Happy Birthday, TAS! Students and Employees Celebrate 75 Years!

As we celebrate our 75th anniversary year, our students and employees enjoyed an unforgettable event on Friday, November 22 to mark this milestone year. 

Planned by the Advancement Office and supported by a volunteer committee of parents and the incredible contributions of art teachers and students—many of whom dedicated their hours and weekends to creating the decorations—this event celebrated our community at every level!  

The committee planned a day of celebration that included an all-school activity, special 75th anniversary merchandise for each of our Tigers, and a sweet treat to bring the birthday party to life. A key element of this celebration was surprise; our planning committee wanted to re-create the feeling of a surprise birthday party for our students infusing the day with delight and school pride for our students and employees from Kindergarten A through Grade 12. 

In the weeks leading up to the celebration, the planning committee, employees, some special students in the know, coordinated on creating the big surprise - birthday art, planning the birthday song and event entertainment from Middle School dancers and Upper School band, and strategizing on how best to deliver 3,000 cupcakes across campus. Lower School art students, especially, created clay birthday cakes, dancing cutouts, disco balls, and other party elements that decorated the Lower School halls.  

The night before the celebration, students, parents, and employees decorated the campus. Our Upper School art students and teachers created a towering, 25-foot-tall birthday cake. This awe-inspiring student creation set the tone for the day, complemented by 75 handmade, larger-than-life paper candles strung from the ceiling and a “Happy Birthday TAS!” banner along the back wall. The cake was topped with a giant 75, lit from above by our wonderful theater tech team.  

Every entrance to the Lower, Middle, and Upper School divisions was adorned with festive streamers, banners, and vibrant birthday-themed art created by students, the PTA, and volunteers. The artwork created by Lower School students migrated from the Lower School into hallways, showing off their party-themed creations for the entire school. Throughout the day, students could be seen admiring all of the unique cakes and decorations, exclaiming over the smallest details and student creativity!  

The surprise party kicked off during the morning arrival, with all bus monitors and security personnel cheerfully welcoming students and colleagues alike in festive birthday cake hats! Tiberius the Tiger joined the drop-off outside the lobby to welcome students, parents, and employees to school, posing for pictures outside of the giant, lit up, “TAS 75” installation and giving out hugs and high-fives.  

After arriving at their homerooms, students received their special 75th Anniversary t-shirts, which they proudly wore for the day's events. As the celebration continued, over 2,370 students and 650 employees, all wearing their commemorative shirts, gathered on the field for a historic assembly.  

Parent and employee volunteers helped coordinate the field formation, and the students formed the words “TAS 75” on the grass. To add to the festive spirit, participants were given bright yellow pom-poms, creating a sea of school spirit. Throughout this process, the Middle School dancers entertained the crowd with lively performances, while the Upper School Jazz Band set the tone with smooth jazz. 

This was the first time in recent history that the entire TAS community had come together in such a large-scale gathering.  

Once everyone was in position, the whole community joined together to sing “Happy Birthday” to TAS in both English and Mandarin. The event reached its peak as confetti cannons launched blue and gold streamers into the air, showering the field in a vibrant display of school pride. Drones and rooftop cameras captured this historic moment as cheers erupted across the campus. 

Birthday cupcakes were distributed to every student during break times or in their classrooms, while employees and volunteers enjoyed slices of cake as a special thank-you for their hard work in making the day a success. 

This event was truly a monumental effort. From the planning and execution of the campus-wide decorations to the distribution of thousands of t-shirts and cupcakes, every aspect was meticulously coordinated. Thanks to the collaboration of organizers, volunteers, and teachers, the day was a resounding success, and our students left the celebration with lasting memories. 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this a truly historic celebration!