Olgay GÜLER
Graduates from the newest to the oldest came together at the traditional pilaf festival held at Edirne High School, one of Turkey’s most established educational institutions, celebrating its 167th anniversary.
Edirne High School’s 167th anniversary activities, which started the day before, continued with the program held at the school yesterday. As part of the program, commemorative plaques were presented to the 50th and 40th year graduates in the school’s conference hall. Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer attended the event, where the traditional rice bell was rung and rice was served, and he toured the school and chatted with the graduates.
‘THERE IS AN ANCIENT TRADITION THAT CONTINUES’
Speaking during the visit, Governor Sezer stated that Edirne High School is a historical school and emphasized that the continuing tradition is very valuable. Sezer said, “Today, we are here to continue an ancient tradition of our ancient building. Our Edirne High School is one of the high schools that has survived from the Ottoman period. Graduates continue to have love and respect for each other. There is a tradition that has been going on for 167 years. Of course, we are proud to have such a high school. Indeed, we have graduates who graduated from here and left their mark on both Edirne and Turkey. Indeed, when we visited the museum, we saw that many important personalities and organizations, including the teachers working there and the students we looked at as graduates, served here. “In this sense, we really thank you,” he said.
‘DORMITORY SECTIONS WILL BE COMPLETED WITH A LIBRARY’
Drawing attention to the ongoing restoration of the dormitory sections next to the high school, Sezer said, “Of course, the dormitory sections of our Edirne High School have been restored and there is an ongoing restoration work. “Hopefully, we are planning to complete the academic year within the scope of these restorations this year and turn it into an important organization with its library that will serve well,” he said.
‘Edirne HIGH SCHOOL SHINE BRIGHT IN THE SKY’
Edirne High School Principal Recep Şentürk compared Edirne High School to a shining star in the sky during the program in the conference hall. Şentürk said, “We are truly having a very special day. You know, a word we use a lot today is ‘a school with traditions and a school with its own culture’, look, there is something truly magnificent happening today. Today, the students studying at this school and our graduates, 70 years after graduating from here, meet at their schools every year. I think the number of schools that can provide this is counted on the fingers of one hand in the country. We are very lucky to have such students, I thank them very much. Edirne High School is a shining star in the sky, and when it comes together with its graduates every year, it truly shines even brighter in the sky. “I really feel this sincerely,” he said.
‘OUR STUDENTS ARE GLORIOUS’
Edirne High School Education Foundation President Atıl Erman also stated that the students studying at Edirne High School make a difference. Erman said, “Our children are somewhere else. It’s not just me saying this. There is something that the devoted teachers working in this school say. They say; ‘Brother Atıl, the students who have come to this school in recent years are very different.’ They are very successful in their classes. Can you imagine? They are successful in every aspect, including cultural activities, artistic activities and intelligence competitions. This makes us proud. We are proud of our school. Once again, I congratulate our parents in this hall. “I thank you for raising such good children,” he said.
