FONTANA, CA – Jenna Neuenswander, who was part of Canyon Crest Elementary School’s first-ever kindergarten class 25 years ago, said the lasting bond she formed with her teachers made it a simple choice to choose where her daughter, kindergartener Liliana Lobo, would begin her educational journey.

“It’s amazing to have my daughter go to Canyon Crest because I know all the teachers and staff from personal experience – so I know that it’s a great school,” Neuenswander said during the school’s 25th anniversary celebration on Sept. 14.

Neuenswander joined more than 200 students, parents, teachers and District staff members for the event, catching up with former teachers and friends, including those who – like her – have their own children attending Canyon Crest.

The festivities featured music from a DJ, the Canyon Crest band class and Kaiser High School’s marching band, a body art painting booth, a photo booth, and food and dessert trucks.

Inside the school’s multi-purpose room, students and alumni added their experiences to a memory wall, where guests wrote down their graduation years and thanked the school for helping raise their children.

Canyon Crest first-grade teacher Mary Crull teared up as she recalled her 25 years of teaching at the school and all the relationships she created with students and other teachers.

“I just have so many memories flooding back – it feels great to see so many old students and colleagues that I haven’t seen in years,” Crull said. “I’ve known so many wonderful people who have worked here and even more students that I saw grow up here.”

Principal Kelly Wilbert said that Canyon Crest sets itself apart by finding new ways to support student growth via after-school programs, workshops and counseling sessions and through its community of supportive parents who help with event coordination during school events.

“Here at Canyon Crest, we’re supportive of our students and we encourage them to do their best through our diverse program offerings,” Wilbert said. “It’s truly an honor to work for a school that has such a rich history of alumni who are eager to send their children here based on their attachment to former teachers.”

That legacy continues for students like Liliana Lobo, who said she likes being recognized by her mother’s former teachers and enjoys participating in her school’s chorus class.

“We would like to congratulate the teachers and staff at Canyon Crest Elementary School for providing 25 years of amazing academic support to our community,” FUSD Superintendent Randal S. Bassett said. “Canyon Crest Elementary is an exceptional example of a school that consistently encourages and empowers its students in all facets of education.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

092817_FUSD_25ANNIVERSARY1: Fourth-grader Mary Paras gets a painted crown on her forearm during Canyon Crest Elementary School’s 25th anniversary open house event on Sept. 14.

092817_FUSD_25ANNIVERSARY2: Canyon Crest Elementary students take turns writing on the school’s “graffiti wall” to thank teachers and the school, and share their memories during the school’s 25th anniversary open house on Sept. 14.