The month of May marked the ultimate homecoming, as King’s Academy invited back all of its alumni from every graduating class, from 2010 to 2021. While plans for reunions over the past couple of years were regrettably postponed due to challenges posed by the pandemic, everything came together this year, resulting in the school’s biggest reunion event to date.

The reunion took place over four days, starting with a special reception and kick-off gala dinner on campus that was attended by over 200 alumni, in addition to current and former staff and faculty, including founding Head of School Dr. Eric Widmer and his wife, former Dean of the Faculty Dr. Meera Viswanathan. 

Widmer and Viswanathan addressed alumni during the gala dinner, recalling fond memories of King’s earliest years. Head of School Peter Nilsson and Chief Advancement Officer Soha Hmaidan also welcomed those gathered in the Tawfiq Fakhouri Courtyard, followed by faculty member Rola Jaber who took alumni on a nostalgic and often hilarious trip down memory lane with a presentation of older and more recent photos, videos and anecdotes.

Other events organized over the four days gave alumni the opportunity to reconnect with their friends and teachers, and also to make new friends from among those in the 12 different graduating classes. Nilsson kicked off the activities with a traditional school meeting in the Abdul Majeed Shoman Auditorium, where he talked about how important it was for the school to remain connected to its alumni, and about the school’s vision for growth in the coming years.

President of the King’s Academy Alumni Association (KAAA) Hayat Abu Samra also spoke to alumni about ways to keep connected, such as through two platforms created to help alumni get in touch with each other as well as to provide career mentoring. Current students entertained the audience with dance performances, which resulted in alumni getting to their feet to join in on a lively dabkeh dance. A delicious brunch in Meera’s Garden in front of Beit al Mudeer — with tasty delights provided by Blue Fig and Sugar Daddy’s Bakery — was followed by the Lion’s Cup, where alumni and faculty squared off against each other in friendly but spirited competition during soccer and basketball matches, with prizes and gifts generously provided by Interbrands and Orange Jordan. 

The next day, alumni had further opportunities to reminisce about their time at King’s, and to provide their own reflections and hopes for the future of King’s during panel discussions, networking “nooks,” and at a sit-down lunch reminiscent of their days as students. Visits to dorms and recreations of “weekend activities” — including open mic, karaoke, sports and hangouts — were a fun way to round out the day’s activities.

Another special dinner, this time for the classes celebrating their five and 10-year reunions (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017), took place on the third evening at the St. Regis Hotel. On the fourth and final day, the reunion concluded with all alumni invited to a relaxing nature retreat at Mountain Breeze Lodge in Salt where they enjoyed spending time together over breakfast and fun activities.