Madelyn Moorhead, 5, puts on her balloon hat during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Penn Christian Academy celebrated 35 years since its founding with an open house event for prospective families, alumni and community members Friday, April 26.

The event featured five food trucks, as well as activities such as face painting and balloon art.

Alumni also were welcomed back with chances to win gift cards. Awards were presented for the alumni class with the most members in attendance, alumni with the furthest graduation date, alumni with the most family members in attendance and more.

The school’s founding can be traced to the opening of North Main Street Preschool in 1988 as a ministry of North Main Street Church of God. Five years later, the first kindergarten class was opened in 1993, and the school was renamed North Main Street Christian School. In 2002, the church purchased the property at 199 Airport Road, and the school was renamed Penn Christian Academy. The school and the church parted ways in 2014, said Bill McCarrier, board president, and the academy now operates as an independent entity.

Crew Rauschenberger, 3, takes a swing during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Isaiah Walsh, 4, checks out his face paint during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Madelyn Moorhead, 5, puts on her balloon hat during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Emma Scott, 5, climbs to the top of a roughly 25-foot rock wall during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Emma Scott, 5, celebrates after climbing to the top of a roughly 25-foot rock wall during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Crew Rauschenberger, 3, takes a swing with Steve Rauschenberger during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Isaiah Walsh, 4, gets his face painted during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Madelyn Moorhead, 5, gets a balloon hat during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Mandy Williams, with Dragonfly Balloons, makes a balloon sword during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Mandy Williams, with Dragonfly Balloons, makes a goldfish bowl balloon animal during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Madelyn Moorhead, 5, puts on her balloon hat during the Penn Christian Academy open house Friday, April 26. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle