Staff and students of FVHS are celebrating their 50th anniversary at Bengal Blvd. this year. FVHS has grown in size and the community recognizes it. People all around Wake County know about FVHS, whether it’s because they go to a rival school, they have friends that went there, or they themselves went there.
FVHS is honoring the 50th anniversary by making historical walls of fame, time capsules, historical artifact collections and honor bands. Administration also wants to get alumni and former educators from the school to talk about the school and tell students about how they became better people because of FVHS.
Librarian Allison McAuley is helping set up this event with Principal Robert James and Athletics Director James Mountford.
McAuley said, “Our school is celebrating the campus. It’s the 50th anniversary of being on Bengal Blvd, along with that history of being in Fuquay-Varina this long. We wanted to kind of reach out to the members of our community.”
While students are walking around they may notice new things in the trophy cases. Those are old artifacts from the old school of Fuquay Springs before schools integrated. Fuquay Springs High School were known as the falcons with the colors of green and white. The Fuquay Consolidated School had a bison and the colors of maroon and gold. FVHS got its Benny the Bengal mascot following integration of the two high schools in the 1970s. The students worked together to create new symbols to unify them.
Marshall Wortham was a former student and now works here as an English II teacher. He said, “The biggest change is the diverse student population. I mean we had African Americans and a few Hispanics when I was in high school, but now you have people from all over the world moving in these areas. It’s so much more diverse than it was when I went here… It’s amazing to see how this area has grown in the diversity of the different people all over the world coming and living here and coming to school here.”
Students can get involved too. McAuley is working on making a podcast for the Fuquay-Varina History Museum. She is looking for students interested in learning history, talking to people, or just need volunteer hours.
“There is a group that is working on the athletic legacy. You’ll notice some of our football games and fall events we’re going to be honoring people who have contributed to our athletic program in some way, shape, or form… Then there’s a group working on educational legacy because we have had some of the most amazing educators come and work in the halls of Fuquay. Some devoted their whole careers here. Some have moved on to larger positions in Wake County. Some have had national or county recognition… And the group I’m working with is our community and civic legacy group. We’re reaching out to the community and those who have chosen to serve in a civic way,” said McAuley.
Even though the building has been rebuilt and renovated, it has stayed in the same place. Students can look around and see memories from the old school. The building has trophies and murals to celebrate how long it’s been here.
Wortham said, “We’ve always had some form of a courtyard. It’s much different than it was when I was here, but I always remember some of my fondest memories were being in the courtyard during lunch and just hanging out with my friends because it felt like a space where you could just relax during the course of the day… It’s funny, I don’t really go to the courtyard very much now that I’m a teacher. I just like being in my room or being on the tennis court.”
The school hopes for another good 50 years and to improve even more.
