Walking through the bustling commons area, you might have never noticed the Bruin Wall of Fame. Located on the right wall near the entrance from outside to the commons, you may have seen that it looks a little bare. Painted during the renovations added to Barlow that finished in late 2020, the words “Sam Barlow Wall of Fame” are painted in our signature blue and gold colors, with a little paw with our motto, PRIDE, on it. I went and asked our principal, Mr. Bhear, about the school’s plans for this exciting addition, and he let me in on the agenda.
“We have three jerseys that are supposed to go up,” says Bhear. These jerseys are that of Barlow alums Brian Crouser, a two-time Olympic competitor and gold medalist for javelin throwing; Dan Paul, former Boise State Football player; Frederick Jones, former NBA player for the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers, and Sam Michener, a competitor in the winter Olympics on a bobsled team.
Principal Bhear also said there has yet to be a concrete plan for who or what goes up. The Wall of Fame isn’t just limited to athletes; he clarified, “…hopefully, we’ll get some lawyers, doctors, and judges, too.”
The jerseys were supposed to be mounted earlier this summer, but there were some unforeseen circumstances surrounding the wall and its integrity. The wall itself has steel or concrete behind it, so the school is currently in the process of investigating what is behind it so that holes aren’t punched into the wall, and the integrity of the structure isn’t compromised. The plan for the Wall of Fame stands, but we’ll have to wait a little longer to see some actual developments.
What do students think about this wall? Senior Kylise Trevino says that she loves the idea of a Wall of Fame.
“I think the Barlow Wall of Fame is a great addition. Every day, when I come to school, it inspires me. Seeing it being empty allows us to imagine ourselves up there and gives us something to work towards. It inspires us to achieve greatness and reach for our goals in future careers.” Many other students had no idea the wall was even there.
“Wall of Fame? I didn’t even know we had one,” said sophomore Shreeya Lal. Often, the empty wall is overlooked by students, but hopefully, with its upcoming makeover, it will be an eye-catching staple of our high school.
It’s beneficial for our school to have a place where we can reflect on the students of the past who have molded Barlow into what it is today. Revisiting prior students’ accomplishments will motivate us to shoot for the stars and remind us that impactful people have come from our school. Those people might have been the first, but they definitely won’t be the last! Let’s make it our goal to beef up our Wall of Fame and continue to show people what Barlow is really about.
