Senior gifts brighten campus, inside and out

The Rock, the sound system on the football field, the lettering on the front of the school – year after year, graduating classes have awarded Bearden with some truly amazing Senior gifts. So what does the Class of 2012 have in store for BHS this year? More than one gift to add to the school’s aesthetic appearance. The senior committee has decided to spend their funds from both this year and last year on a bulldog logo for the front of the school, as well as a mural above The Pit. The logo will be placed beside the lettering on the outside of the school, while the nearly-complete mural covers the four panels of the overhang surrounding the pit. The senior committee and the National Art Honor Society have worked together on the mural. President of National Art Honor Society Heather McNamara designed the mural, while various honors art students and a few members of senior committee helped to paint the walls surrounding the pit. “Every student walks through the area of the pit at least once a day to get to their classes, but there is only maroon and grey for them to look at,” McNamara, a senior, said. McNamara hopes the vibrant mural will change this, as well as “make the school seem more inviting to the students, visitors, and employees.” Each of the four sides of the mural features a different area of the BHS Community, aptly labeled “Clubs,” “Sports,” “Academics,” and “Fine Arts.” “It took me awhile to come up with the actual design because there are so many things to incorporate into each category,” McNamara said. “I used the yearbook to get the major sports and clubs so I could portray every aspect of the school.” The mural is expected to be completed and the logo installed within the next week. “We may be the only school [in Knox County] to have the mascot on the front of the school,” senior committee sponsor Mrs. Anna Marie Hughes said. The cartoon image of a bulldog face will be approximately 36 inches tall and made of aluminum, primarily grey with accents of maroon. “The Bearden Bulldog is a symbol of strength, loyalty, and pride,” senior committee member Temple Duke said. “It makes our building a bit more attractive, and reminds us of who we are. “The bulldog will growl – benevolently of course – upon Bearden students for decades to come, and I couldn’t be happier about it.” Other members have high hopes for the mural as well. “I think it will add some flair to the Pit area, as well as leaving a lasting mark for the Class of 2012,” senior committee member Ashley Campbell said. Added McNamara: “It is amazing to be able to put my name on it and contribute to brightening our school in a very personal way.” Rachel Riley is the news editor for The Bark. Follow The Bark on Twitter @BeardenBARK and like The Bark (Bearden High School) on Facebook.