Liberty-Curtin Showcase: Past, Present, & Future on Display May 14, 2025

By Emily Wright

BLANCHARD— After more than half a century of serving as a cornerstone of learning in Clinton County, Liberty-Curtin Elementary School old building is set to close its doors forever at the end of the school year, but not before students, alumni, teachers, and community members have a chance to say goodbye—and look ahead to the grand opening of a brand new building.

The Liberty-Curtin Showcase: Past, Present, Future event was coordinated by fourth-grade teacher Prella Smith at the helm, alongside several dedicated faculty members—including Lana Weaver, Amber Brungard, Joelene Confer, Laura Weaver, Wendy Zimmerman, Kathy Shope, Brett Umbenhouer—as well as PTO members and many others. The event aims to honor the school’s legacy while also offering a glimpse of what’s next.

The farewell event is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Liberty-Curtin Elementary School, 11125 N. Eagle Valley Road in Blanchard. Due to ongoing construction on-site, attendees are asked to park at the Beech Creek Wesleyan Church, located at 217 Main Street in Beech Creek, where they can take advantage of a shuttle service to the school, generously provided by Susquehanna Transit. Handicapped-accessible parking will be available on the school grounds, ensuring that everyone can attend what promises to be a nostalgic evening.

This unique event comes just ahead of the planned demolition of the original Liberty-Curtin building, which has served the community since it was built in 1966. A modern, state-of-the-art school building will be constructed on the adjacent property, with demolition set to begin in mid-June. Students and staff are expected to begin the 2025-2026 school year in the brand-new facility.

The Liberty-Curtin Showcase will offer a rich tribute to the school’s past. Alumni and visitors are invited to take a final stroll through the halls of the school while enjoying a timeline of artifacts and photographs that chronicle the school’s history from 1966 to the present. Throughout the building, interviews with former faculty and staff will play continuously on smart boards, and perhaps one of the most exciting highlights of the evening will be the opening of a time capsule from 1966, offering a tangible link to the school’s earliest days.

The event will also embrace the present, featuring classrooms filled with displays and projects created by current students. From artwork to educational exhibits, these displays give students the opportunity to share their talents, achievements, and creativity with the community.

The PTO will be selling food and beverages in the cafeteria, and attendees can pre-order engraved “memory bricks” from the original building for $50 each through Clinton County Memorials and Gibson Monument Co., a local business owned by Andrew Noll. Each brick will feature the inscription “Liberty-Curtin 1966-2025.”

The event will showcase the future of Liberty-Curtin Elementary as well. Materials, textiles, and videos will offer a preview of the new school’s features, and attendees can catch a glimpse of the ongoing construction from the windows of the soon-to-be-retired building. Smith noted that an open house at the new Liberty-Curtin Elementary building will be scheduled for next school year once construction is complete, with details to be announced.

“This is going to be a great event! The Liberty-Curtin Community has been so supportive, and this will certainly be a bittersweet event,” said Smith. “We will open the doors of Liberty-Curtin one last time to the community as we showcase the past, present, and future of LC!”

Leading up to the Showcase event on May 14, Smith created a Facebook group where former Liberty-Curtin students and staff are already sharing their memories of the school. To join the conversation and reminisce, search for the “Liberty-Curtin Then & Now” group on Facebook and request to join.

With food, memorabilia, shared memories, the unveiling of a 1966 time capsule, displays of current students’ work, and a glimpse into the future, the Liberty-Curtin Showcase promises to be an unforgettable sendoff— one that ensures the spirit of the original school building lives on for generations to come.