On Saturday, May 9th, alumni, students, parents, and faculty reunited at the Blue Dungeon to bid farewell and reflect on the memories the gym has brought the community. As part of the school’s “The Next 100” campaign, the Blue Dungeon and the Dining Hall will be replaced by the new STEM Commons Building, which will house a new dining hall, state-of-the-art science classrooms, and innovation and collaboration spaces. This new building will allow the school to achieve one of its goals: becoming a premier STEM institution not only in South Florida but across all of Florida. 

The event was in an “open house” style, with no speakers, and it had a relaxed atmosphere that allowed all attendees to write heartfelt messages on the gym walls and bond over their campus memories. Natalie White, Associate Chief Advancement Officer, explained that they would photograph the messages and display them later on. They will also preserve pieces of the gym. 

“The floorboards will be cut up after the construction starts, so we’ll save 300 pieces of the floor so that families or alumni can have a memento from the building,” White said. “Andre Torres, the Director of Athletics is also going to be saving the original ‘G’ from the center of the court and the original ‘Raiders, ‘ where it says on the side, and displaying them in the new athletic center.”

The Blue Dungeon – one of the school’s most historic buildings – has lived in the center of campus since its opening in 1978. Throughout its glorious 48 years, the gym hosted countless pep rallies, assemblies, sports games, practices, and other community events. Most Raiders can’t recount fond memories of their time at the school without mentioning the gym, and seeing it go is bittersweet but hopeful to many. 

“I spent a lot of time in the Blue Dungeon during my time at Gulliver. I was on the dance team, pep band, and I was student body president my Senior year. Right now, the first thing I thought of was Ms. Gerri, who was the former Sundancers coach,” Nikki Hurtado ‘18 said as she remembered her dance practices in the Blue Dungeon. “But those little things that I didn’t think of at the time are what I remember ten years later, and it feels very nostalgic coming back here.”

Others vividly remembered the pep rallies that brought together all grades and fostered a strong sense of school spirit.

“For me it was always the pep rallies, it was really loud and welcoming,” Omar Fernandez ‘91 said. “We had our pep rallies, we had our sports banquets in here, it was like whenever something was going on, we were here in the Blue Dungeon.”

Since the gym is located in the heart of campus, alumni Michelle Krietsch ’87 and Catherine Piccini ‘87 remembered that students were always near the gym and engaging in some kind of activity nearby. Krietsch played volleyball with Piccini, who also did track and field, softball, and even started the girls’ soccer team. 

“When they built it, [the Blue Dungeon] that walkway was open, there was no wall there,” Catherine Piccini ’87 said, pointing to one of the Blue Dungeon’s walls. “So you would be playing, and someone would be going to class or the library, and they would just stop, and you’d look up, and there’d be kids looking up, hanging out there, and watching.” 

When asked how they felt about saying goodbye to the gym, many alumni agreed that even though it was bittersweet, it was a sign of the times and that the new commons will allow the school to help students to pursue their passions. 

“It’s sad to say goodbye to the Blue Dungeon, but when you look around there are so many people here, so the community is here regardless of the buildings. The buildings help house these incredible programs for our kids and future kids, so I think it’s sad but it’s okay,” Pino said. “As I look around, I still feel like the school is full of so much love, so much community, which is what I love about Gulliver.”