On Thursday, April 13, Penn Manor High School, 100 E. Cottage Ave., Millersville, will kick off a variety of events to celebrate the completion of the school's renovation project this past fall. Events will take place over the course of several days, including a student art show, an alumni recognition ceremony, community games and activities and an official dedication of the building.

"This is our way of saying thank you to the community," said Phil Gale, superintendent for Penn Manor School District. "We know the project impacted a lot of people, and we want to show that we're grateful for everyone's sacrifices and patience."

From 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, artwork from students throughout the school district will be shown and will remain displayed for the duration of the weekend. The art show, which includes work from art classes in every school in the district, was organized as an annual event prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be the first time that the district has held the show since 2019.

On Friday, April 14, Penn Manor School District will recognize a group of distinguished alumni at a luncheon at the high school. Prior to the luncheon, the alumni will speak to current students at the school and share their experiences after graduating. Similarly to the district art show, this event is also returning for the first time since the pandemic. For several years, the alumni association has annually honored a group of graduates who have been nominated by the community based on their accomplishments after high school. The alumni association seeks out those who have significantly served the community or achieved noteworthy goals in their careers. This year's group of distinguished alumni comprises Elizabeth Maine Allen, William Myers Jr., Charlie Reisinger and Tiffany Harrington Harris.

On Saturday, April 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a community event will be held in the auxiliary gym at the high school. Admission for the event is free. Attendees will be able to enjoy tours of the building, carnival games and activities, food trucks and informational displays from student organizations in the school district.

On Sunday, April 16, from 2 to 3 p.m., an official dedication ceremony will be held in the high school auditorium. The building itself will be open for tours from 1 to 4 p.m., and performances from student musicians will occur before and after the ceremony. Many of those who made significant contributions to the renovation project will be in attendance, including alumni, school board members, representatives from townships in the school district and individuals in the community.

The renovation itself began in spring 2019 and was completed in phases over the course of three and a half years. While parts of the school were under construction, teachers utilized temporary classrooms and moved their classes frequently. Many programs for athletics and theater operated around the limited availability of space until the project was completed.

"The impact of the project was felt by everybody, and we're all very relieved that it's finished," Gale said. "In addition to expressing our gratitude, we want to recognize what a significant accomplishment this renovation is for the community."