Centennial Celebration Wrap-Up at The Hill School

Written by Shayda Windle

The Hill School in Middleburg has just completed one of the most significant years in its history: its 100th. On May 8 and 9, the school culminated its Centennial celebration with a festive Homecoming Tailgate through the Decades, which drew a crowd of nearly 300, and a black-tie Centennial Gala, which drew more than 425 attendees, one of the largest turnouts the school has ever seen. Alumni, parents, faculty, and friends gathered to honor a century of community, character, and confidence building in the heart of Hunt Country. 

As head of school, Treavor Lord reflected in remarks throughout the weekend, “These celebrations are about honoring the generations who came before us, celebrating the strength of our community today, and embracing our responsibility to ensure the next 100 years are every bit as meaningful as the first.”

To mark the milestone, students and staff also looked to both the past and the future with the opening of a time capsule placed 25 years ago by the late Arthur “Nick” Arundel, whose legacy includes the Arundel Family Library on campus. 

Of the moment, his son John Arundel said: “My dad used to say, ‘If you want a better future, invest in education.’ He spent his life backing that belief by funding libraries across Northern Virginia and helping establish institutions like the Marine Corps Museum and George Mason University, where he served as its first chair.” He added, “My father believed deeply in one thing: education changes everything.”

Inside the Sheila Johnson Auditorium, students carefully examined the contents of the capsule, snapshots of another era, before adding their own artifacts and resealing it to be opened again in 50 years. For the Arundel family, the moment carried particular significance.

“Today was one of those full-circle moments I’ll never forget,” Arundel shared. “Twenty-five years ago, my father placed that time capsule while dedicating the Arundel Family Library. Today, a new generation of students opened it as The Hill School celebrates a century of excellence in Middleburg.”

That spirit of legacy and stewardship also inspired another Centennial project rooted firmly in the school’s landscape and future.

Last fall, the Hill team began brainstorming meaningful ways to commemorate the milestone year with faculty, staff, and students. From those conversations, the idea for the Centennial Grove was born, a living legacy where every member of the Hill community can plant a tree and leave a lasting mark for future generations.

The work began over winter break, when volunteers overseen by Mike Barreda, Hill’s JK-8 sports and outdoor education teacher, dug holes for the trees. Those involved understood the significance of the project and were eager to help bring the vision to life.

“The Centennial Grove is our way of leaving a mark on the school not just this year, but for the next hundred years to come,” Barreda says. “The symbolism of oak trees is not lost on me, as they are something that take decades before they even begin to grow. You don’t plant an oak tree for yourself; you plant it for your grandchildren.”

To date, approximately two-thirds of the school community have planted their contribution to the Grove, with plans for the project to be completed by the end of the school year.

“It may become an ongoing project to maintain the forest over time because of natural attrition,” Barreda says, “but at its root, this is a celebration of the last 100 years and an investment in the next hundred.” ML

Published in the June 2026 issue of Middleburg Life.