Moon Lake Campus is Continuing a Legacy

Seeing the work being done at Moon Lake and playing a small role in helping promote and preserve the campus has been extremely gratifying for me. I’ve heard so many stories from people who attended the school, but not having attended there myself, it’s difficult for me to fully grasp its impact on this community.

Sixth-grade Moon Lake graduate Taylor Poff

A story came my way last month that helped me see things more clearly. Joanne Tate Johnson started class at Moon Lake in 1950, forging lifelong friendships in the process. Fast-forward 51 years and Johnson’s granddaughter, Taylor Poff Young, became a Moon Lake kindergarten student.

Fourteen years after Young’s sixth-grade graduation, Moon Lake closed. It was devastating news for the community. Teachers, staff members, and current and former students lost their school, but some say it felt like the community lost its heart.

The Town of Mentone took on the challenge of owning and renovating the property. It has been a costly and time-consuming endeavor, for certain. But look at the results. Moon Lake Campus is home to shops, galleries, offices, and a fabulous restaurant. An engaging public art display graces the front of the school, and the Shigley Amphitheater out back hosts outdoor concerts for residents and visitors to enjoy. The Little River Arts Council hosts its First Fridays event there, and thousands visit the campus for the annual Mentone Fall Festival in October.

And thanks to the vision of Dr. David Campbell and the work of his strong team at Northeast Alabama Community College, learning has returned to Moon Lake through traditional and non-credit classes.

Taylor Young led a class on sourdough making at Moon Lake Campus. The class was part of NACC’s series of non-credit courses held at the former elementary school.

Back to Young. She is the Learning Resources Center Secretary at NACC. She’s also a fabulous baker (look her up when you need a world-class cheesecake for a special occasion). As part of NACC’s non-credit programming, Young taught a class last month on making sourdough bread. The room was filled to capacity. People had a great time, learned a new skill, and can’t wait until the next class.

Taylor Young

It was a full-circle moment for Young. “As a third-generation Moon Lake student, I cannot express how honored I was to visit my old stomping grounds and teach some ladies the basics of sourdough,” she said. “It makes my heart so happy to see the campus being taken care of and put to such amazing use!”

I can’t think of a better story that illustrates the impact of Moon Lake through the past century and connects with the efforts to preserve its legacy for generations to come.