Registration is now open for Academy alumni from all years to join us for the 50th anniversary reunion, May 23-27, 2012. Click here to register!
Fall 2011 marks the beginning of the 50th year of Interlochen Arts Academy boarding high school. To celebrate this important milestone, Interlochen faculty and staff are planning a wide variety of events over the course of the next two years. The festivities will culminate with an all-year Academy reunion from May 23 to May 27, 2012, that will coincide with the commencement of the 50th Academy class. The weekend will also feature a special “Collage” presentation involving current students and special alumni guests.
Gary Gatzke, director of alumni engagement, said he expects the event to be the largest Academy reunion in Interlochen history. “Academy alumni often tell me that one of the most important parts of their experience was the community of artists that lived around them. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when much of that whole community will be gathered in one place – on campus at Interlochen.”
When the Arts Academy opened its doors in 1962, the idea of a high school with an arts focus was considered revolutionary. Since that time, many arts-focused magnet and boarding schools have been established in the United States and abroad. “The fact that so many other organizations have tried to follow Interlochen’s example speaks volumes about the value of the arts within the educational process,” said Jeffrey Kimpton, president of Interlochen Center for the Arts.
Other events marking the 50th will include regional alumni events, student performance tours, conferences and online social networks. “This milestone isn’t just about where we have been. We want our alumni and friends to join us as we embark on our second 50 years of leadership in the arts,” said Kimpton.
