It is remarkable when a student truly “grows up” in one school, surrounded by always-familiar faces and relationships they’ve fostered for 12 years or longer. A Collingwood ‘Lifer’ is someone who has spent their entire school career at Collingwood, beginning in JK-Grade 1, and is now graduating.

Ms. Evans, who’s been with Collingwood since 1993, has been present for each ‘Lifers’ celebration since its inception in 2003. She says the term was jokingly borrowed from the term “life sentence” and refers to the lifelong shared identity Collingwood students often feel.

The Lifer’s Lunch is the annual gathering that pulls these students together with many of the teachers who helped mold them over the years. The first group back in 2003 was small – only 10 students – but as the School has grown, the Lifer’s list has multiplied to 32 students graduating in 2025. The idea was proposed by two parents of Lifers and after the successful first event, the School made it a tradition.

A student reflection, by 2013 alum Leah Frome, says it best:

“To be a Lifer means so much more than the five letters it represents. To be a part of a family that takes such good care of you, and to bond with each and every individual you grow up with leaves me with a sense of pride. I feel privileged to be a Lifer.”

We’re looking forward to this year’s lunch in a few weeks where our 32 2025 Lifers will take a trip down memory lane, all the way back to 2012!

In the meantime, enjoy some of these “Lifers” photos from years past.