Dear PHS Alumni,
The Oneida Stake Academy Foundation is issuing a challenge to all Preston High School Alumni. Most of you who graduated prior to 2002 attended classes in the “Academy or Rock Building”. This beautiful historic building was constructed from 1890 to 1894 by Franklin County Pioneers and is a monument to the value that they placed on education. The building was donated to the Preston School District in 1922 and served as the Preston High School until a new facility was constructed in 1940. Classes continued to be held in the building until 2002 when the school district made plans to demolish the building to make room for a new cafeteria and library.

The Oneida stake Academy Foundation, a 501 organization, was formed and raised funds to have the building moved to the Benson Park in Preston in 2003. The foundation has continued to work on the restoration of the building since that time.

The foundation’s mission is to restore this historic building use as a community center. All donations to the foundation go towards the restoration of the building. The board members serve on a volunteer basis. All of the $4.1 million donated to the Oneida Stake Academy Foundation over the last 16 years has been put into the 128 year-old icon of South East Idaho’s pioneer past. These funds have been used to move the building, set it on a new foundation, reinforce the walls to withstand earthquakes, put on a new roof, rebuild the front gable, repair stonework on the front of the building, and install energy efficient windows and a hand-crafted replica of the original door in the front of the building. The ballroom floor has been lifted and re-enforced, the bell tower has been refurbished and the bell is ringing, architectural plans have been completed and a general contractor has been engaged. Over the last couple of years, donations have been received that will allow the completion of the remaining masonry repairs and replacement of the windows on the sides and back of the building and install insulation. This work was started in the fall of 2018 and completion is expected this fall. Once these weatherization projects have been completed, approximately $2.5 million in additional donations will be needed to complete the restoration of the Academy. The next phase of the project will be finishing the basement floor of the building. Finishing the basement would allow public access to a portion of the building. Use of the building will provide fees that can be used towards completing the remainder of the building and also help to spark additional interest in completing the restoration.
Once completed the Academy will function as a living piece of local history where patrons can:

• Find information on local heritage and the 127-mile nationally recognized Pioneer Historic Byway in a gift shop/welcome center.
• Peruse artifacts in a museum telling the story of how this part of the country was settled including the native Americans who called this area home, the story of the Academies built by the Mormon Pioneers, and learn about prominent alumni of the Oneida Stake Academy and the history of agriculture the area .
• Hold conferences, retreats, family and class reunions, training sessions and classes and community and business meetings.
• Host weddings, receptions, banquets, graduations, funerals, concerts, art shows, festivals, dances and other cultural events.

A member of the local historical society, who is also a member of the Academy board, has recently developed an itinerary for a field trip for fourth grade Idaho history classes which a tour of the Academy .

Restoration of this building Will not only honor our magnificent pioneer ancestors, but it Will fill a real need for this type of facility in our community and will provide an economic benefit to the area through the tourism that it will attract. Several requests a year for the use of the building are received each year, but cannot be accommodated due to liability issues relating to public use of a building that is still
under construction.

The Academy Board is issuing this challenge to the Alumni of Preston High School to raise the funds needed to complete the restoration and Open the doors to the community. The graduating class that donates the most ($100,000 minimum) will be able to hold all their remaining reunions at the Academy for free. All Other classes Will be able to hold one reunion at the Academy for free for each $10,000 raised. Although several members of various graduating classes have donated in the past, only donations made subsequent to the date of this letter will be counted towards this challenge.

Accept the Challenge!! Help restore this P.H.S ICON! Will your class lead the way? Hold your next reunion at the Academy.

Oneida Stake Academy Board
Saundra Hubbard Chairwoman
P.S Be sure to indicate your graduating class on your donation form or check.
P.P.S  A Naming Rights Brochure is also attached. Who would you like to honor at the Academy with your donation?