JACKSON TWP — It was a trip back in time Friday afternoon for about 50 students from Seneca Valley High School's inaugural graduating class.

In honor of the Seneca Valley School District's 50th anniversary, students from the Class of 1965 revisited their alma mater and saw how much has changed.

“They're all excited about it,” said Bill Erwin, alumnus and reunion committee coordinator. “They've wanted to do this for some time.”

This is the ninth reunion the Class of 1965 has had since graduating. Class members reunite every five years.

They were given a tour of the school and got to walk down memory lane while seeing the substantial changes that have taken place over five decades.

“Its growth is amazing,” said alumnus Charlie Flock of Evans City. “It seems like they can't get a building built before it's already too small.”

The class had 232 graduates who came from the former Zelienople and Evans City high schools. In comparison, the Seneca Valley Class of 2015 had 572 students walk across the stage for graduation.

“There have been renovations in pretty much every building,” said Linda Andreassi, district communications director. “There are now about 7,300 students in K-12 at Seneca Valley. The growth continues.”

Robert Cook, director of buildings, grounds and security, said one of the biggest changes besides the enrollment growth is the amount of technology integrated into learning.

“We went from typewriters to computers. And now everything is done on iPads,” Cook said. “The kids have BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) where they get to bring their own cell phones to work in classrooms, and everything in this building is wireless.”

One of the many changes the alumni saw that uses such technology is at the school library. Although the library is still in its original location, its use has changed over half a century.

It now is called the “iHub” and has more technological resources for students.

“It's no longer just about reading books,” said Andreassi.

“The changes are astonishing,” Cook said. “This is 1964 construction. We've adapted these buildings to receive technology.”

Saturday was the official class reunion. Eighty-three alumni and about 40 guests showed up to reminisce about their school days 50 years ago.

Erwin said he and other reunion committee members keep in contact with a majority of the class via e-mail.

“We communicate regularly,” he said. “I try to send them something every six months. It was a pretty big job to find everybody at first, and I don't want anyone dropping off.”

Erwin and his wife Linda were in the class. After Seneca Valley, he went on to Robert Morris College for two years and then to the University of North Alabama for two more years.

He said he was close to joining the U.S. Air Force to become a pilot, but was told he couldn't due to having “flat feet.”

“And I said to them, 'Well I'm not going to walk much,'” he said.

He later worked as a certified public accountant.

Two former teachers from 1965 also were present Saturday. Tom and Gloria Heckendorn were recognized by alumni. Tom Heckendorn was the school's first athletic director and football coach, and Gloria Heckendorn taught physical education and health.

Flock was on the school's football team as a defensive and offensive lineman.

“We weren't all that good. We went 1-6-1,” he said. “Our one victory was against North Allegheny, which is something that's a great effort because you didn't do that very often.”

“This is 12 years of free education,” said alumnus Barb Shields (née Damico), who attended the former Evans City High School before transferring to Seneca Valley. “You should make the most of it while you're here. The rest of it, you're going to pay for.”

Shields moved to Washington, Pa., in 1970 and has attended all nine class reunions.

“I don't think when you're going through it, you take it seriously enough,” she said of high school.