Twenty Years Later: The Class of 2005 Comes Home

What makes someone return to school twenty years after graduation?

For the Class of 2005, the answer became clear the moment they walked down the drive.

Travelling from around the world, alumni returned to reconnect with classmates, reunite with their favourite teachers, and revisit the place where some of life's most formative friendships and memories began. For many, it was their first time back since graduation. Twenty years had passed, careers had been built, families had grown, and lives had taken alumni in many different directions. Yet within minutes, conversations resumed as though no time had passed at all.

A brief tour of the new Upper School building gave the group a glimpse of just how much St. Catherine's has grown since 2005. For a cohort of just 14 students, the scale was striking. But it was the walk back down to the Lower School campus, through the entrance they all knew, that brought everything rushing back.

And waiting for them was Stuart Bond.

Stuart Bond has been part of the fabric of St. Catherine's since 2000, which means he knew this group before they knew themselves. The moment Stuart Bond walked in, the energy shifted. The memories came flooding back, the laughter got louder, and the evening truly began. Together with many of our forever staff such as Anne Peters, Wendy Raikopoulos, Mirka Kondaki and more, and current teachers Sophia Adamopoulou, Rebecca Demetriades, Philip Kolyvas and Marietta Kandilaki, he brought out the House Cup quiz from the archives, fired round after round of pop quiz questions at the room, and shared a collection of videos that had everyone in stitches, reminding the Class of 2005 exactly why some teachers never leave you.

Even those who could not be there in person were part of the celebrations, with Markus Hextall surprising alumni with a special video message from afar.

Among the guests was an alumna who has since returned as a St. Catherine's parent. Some of the teachers who once taught our alums are now teaching their children. The St Cats story has a way of continuing long after graduation.

Adding an extra touch of nostalgia, Vangi Burbidge returned not only to reunite with students and friends, but to help create the atmosphere she was always known for. With her trademark creativity and St Cats magic, she transformed the venue and brought a little of the early 2000s back to life.

The evening also produced something truly unique. The Class of 2005 created a canvas together, each alumni drawing their own face and signing their name alongside it. A room full of people who have built careers, raised families, and travelled the world, happily picking up a pen and drawing themselves as they once were. It now stands as a permanent reminder of the evening and of the group who made it so memorable.

With great music, delicious refreshments, plenty of laughter, and more than a few "remember when" moments, the evening was a celebration of everything that makes the St Cats spirit so special.

"The atmosphere was incredible. There is something about this community that you simply can't recreate. When alumni walk back through these doors, you feel it immediately. The room was full of joy, stories and shared memories, and a sense that these connections still matter, even twenty years on." Deborah Eleftheriou, Head of Alumni Relations

Twenty years later, the Class of 2005 showed us exactly why alumni come back. Not for the memories. For the people.

Think you might recognise a few faces? Browse the gallery below.