By Dennis Volkert
Congress School in Sturgis marks its 100th anniversary with a special ceremony scheduled for 10-11 a.m. Oct. 3.
The event features performances by the high school marching band, guest speakers and unveiling of a commemorative plaque.
Dianne Gorsuch, former history teacher at Sturgis High School and current president of Sturgis Historical Museum, is a featured speaker.
Art Ebert, superintendent at Sturgis Public Schools, also is expected to address the gathering. In addition, second-grade students will speak about the history of the school.
The student body at Congress currently is pre-K to grade 2. The school has been organized in various grade configurations, including K-5, pre-K-5 and 1-3.
The school presently employs about 30 teachers and staff, secretary Kim Flowers said.
Among current district facilities, only buildings two, Central Commons and Jerolene are older than Congress, superintendent Ebert said.
Neither site houses its initial grade-level function. Commons, built as a high school, opened in 1917, and served as the middle school until the current site on Lafayette Street. Jerolene opened in 1923, and today is used exclusively for GSRP preschool.
Vince LaPorte, principal at Congress, said the planning process for the centennial celebration has been a transformative experience.
“Prior to this year, I hadn’t fully understood the impact that a physical building can have on a community, how it serves as a symbol or physical representation of pride — how a building is more than just four walls with a roof,” LaPorte said.
He has gained insight through numerous anecdotes and discussion.
“After speaking with so many community members and hearing their stories and experiences … I now understand how much of an impact that Congress Elementary school has had on generations of families here in Sturgis,” he said.
LaPorte has served as principal at Congress for seven years, but said he feels connected to its history, “that, somehow, I have contributed to the education of those generations of Sturgis students.”
