PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – West Philadelphia High School is celebrating its 100 year anniversary. Alumni spanning from the 1930s to 2010 gathered at the school on Saturday to pay homage.

Graduates from West Philadelphia High School gathered at 47th and Walnut Streets to say goodbye to the school they loved.

“We came out here to say farewell to our school because we have a new school that is being built,” said Diana Matthews class of 1966.

Matthews says that nearly 2,000 alumni came out for a school photo. “We had a lot of people out here who still care about this school.”

Laverne Anderson graduated from the school in 1976. She says West Philadelphia High has gotten a lot of bad press, but the alumni want to change that.

“We are products of this school,” said Anderson. “We had some of the finest teachers in this country teaching us.”

The new West Philadelphia High School building will open for next school year.

Reported By Cherri Gregg, KYW Newsradio.