As you may have seen, there is a new addition to the English hallway on the second floor: the Heritage Hallway. The process of creating this time capsule has been in the works for quite some time, says AHA President Tom Shipley, who has wanted to implement something historical into the school campus from the start of his AHA career. Steve Werle, AHA history teacher, has been an integral part of this project as well, selecting all the photos displayed in the hallway. Erin Blauert, Advancement assistant, was another main contributor to the hallway, helping oversee the budget, timeline, and the production team. The hallway is a way for current students to see the alumni who have come before them and reminds past students that they will always be welcomed in the AHA community.

There are many special memories captured in the photos of the students that walked these halls before us. As you walk through this historical hallway, you will notice that the photos are grouped by the decade. The images walk students from the beginning of AHA, showing the community and development of AHA from its creation in 1877 to the present. If you take a moment to stop and look closely, you will see that there are two phrases written in Latin. The first phrase in the hall is “Vigilate et Orate”, which means “watch and pray”, and the second phrase which is located over the doorway is “Possumus” which translates to “we can”. These phrases are very inspiring to the AHA community and are phrases that every past, present, and future student can be empowered by. 

All of the pictures incorporated into this hallway are interesting, but some that contain very special moments. In the hallway, there is a picture taken during a class trip to Washington D.C. In the picture, the AHA girls are standing with President John F. Kennedy and future Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey. Along this hallway, there are a few lenticular images, which are pictures that change as you walk past them. These photographs are captivating, catching your eye and making you stop and look at both images. Werle said he strategically placed these in a pattern sort, allowing only them to be every few images, so they stand out even more. So, as you walk through the hallway, make sure to pay extra attention to these photographs.

President Shipley said that throughout the coming years there will be more additions around the campus to help remember and honor our students of the past. Additionally, you can see the phrase “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” incorporated into one of the walls, implying that students from past, present and future are all united together in the AHA community. Next time you walk through the hallway, try to remember the students who came before you and the legacy you will leave behind once you graduate.