As Alvirne High School celebrates its 75th anniversary, the school has added a brand-new historic mural to the main entrance of the building. With numerous photos spanning each decade of the school's history, current students and visitors will have the opportunity to view how the school has evolved. The project, which the Alvirne Trustees funded, was completed by Geskus, who also serves as the school's picture company.
Principal Steve Beals spearheaded the project, having the tough task of determining which pieces of history to include in the collage. "As an Alvirne graduate, I wanted to ensure no bias in the selection of photos," said Beals. "I laid out all of our yearbooks by the decades, and a photographer from Geskus selected random candid photos or images and took digital pictures from each yearbook. We then measured each wall to determine how many photos could be included based on the wall size. The photo company did a layout of random photos. My involvement was earmarking a section for the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s."
Following the creation of the mural, Beals also mentioned that the school plans to establish an Alvirne Hall of Fame as part of its 75th anniversary, with the first induction scheduled for spring 2026. The school is finalizing paperwork, which includes the nomination process, to be available by the end of October 2025.
The mural was completed in time to welcome students at the beginning of the school year in late August, and the space will continue to serve as a historic guide for years to come.
"I hope all alumni will enjoy the memories created in our new welcome mural," said Beals. "The area is a source of pride as you enter the building."
