay, the birthday party, held Wednesday, Sept. 1, was just the start of celebrations planned to commemorate the milestone year.
APDS will host Bethlehem Christian Academy at its homecoming football game Friday, Sept. 10, and a soiree originally scheduled for Sept. 11 has been postponed until spring in an abundance of caution, due to COVID-19, Gay said.
Anna Porzio is a correspondent with The Augusta Press. Reach her at anna@theaugustapress.com.
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