Honoring the Past, Celebrating Community: A Special Alumni Gathering

In June 2023, the BFIS campus came alive with memories, music, and heartfelt reunions as we hosted a special gathering to celebrate the retirement of two beloved educators and welcome back members of our vibrant alumni community. The event marked the retirement of David Megaña, our inspiring Art Teacher of thirty-seven years, and Valerie White, a devoted Elementary and Early Childhood Teacher who touched generations of students over her twenty-nine years at BFIS.

More than just a farewell, the event was a powerful celebration of the enduring BFIS spirit. We were honored to welcome sixty-four alumni—some flying in from as far as the United States—who returned to campus to pay tribute to the educators who had such a lasting impact on their lives. Their presence highlighted the strong bond that continues to connect our global alumni network to the heart of BFIS.

Also in attendance were seven former staff members, now alumni themselves, who joined the celebration to reflect on their shared journey and the legacy they helped shape. Together with current faculty, staff, students, and families, the evening became a moving tribute to the values, creativity, and relationships that define our school.

One of the most memorable moments of the event came as students performed in honor of Mr. Magaña and Ms. White from the balconies of the High School building—a structure filled with decades of memories and now set to be replaced. As we prepare to break ground on the new Center for Creativity and Innovation, the performance served as a beautiful reminder of how we continue to move forward while honoring the people and places that shaped us.

We are grateful to all the alumni who made the journey back to campus and look forward to many more moments of reconnection and celebration. Whether you were a student or staff member, your story is part of the BFIS legacy—and you will always have a place here.