The community event kicked off at 4:30 p.m. with food vendors set up in the parking lot. Scott’s Roasting, Something Sourdough & the Pop Stop, Hap & Henry, Tully Scott and Buzzy’s Sweet Treats were set up to offer attendees a variety of foods and drinks.

A coned off area was arranged for the attending children to have a dance party. Several students formed a conga line and danced while they waited for food and drinks.

Brad McCloskey introduced the afternoon’s speakers as they took to the podium and thanked everyone who helped make this dream a reality.

Jeffrey Straub, lead architect for Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, was the first speaker at the podium.

PHOTO PROVIDED Bricks from the former Liberty-Curtin Elementary School are etched with the years it was open were on display during the open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday night in Blanchard.

“We started talking with the district in 2018-19 for this project. To see everyone come together today and to not have two buildings on this campus and finally be able to have the building… We want to thank all of you for having us be your team (and) community for the past six or seven years,” he said.

“These projects don’t come around very often,” Straub continued. “These are generational buildings. The previous building was 56-57 years old… There were a lot of things lacking at the previous facility that the community lived with for quite some time. It’s time for us to go away, and for the school and community to enjoy this building for the coming years.”

The next speaker was Liberty-Curtin Principal Brett Umbenhouer, who spent countless hours on the decision-making process for the school, and who has really put his heart into the project.

“We did it. This has been a long process, but one that is very rewarding,” He began, welcoming everyone to the event, “Tonight isn’t just about cutting a ribbon, it’s about recognizing the years of planning, hard work and dedication that brought us all to this moment.”

Umbenhouer noted Liberty-Curtin’s theme — “One team, one dream” — and how the phrase has encapsulated the process of the last few years.

PHOTO PROVIDED Alumni of the previous Liberty-Curtin Elementary School had the opportunity to look through yearbooks and other memorabilia during the open house and ribbon cutting on Monday night at the new building.

“(It) has never meant more. We’ve leaned on one another, our staffulty, our families and our community. Every single one of you has been part of that journey. Thank you for your patience, your ideas, your support and for always keeping our students and our community at the heart of this process,” he said.

“When we first imagined this new school, our goal was simple: we wanted to stay true to the Liberty-Curtin tradition of having a small community school built on support, involvement and academic success while also opening the door to new opportunities for the future. This building is more than just classrooms and walls. It’s a place full of possibilities, new programs, partnerships and events that will benefit not only our students but also our whole community,” said Umbenhouer.

He highlighted the added collaborative spaces built into the design of the school, intended to encourage creativity and motivate students to think outside the box and work together to solve problems.

“This school reflects who we are. A community that comes together, a place where every child matters and a future that feels wide open. Tonight, as we celebrate, let’s remember: this is our school. It’s built by our community for our children and for generations still to come. That’s something to be proud of. It’s why we can truly say, LC is the place to be,” he concluded.

Clinton County Commissioner Angela Harding, Centre County Commissioner Mark Higgins, Cindy Kunes on behalf of state representative Glenn Thompson and Earnest Greene on behalf of state representative Stephanie Borowicz all attended the event as well.

PHOTO PROVIDED A group of kids form a conga line during a dance party at the Liberty-Curtin Elementary School open house on Monday night.

“We love seeing the investment in Centre County by the school district,” said Higgins.

“I am really excited for the educational opportunities for the students in Keystone Central School District and also for the faculty to have such a modernized place to deliver that education,” said Harding.

After the ribbon cutting, the doors were opened for the public to go on self-guided tours throughout the building.

The one-story building includes classic school designs — ADA compliance, a multipurpose gymnasium, multiple classrooms with both single-teacher use and multi-teacher use, a library, a STEM area and more. In comparison to the old building, every room has had a significant improvement in size, accessibility and technology.

On top of all of the standard school spaces, the new building also features the aforementioned “collaborative areas” where students can study together, host presentations or wait for parent pick-up at the end of the day.

Attendees were encouraged to check out the classrooms, and browse through the Liberty-Curtin memorabilia on display in the library space.

In the multipurpose gymnasium, artifacts from the time capsule were on display, as well as a video with additional pictures.

Keep an eye out for an article about special guest Alan St. Jean, a children’s author, who was in attendance at the ribbon-cutting. During the week of the event, St. Jean is working with the third and fourth grade students to publish a book.

PHOTO PROVIDED A large crowd gathers outside Liberty-Curtin Elementary School during its open house and ribbon cutting on Monday night.