Bagpipes have been a steadfast symbol of Ben Lomond High School for decades. They are such a strange and unusual instrument that have represented and influenced our school for many years.
Daniel Tracy, a music teacher and the head of the bagpipes program at the school for the past four years, explained a little about what bagpipes are and what they were used for back in the day.
The type of bagpipes played at Ben Lomond are known as Great Highland Bagpipes; they are woodwind instruments that have a bag filled with air, a chanter (the part the piper places their hands on to play the notes), and three drones (the pipes poking out of the top of the bag that make a “droning sound”). Mr. Tracy explained that bagpipes were once used as war instruments on the battlefield.
“It was used as a war instrument to intimidate the enemies,” Mr. Tracy said. “It’s a big, loud sound. It was originally made out of a goat’s body or a goat’s stomach that you would fill up with air. And that’s kind of an intimidating thing.”
Enough to scare any enemy away, but not in today’s day and age, and certainly not in our school. Ben Lomond doesn’t use them to scare away any armies of war, instead they are used to uplift, encourage, and bind us all together as Scots. The bagpipes are part of many of our high school’s traditions, such as the school hymn
“The sound and playing of bagpipes, it reminds them of their time at high school,” Mr. Tracy said. “We’re not trying to intimidate anybody. Nobody’s at war, but we all are Ben Lomond people. We’re all Scots in that way. And that’s what matters.”
The bagpipes have had a huge impact on our school’s history, culture, and in our community. When people think about Ben Lomond they are very likely to remember that we have bagpipes.
Our bagpipes corps has become a very integral part of our community, with the group playing at city events, graduation, and even the Pioneer Day Parade.
Jeffery Martinez, an assistant principal at BL, believes the bagpipes bring the energy.
“It’s just very enthusiastic,” he said. “It brings up the spirit. ... I think it’s a positive impact on our community as our school culture.”
Mr. Martinez says we’re able to strengthen our schools reputation and help spread positivity by sharing our bagpipe tradition with the rest of our community.
On a different note, Mr. Tracy explained that there are very few schools that even have bagpipes. He said there are only two schools in all of Utah that have bagpipes: Ben Lomond and Payson High School down in central Utah.
Even outside of Utah there are very few schools with bagpipes. We are a very unique school in
that we have bagpipes to help us celebrate our Scottish traditions as well to bind us together as students at Ben Lomond.
This tradition has been at our school for over 45 years and it should continue long into the future if people stay interested in wanting to learn to play them. Mr. Tracy says it takes time to learn how to play the bagpipes, but it is so fulfilling.
Right now there are two ways to join the Bagpipe Corps to play either the pipes or drums. First, there is a bagpipe club held after school on Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 pm in the band room at the school. This club is open to all 7th through 12th graders throughout the Ogden School District. Second, you could sign up for a bagpipe class at Ben Lomond, held currently during A5, where you can learn to play the bagpipes.
The bottom line is that bagpipes are special. Our experience with them in our high school years will carry on with us long into the future. It’s truly a unique experience to have an opportunity to hear such a special instrument every week. It’s something that is hard to forget.
“I don’t want to sound cynical, but we’re the school with bagpipes,” Mr. Tracy said. “I also think as an instrument, [bagpipes] make this particularly powerful and also reverent sound. … And I think that reverence is something that grabs onto the heartstrings and does what music does, in a unique bagpipey kind of way.”
BAGPIPES
WHERE THE PROUD PIPERS PLAY
By Ty Stuart, BL Spirit staff
By Wendy Graham, Special to BL Spirit
BOOK CLUB YOUR TAKE, OUR TABLE: B.L. BOOK CLUB
Forget the usual lunch routine of scrolling through your phone in a crowded hallway. Imagine a lunch period where you get a meal from local favorites like Slackwater or Lolo Hawaiian, just for sharing your thoughts on a great story.
That’s the vibe at the Ben Lomond High School Book Club—a place where the books are engaging, the food is top-tier, and every student is invited to pull up a chair.
How It Works
Our schedule is designed to fit into your busy life. We meet roughly every six weeks during lunch. The process is simple:
1. Stop by the library to check out the current book.
2. Read at your own pace over the next six weeks.
3. Join us in the library on the book club meeting day to talk about the book, share your hot takes, and enjoy a meal.
Did Someone Say Free Lunch?
Let’s be honest: Everything is better when there’s food involved. To make our discussions even sweeter, lunch is provided by a rotating cast of local favorites. We aren’t talking about standard cafeteria fare; we’re bringing in the best of Ogden. This year alone, we’ve fueled our discussions with meals from Ogden Valley Pizzeria, Lolo Hawaiian, All About Tacos, and Slackwater Pizzeria. It’s a literal feast for your brain and your stomach!
What We’re Reading Now
Right now, the club is diving into “Wild Bird” by Wendelin Van Draanen. This gripping, realistic fiction story follows Wren Clemmens, a girl sent to a remote wilderness therapy camp in the Utah desert after her life spirals out of control. She is forced to survive the elements with very few supplies over several months until she can “graduate” the program, only by facing the harsh reality of her past choices.
Our next meeting to discuss “Wild Bird” is on March 3. If you haven’t started yet, there is still plenty of time to head to the library, grab a copy of the book, and get reading!
Coming up …
We already have the rest of the year’s book club meetings scheduled, so mark your calendars:
April 7: We’ll be discussing “The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea” by Axie Oh, a fantasy book that is an amazing retelling of a classic Korean folktale.
May 12: During our final meeting of the year, we will discuss “Free Lunch” by Rex Ogle, a powerful memoir about poverty, hunger, and hope.
The Ben Lomond Book Club is about more than just checking off a reading list; it’s about building a community where every voice is heard. Whether you loved the book or hated the ending, come grab a local lunch and join the conversation –we want to hear your take on the story!
See you in the library on March 3!
EXCHANGE STUDENTS
EXCHANGE STUDENTS EXPERIENCE SCHOOL THE B.L. WAY
By Emre Neville, BL Spirit Staff
This year, Ben Lomond High School has two new faces from two very different parts of the world. Exchange students Pauline Sauvanet and Rames Photharin came here to experience American school life, and they shared what the change has been like.
Pauline came from a French school and arrived at Ben Lomond this year as an exchange student. She didn’t have much of a choice in picking her new school; her host family chose Ben Lomond. But she was excited to experience something different and see what school in the U.S. is like.
Her first impression of Ben Lomond was very positive. She thought the school was nice and colorful, and she noticed there were lots of different classes to choose from. She also found it easy to talk to counselors and said she liked the teachers.
Pauline says she felt welcome right away. Both teachers and students were excited to meet her.
Some even asked if she wanted things in French and gave her tips and general help to make the transition easier. One of the things she was most excited about was going to football games and seeing the football season up close. She also loved that Ben Lomond offers classes she doesn’t have in France, like ceramics and painting.
Rames is from eastern Thailand and is also here as an exchange student. He chose to come to Ben Lomond because he wanted to experience American student culture and see what it’s really like to study in the United States.
The first thing Rames noticed about Ben Lomond was its size; it felt like a big school compared to his old one. He also saw that classes worked differently. In Thailand, teachers usually move from room to room while students stay put. Here, students move from class to class instead. At his old school, most students would join a club.
Rames didn’t always participate in sports back home, but last year he
did cross country, and this year at Ben Lomond he joined the swim team. His advice for someone coming to B.L. is to be ready for a very different culture. He says it’s a big change, but also an important experience. And if someone is leaving Ben Lomond to go somewhere new, Rames says he would tell them to go out and find their own experiences.
Rames also has ideas about what his two schools could do to improve the experience. For his old school, he would shift the main focus from only studying to offering more activities, since students there are often very stressed. For Ben Lomond, he suggests the school could be a little more strict with some students.
From colorful hallways and football games to new classes and swim practice, Pauline and Rames are living a school year that looks very different from home. Their stories show how Ben Lomond might feel normal to most students, but to someone from across the world it’s a whole new adventure to treasure.
STERLING SCHOLARS
BEN LOMOND’S STERLING SCHOLARS DISPLAY EXCELLENCE
By Jack Tefertiller, BL Spirit Staff
The Sterling Scholars is a program in Utah that selects 14 seniors at each high school who have shown their excellence in various categories of study. Sterling Scholars are publicly recognized and awarded for their pursuit of excellence in scholarship, leadership and citizenship.
The program rewards students with scholarships, tuition wavers, and public recognition.
The students representing Ben Lomond High School for 2025-26 are: Ryker Mays, Computer Technology; Misty Day, Visual Arts; Mello Leslie, Vocal Performance; Mason Garner, Skilled and Technical Scienc-
es; MacKyah Tuck, Social Science; Patton Brun, Speech/Theater Arts/ Debate; Jaeleen Arias, Business and Marketing; Isabella St. Pierre-Castillo, Instrumental Music; Harvey Morgan, Family and Consumer Sciences; Emre Neville, World Languages; Carlos Quintanilla, Mathematics; Brooklyn Richey, English; Analiese Stewart, Dance; Abriana Alvarez, Science.
GUITAR CLUB
PICK UP
THE GUITAR AND PLAY BEAUTIFUL MUSIC
By Daks Roma, BL Spirit Staff
Stick around after school on Tuesdays and you might just hear the sweet – and sometimes not so sweet – plucking and strumming of guitars.
No need to think you’re crazy … maybe … but the probable source is Trevor Belnap’s Ben Lomond guitar club in upper D hall. Whether or not you’ve ever even seen a guitar in real life, doesn’t matter one bit. Mr. Belnap has guitars waiting, oh so patiently, to be played by YOU.
Guitar club isn’t just about playing guitars, and playing a guitar isn’t just about learning love songs so you can get that “one girl’s” number (unless that’s really what you want). Guitar is a vessel of love, magic, expression, and life. And guitar club is the sharing of just that.
Guitar club is something powerful; it’s a place where anyone is welcome to come in, pick up a guitar, chat, and learn how to express themselves in the shape of music. Mr. Belnap is waiting eagerly for you to ask your questions and show off your sick progress every time you’re there.
Asked why he formed the club, Mr. Belnap said, “Because I love guitar, I love music, and I love teaching. It always seemed like something I wanted to do. Ever since I came to Ben Lomond I had a vision of kids playing guitars in the halls, and I wanted to walk in and hear guitar music. Music saves lives, and it makes the world a better place.”
This shows just how special this club really is. Music is here and it is welcome to all, so the impact of music can be felt by all. And it is felt every
time you’re in that room. Of course, it gets a little hectic, but there’s still just something beautiful about its chaos. It’s people coming together and improving not just music skills, but themselves in a truly magical way. We really wanted to see just how much the club impacted the people in it, so we asked some stand-up gentlemen just what guitar club meant to them.
“Guitar club is a place where anyone can come and just truly enjoy themselves,” said Trenton Sholler, a talented and gifted your musician. “They can pick up an instrument that maybe they’ve never picked up at all, and learn this beautiful thing we call music. It’s a really fun time.”
Another known guitar prodigy in the club, Andrew McGill, likes the safe space.
“It’s a place where I can be myself, no one here is judged,” Andrew said. “We’re all focused on helping each other to learn guitar so we can better our lives and become more creative and better people.”
Positivity is something all of us could use more of, and guitar club has plenty of it. So if you’ve ever thought about picking up a guitar and trying it out, come on down to guitar club. Meetings are held after school Tuesdays in Room D227, and if you love it, you can even borrow a guitar to practice when you’re at home.
Mr. Belnap – and the whole club – would love to have the great honor of helping you get addicted to playing guitar, and learning just exactly how beautiful music and creativity truly is.
HOT TAKES
This month for HOT TAKES, we interviewed 40 students on some Valentine’s Day preferences …
WHAT IS THE WORST WAY TO GET DUMPED?
The month of love isn’t great for everyone, and there are a few ways you can get dumped. Some of them include a phone call, FaceTime, text, or in-person.
Out of the 40 students surveyed, the overall winner of the worst way to get dumped was a text, with 67.5% of the students picking it. The next highest was getting dumped in-person, with 17.5% of the students picking that method. Then comes FaceTime, with 10%. The least-worst way to get dumped ended up being over the phone, with 5% percent of students choosing it.
Sophomore Mara Carver chose in-person as the worst way to get dumped. She said: “Just, like, getting dumped at school would be awful.” However, Senior Esther Peterson chose FaceTime. “I’d rather take the others, you’re just calling to see your face and ending it,” she said.
In-person: 7
WHAT IS THE WORST CANDY TO GET ON VALENTINE’S DAY?
A common gift on Valentine’s Day is candy, but which candy is the worst to get? Students chose between chocolate, lollipops, gummy candy, or none (as in: none of the above).
Leading the pack as the worst candy was lollipops, with 55% of students picking it. The next highest answer was gummy candy, with 37.5% of students choosing that as their least favorite. Next up was none, with 5% of people choosing it, and finally chocolate was last with 2.5% of students choosing it.
Sophomore Mara Carver chose the option none and said, “Candy’s candy!”
Phone call: 2
None: 2
candy: 15
Chocolate: 1
22
LOVE IS IN THE AIR. OR IS IT?
By Brooklyn Richey, BL Spirit Staff
No/Disagree: 2
Yes/Agree: 38
VALENTINE’S DAY IS A JUST CORPORATE HOLIDAY TO GET PEOPLE TO BUY CANDY, STUFFED ANIMALS, AND FLOWERS.
In February, it’s very common for people to find “Valentines” for Valentine’s Day. Is it just another reason to buy things? Or is there a good reason behind it?
Facetime: 4
Text: 27
Overwhelmingly, students agreed with the statement. A total of 95% of students agreed with the statement, leaving 5% of students who disagreed with the statement. Senior Matix Souvannasap added their perspective on the matter and said, “For some people there’s a deeper meaning. For some people it’s sentimental, for some people it’s not.”
Sophomore
Mara Carver
Gummy
Lollipops:
Senior Esther Peterson
Senior
Matix Souvannasap
TALENT SHOW
HELP US PROVE SCOTS GOT TALENT
By Brooklyn Richey, BL Spirit Staff
Ben Lomond High School’s annual talent show is coming up Feb. 27. This year, more students will perform their talents in front of the school.
UNTOLD STORY
WHAT IS YOUR UNTOLD STORY?
By Brynlee Richey, BL Spirit Staff
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” – Maya Angelou * * *
Deep inside our souls, we all have a story that we long to tell someone, yet we choose to keep it to ourselves. We feel that no one truly knows us, but we keep a wall standing between true understanding and those around us.
Ben Lomond High School students shared their untold stories with the student magazine.
William (Guy) Morrell shared a fascinating story about a medical condition he has and the surgery that was performed on him.
Ella Driver also shared an intriguing story.
Last summer, she came out to Utah from Virginia, and she was staying in her grandparents’ basement. Her grandfather had passed away a couple years before.
“I was down there in the silence and I heard a ‘Hi’ and I swear it was him, Ella says. “No one believes me.”
Ella says a couple of months later, her grandmother was standing by the washer and dryer one night and “she swore up and down” that her late husband was there.
As for the talents, they could be anything from singing, dancing, playing instruments, comedy acts, or even reciting digits of Pi.
However, in order to perform and compete for the prizes, you must audition! Auditions will be held after school Feb. 2-6 in Emily Child’s
New this year, student government will be giving out prizes to the Top 3 talents. First place earns a $50 gift card and a Minky Couture blanket, second place will receive a $25 gift card and a Minky Couture blanket, and third place gets a Minky Couture blanket.
room, D203. It’s not too late to sign up for auditions; look outside Mrs. Child’s room for the paper to sign up for auditions.
After auditions, student government will notify those chosen to perform on Feb. 27.
Prepare yourself, Scots, it’s time to bust out the unicycle and get ready to compete for the prize!
Early in his 9th grade year, Guy went in for surgery for a condition called “pectus exavatum,” in which the breastbone is sunken into the chest. If the condition is very serious, it can affect how well the heart and lungs function.
“So the condition is where a spot on your chest is
indented, and mine was pushing on the right side of my heart, Guy said. “My mom scheduled the appointment, and they cryogenically froze the nerves around the area.
Doctors then performed something called a Nuss Procedure, making five incisions – three on one side and two on the other.
“Then they put a metal bar right through and it popped the indent out,” Guy said.
Guy has had the bar for almost two years now. He said doctors will remove the bar next December, when he’s 17.
“I swear it was him coming to get her,” Ella says. “She died about a month or so later. That’s my story why I believe ghosts are real.”
Untold stories don’t have to be grand, they don’t have to be big or deep. They just have to be something you haven’t told many people, something that has a deep meaning for you.
So, what’s your untold story?
Mrs. Child
Photo by Jack Tefertiller
Ella Driver
Photo by Jack Tefertiller
Photo by Jack Tefertiller
PLASMA CUTTER
A LOOK INSIDE THE BEN LOMOND ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
By Cameron Miller, BL Spirit Staff
The Engineering Department at Ben Lomond is a fully hands-on learning experience built around real world tools and real world skills. Rather than focusing only on textbooks and lectures, students work directly with modern equipment used in the engineering and manufacturing industries. Through the efforts of Matt Williams and Luke Mandleco, students are given opportunities to design, build, and problem solve in ways that prepare them for future careers.
A big part of the department is its prototyping equipment. In Mr. Williams’s classes, students have access to multiple 3D printers(Bambu Lab & Makerbot’s) that are used to create prototypes and custom designs for engineering projects. These printers are used across many engineering classes and allow students to turn 3D-models into real objects. Alongside 3D printing, laser engravers/cutters are used to create detailed and precise projects, including the popular LED acrylic lights designed in the Introduction to Engineering and Design class.
In Mr. Mandleco’s shop, students work with a plasma cutter capable of cutting through several types of metal. This equipment introduces students to industrial fabrication techniques and is frequently used for prototyping and custom metal designs.
Robotics plays a huge role in the Engineering Department as well. Through a partnership with the Ogden Weber Technical College (OWTC), Mr. Williams’s Industrial Robotics 2 class uses two industrial FANUC robots. These robots are commonly used in manufacturing settings, giving students experience with industry-standard technology. Students who perform well can earn themselves a FANUC Tech 1 certification by passing a college-level
exam. Many Ben Lomond students have already earned this certification and are continuing additional certifications through OWTC, with many entering the workforce directly.
Students who are new to robotics begin in Robotics 1, where they use VEX robotics equipment and DoBot 5-axis robots to learn the basics of programming, motion, and automation. For those interested in aviation and flight systems, Aerospace Engineering offers hands-on learning with a full classroom set of drones used to study flight dynamics and control systems.
Additional opportunities are available through Mr. Mandleco’s AM STEM morning program, which uses Amatrol trainers on loan from OWTC to teach industrial maintenance skills. This program connects closely with college manufacturing courses, creating a smooth transition from high school to technical education.
The equipment and programs within the Engineering Department are made possible through grants and partnerships with organizations such as Northrop Grumman, Metal West, and the Ogden School Foundation. These partnerships allow students to learn using the same tools found in professional engineering and manufacturing environments.
The Ben Lomond Engineering Department offers students a chance to gain some hands-on experience, earn certifications, and explore high-demand career pathways. Students interested in engineering, robotics, aerospace, or manufacturing are encouraged to talk with Mr. Williams or Mr. Mandleco to learn more about enrolling in these classes.
ASK A COP
WHO’S BETTER – THE SCOTS OR THE TIGERS?
By SRO Reed Mackley
This month’s questions/answers from School Resource Officer Reed Mackley with the Ogden Police Department...
Q: Do you think Ben Lomond is superior to Ogden High?
A: No question we are! I had the opportunity a couple years ago to work at Ogden High. I chose BL for sooo many reasons. Look, we’re cooler than they are; that’s just science. Our kids are much more inclusive and welcoming. Facts…We have the best teachers in the city here. We have freaking Bagpipers! Who else can say that? Plus, orange and black? Come on, bro …
Q: What kinds of changes have you seen at BL?
A: As previously stated, we’re already the cat’s pajamas. We know this. What I’m seeing is a trend that I love.
I see more kids coming out to sports and other events. I see a ton of inclusiveness. I see kids getting excited about the Spirit magazine. I’ve also seen a decline in behavior issues and criminal activity at our school. Keep it up, Scots! You’re killing it!
Q: Have you ever had anyone try to bribe you?
A: Hahaha. Yes, a few times. It’s pretty rare, actually. Usually, it was someone who was drunk and just spouting off at the mouth. (I don’t take drunk talk too seriously.) I’ve had a couple of people make legitimate bribes to me, but clearly what they were offering was not worth me taking it. That being said … if I pulled someone over and they had a nice, fresh donut staring at me? Well, I’m only human and could probably let them off with a warning.
Q: What is Piper like at home?
A: Pretty much what she’s like at school. She’s pretty hyper at home. She also picks on my wife’s poodle. She’s a little bit of a dog bully, I’m afraid.
Q: Have you ever had to arrest a student here?
A: Unfortunately, yes. That is almost always a last resort for me. You’ve gotta have done something pretty dumb, and then likely had a terrible attitude on top of that. That is my least favorite part of my job, actually. Thankfully, it’s pretty rare, because BL students are awesome!
Q: Any thoughts on 6 7?
A: I think it’s played out. I don’t understand it. Does anyone actually know what it means? Seriously, asking for a friend.
THE VOICE
THE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD
By Letroy Woods, BL Spirit columnist
We are only the observer, the watcher in the room of the voices. Our lives revolve around interpreting and understanding the commanding, distinctive sounds desiring our attention. Suggestions are expressed, and then we get to choose what to do with them. Your parents, teachers, siblings, friends, strangers, and authority figures utter incantations that belong to themselves, and themselves alone. You have the power to do what you please with their words, which are actually your words. Choice has always been in the arena of your life. You are the creator, because creation begins and ends with you. Life is conspiring in your favor all of the time, not some of the time, but all of the time.
“Be careful with your words, they can only be forgiven not forgotten.” — Carl Sandburg
There is only one conversation that can exist, and that is the one within you. The outside conversation that
has manifested has surfaced because it has been fed. Control the controllables. Do not bother with the business of others, but only to plant a seed. The bell of the new year rang, and with it, aspirations to become something envisioned in the mind’s eye. Furthermore, the voice within that we identify as ourselves leverages an influence from yesterday’s past to educate the person with courage with the gift of freedom.
What do you think is happening when you hear the voices? You are not your voice. Many adults have not learned the lesson of self-management, which is why you see outbursts of misbehavior. Nothing is happening but what we are choosing. This is worth repeating. Nothing is happening but what we are choosing.
“Train your mind to see the good in everything. Positivity is a choice. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” — Marcus Aurelius
This conversation of the mind being spoken about is the place where one lives and dwells, desires and riches are born here, and where your legacy lies. One who does not react right away becomes the observer, and in this silence is where creation flourishes. How to think, not what to think, is the education of the School of Greatness. The voice is a neutral entity and yours to guide and mold. Pause next time the voices speak, and in silence give the meaning you choose to the voice within. Who is in control of your life? How will you respond to voices next time you become aware of them?
“Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” — Invictus, William E. Henley
Letroy Woods
WRESTLING
WRESTLERS HAVING A GOOD YEAR
By BL Spirit Staff
The Ben Lomond High School wrestling team has been making some noise in competition this year.
“We have been small (just 13 wrestlers), but man, have they been mighty,” said B.L. wrestling coach Ashton Gualtier.
Despite the small numbers on the
team, Mr. Gualtier said they have beaten or tied a number of schools in head-to-head varsity matches –including Bonneville, Clearfield, Logan, Ogden, St. Joseph, and Tooele.
In addition, Mr. Gualtier said the team recently competed in the Rockwell Rumble, the largest wrestling tournament in the state. He
said as far as he knows, they’re the first Ben Lomond wrestlers to place in the tournament on both the varsity and junior varsity sides. In that competition, Ryan Lunt placed second, Evan Centeno placed fourth, and Nephi Blankenship finished sixth.
Congratulations to the wrestling team!
THOUGHTS INSPIRE STUDENTS, TEACHERS
By Brynlee Richins, BL Spirit Staff
“It’s not enough to be good, we need to be good for something.” — Gordon B. Hinckley.
“The true measure of your character is what you would do if you were sure no one would ever find out.”
— John C. Maxwell
These words by Gordon B. Hinckley and John C. Maxwell are two examples of quotes that can be found on the walls of Ben Lomond High School. Have you ever noticed them? Which one is your favorite, and what does it mean to you? Students around the school were asked these questions.
Nyema Simpson has noticed them and said the one by Mr. Richard’s room in upper D Hall is her favorite. It reminds her to keep going and achieve greatness.
Tania Hernandez said, “I have not noticed. But then again I’m not the kind of person to look around when I’m walking.”
Austin Crowley said he doesn’t have a favorite.
“I like all of them,” he said. “It’s something to look up to each day. The one by Cesar Chavez, I really like.”
Asked about the impact he thinks the quotes have on the students, Austin said, “I think when they see them and think about them it’s something to motivate them.”
WALL QUOTES
Roland Benroth said, “There’s only a couple I really like.” He mentioned the quote by President Hinckley, a former leader of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as one of his favorites.
“It’s kind of fun to see a quote from a prophet, and it’s a good quote,” Roland said. He also likes the one from “Dune.”
Similarly, Ty Stuart likes the Hinckley quote, saying that “I really like how he says that we need to belong to something and stand up for something.”
Karen Driscoll, a long-time language arts teacher at Ben Lomond, was asked about the origin and background of the quotes on school walls.
“As far as I know, the quotes were chosen by Principal Ben Smith, who was the principal when the new school was finished,” she said. “They were meant to inspire students and teachers.”
Ms. Driscoll said the quote that has the word “ganbatte” in it was one of Principal Smith’s favorites. Ganbatte is a Japanese word that means: “Do your best,” “Hang in there,” “Keep going,” or “Good luck.”
Look up while you walk the halls of the school. Look around as you walk to your next class. Maybe some of these quotes can help inspire you.
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
JANUARY’S STUDENTS OF THE MONTH HONORED
By BL Spirit Staff
Ben Lomond High School’s Student of the Month awards were presented at a recent breakfast in the library.
Students and their parents were recognized at the event. Each
teacher nominates one student per school year, which are then spread out over the months.
Winners for the month of January included seniors Savannah Haacke, Pauline Sauvanet, Alexzander
Barnes, Jayden Fuentes, and Anthnee Arreola. Juniors honored included Natalie Reyes, Leslie Perez Sandoval, Daniel Gutierrez, and Araceli Gallegos. Sophomores honored were Oryan Braun and Nhyema Simpson.
