Alumni Weekend 2026: Always a Part of the PAA Family

Some weekends at PAA feel like a gift. Alumni Weekend 2026 was one of them.

On the first weekend in May, alumni of all ages came back home. Back to the halls, the faces, and the memories that shaped them. From the class of 1948 all the way to recent graduates, alumni gathered to laugh, cry, reminisce, and simply be together. That kind of connection doesn't happen by accident. It happens because PAA leaves a mark.

Friday evening, the Golden Agers gathered for a special dinner of their own. Most were from classes between 1950 and 1956, and the stories they shared, the photographs they passed around, the memories that filled the room were something truly beautiful to witness. These are the people who paved the way for current and future students. We are so glad they came back. 

Sabbath morning, we worshiped together. Alumni, current students, and staff all lifting their voices and their hearts in the same space. There is something deeply moving about generations of alumni in one room, all pointing to the same God.

After worship, honor classes gathered for photos, and all current and former staff present came together for a group photo of their own. Then our junior class stepped up in a wonderful way, preparing and serving lunch to every guest. Watching our current students serve the people who came before them was a picture of what PAA is all about.

The afternoon held one more celebration. We honored two beloved teachers, Rita Barrett and Maria Bibb, as they retire after years of faithful, incredible service to our students and this school. They have poured themselves into this community, and the love in that room said everything.

As the day wound down, honor classes spread out across the Portland area to keep the celebrating going, reconnecting over dinners and memories and all the things that tie PAA/PUA alumni hearts together.

Alumni Weekend is always a reminder of something we never want to take for granted. What happens at PAA matters. The seeds planted here grow for a lifetime.

Once a part of PAA/PUA, always a part of the PAA family.