Cowan Elementary School hit a major milestone this year in turning 100 years old.

With this birthday being a big one, staff and students chose to celebrate all year by participating in various birthday-themed activities in honor of the occasion.

Activities included costume dress-up days, afternoon dance parties, special treats and a school-wide field trip to the pool.

To bring the celebration year to a close on May 21, the staff decided to enlist the aid of their retired teachers to create an afternoon event so the Cowan community could walk down memory lane.

Principal Cynthia Young had envisioned this grand finale day for many years and had collected items from the school’s history to put on display.

Toni Barnes and Michelle Huffer planned the event with help from retired teachers Lynda Fernander, Debbie Skotte and Kim Young. The entire CES team also joined in to make the event spectacular.

On May 21, Cowan Elementary opened its doors for individuals who wanted to visit the school and journey back in time.

Exhibits were set up in the school gymnasium and included historical school pictures, old school supplies, a slideshow presentation journeying through the years at Cowan Elementary and an old time capsule from the school as well as a newly created capsule on display that included student signatures and their work.

Each visitor was greeted by the student council and given a 100^th-year celebration pen. An abundance of community members, School Board members, former Principals Raymond Council and John Butler and the newly elected Franklin County Director of Schools, Dr. Cary Holman, were in attendance.

In addition, two very special former students attended — Polly Hughes who is 103 years old, and her 98-year-old younger brother, William Caperton, both of whom attended Cowan Elementary as children in the late 1920s and 1930s, respectively.

“This event was a special day for Cowan Elementary School,” Principal Young said. “It was fully documented and will be a part of our school’s history. Thank you to those who came out to celebrate with us!”