As the end of the school year approaches, Principal Gary “Papa” Schultz empathizes with seniors as they leave their positions as heads on the campus. In order to celebrate Schultz’s 29 years at FC, Eunie McEntee, the event coordinator, put together one final farewell bash for Papa, May 14. Nearly 800 people attended the event, including students, alumni, parents, faculty and friends of Papa.

Throughout the day, festivities and decorations honored the long-time principal’s service.

“I really want to thank Willard (Neufeld, Peoples Church facilities director) and the custodial staff for all their help,” McEntee said. “I’ve been a part of FC celebrations for years and am blessed to be a part of Papa’s farewell party.”

Papa’s schedule for the day included a faculty meeting in the morning, drama skit, ensemble performance, classroom visits and appearances of old friends and previous students.

The drama class incorporated their ‘Papa appreciation’ into two skits. The first with Sean O’Neal, ’08, and Nacoya Villegas, ’10, was about how no one could fill Papa’s spot and the qualifications and sacrifices he made for his role as principal. The other, including most of the drama class, was a thank-you for his hard work and time.

“My mom came and asked me to get some students together for a skit for Papa,” Tom McEntee, drama teacher, said. “We really enjoyed doing this for Papa. The skits we did weren’t necessarily entertaining for high school students, but they were perfect for Papa.”

McEntee chose a few well-known songs and rewrote the lyrics that described a genuine gratitude for Papa. Luke DeGroot, ’09, a member of ensemble for three years, was glad be able to contribute to Papa Day.

“It was great to see how much Papa enjoyed our performance,” DeGroot said. “The smile on his face totally brightened the room and I’m glad I could be a part of his day.”

Student leadership members put in over three hours of work the night before to cover the campus in artwork and decorations celebrating Papa’s life.

“Our appreciation for Papa totally showed through our hard work,” Ashlyn White, ’11, leadership member, said. “My day was perfect after a Papa hug and fist pound.”

After five minutes of 7th period classes, the fire alarm sounded and students from elementary to high school filed out onto the field behind the gym. There, they sang “Papa You’re Retiring” and listened to athletic director Chris Scultz, Superintendent Debbie Siebert and Peoples Church former pastor G.L. Johnson recall precious memories of their years with Papa.

“Papa has helped me deal with school problems,” Nick Methgen, ’10, said. “He’s a bright spot in the school. Papa day was a great way to honor Papa and all that he’s done for the school. The event was fun, and it meant a lot to him.”

For photos of the event, see Papa Schultz day and We love Papa!