FAIRHOPE — Fairhope High School will celebrate 100 years in 2024 and is kicking off the celebration by remembering as many former Pirates as possible.

The city is selling 12-inch-by-12-inch pavers that can be engraved with up to six lines of text. The pavers can be purchased through the Baldwin County Schools website for $125. Orders must be placed by May 31.

"We really wanted a way to honor people who graduated from Fairhope and who had some kind of connection to the school," said Linda Smith, a retired Fairhope teacher who is on the committee working to bring the event together.

The pavers will be placed in front of the former K-1 center in downtown Fairhope on Church Street. That building served as the city's high school from 1925 to 1957 and was built just after the city graduated its first class in 1924. At that time, only five graduates walked across the stage. Last year, nearly 300 students became Fairhope alumni.

The new sidewalk full of pavers will be ready for viewing by Oct. 28 when the city plans to throw a party downtown to celebrate the centennial. Details on the weekend-long festivities are still in the planning stages but will include a football game featuring former players, a performance by former band members and a giant class reunion for every student who has graced Fairhope's halls.

"This is a real positive way to bring people together and celebrate Fairhope," Smith said.