Happy Birthday, Hanby

Westerville’s beloved elementary school celebrates centennial

On April 29, 2023, Hanby Elementary is celebrating its 100-year anniversary of being an educational pillar in the Westerville Community. The school is commemorating the event through a festival celebration from noon-4 p.m., held inside the school where everyone is welcome to join in.

“The building will be open to really anyone who wants to come celebrate Hanby’s centennial,” says Caley Nestor Baker, principal of Hanby Elementary. “We’re going to have lots of different activities going on (like) scavenger hunts (and) food trucks – all of that good stuff that makes a really fun birthday party.”

Nestor Baker shares that this centennial is more than just a celebration of Westerville’s history – the anniversary means acknowledging Westerville’s tradition of valuing education.

“Westerville City Schools has been an integral part of Westerville as a community for so long. To be able to recognize how long it has been at the center of who we are as Westerville, it just means a whole lot,” she says.

Sitting across the street from Westerville City Hall, Hanby Elementary is the geographical epicenter of Uptown Westerville.

The school’s location is a true representation of how the city has centered education in its community for decades.

“Hanby Elementary sits at the corner of State and Park – it is the heart of Uptown Westerville. When you drive into Westerville, you see a school,” Nestor Baker says.

“It is the foundation of everything, so you see all of these flourishing businesses around … and you know that it all starts with education.”

Because of the school’s centralized location, Hanby’s students get rare access to the surrounding resources.

“Hanby is not a neighborhood school. Hanby pulls from all parts of our Westerville School District, so you have the students coming from all (over) learning (the history of Westerville).”

Hanby’s continued involvement in and around the community establishes the school as an integral piece of the city. Hanby’s students go on field trips to the Mid Ohio Food Collective to learn about supporting the community, they see performances at Otterbein University, they visit COSI, and go on walking trips to city hall and First Responders Park. Hanby students learn firsthand about the history of Westerville and the role education has played in forming those bonds over the century.

“One hundred years. It’s really wonderful to think that a school has been a part of a community for 100 years,” she says. “So much has happened … that we can reflect on and celebrate and it’s just a wonderful way to bring the community together. Education is … what weaves the fabric of the community.”

A Century of Community

Hanby Elementary welcomed its first students on April 29, 1923. It is the second oldest school in Westerville and has been home to all grade levels from K-12. When Hanby was first built, it was named Westerville High School until Westerville South opened in 1960 and Hanby shifted to a junior high school. Now, Hanby serves as a magnet school for grades one through five.

Hanby Elementary was named after composer, educator, pastor and conductor of the Underground Railroad, Benjamin Hanby. Hanby moved to Westerville with his family in the mid-1800s and became an extraordinarily active member of the community.

“He was a leader in the community … and it seemed very apt to name the building after him. His family was also really involved in Otterbein, so education … and the arts was there. It made very good sense to honor the Hanbys with the school,” Nestor Baker says.

While the building has undergone renovations and changes since its initial build, the building maintains the entirety of its original structure from the 1920s. In 2003, the school installed air conditioning, and later underwent a more serious set of renovations.

“When we did Hanby’s beautification, we updated it, not to necessarily make it all modern; we updated it in 2013 with windows and doors that reflected what it looked like when it was first opened. So, we honor the character that makes each of our buildings unique.”

Hanby is scheduled to undergo another renovation this summer to prepare the school for its next 100 years.

“We are making sure all of the mechanics are up to date, making sure that, cosmetically speaking, it gets a refresh. So, it isn’t going to be a massive undertaking,” Nestor Baker says.

Not only will Hanby have a physical refresh, but the school is looking to reimagine its course programs. In the past, Hanby alternated between centralizing STEM and the arts. However, in the next couple of years, Hanby is looking to become a school that prioritizes both.

“As we move into the next 100 years, we will have a revitalized magnet program to kick it off,” Nestor Baker says.

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