The BP Way= Family, Tradition, Excellence and Home
Chad Straight
A couple of weeks ago I attended one of our home wrestling duals. As usual great wrestling was on display in the packed gym. What also was on display was family, tradition, excellence and a sense of home and community. In the Belle Plaine School District, we call this the BP way because it is not only what we believe in, it is who we are.
During the evening of the wrestling meet families of former and current Belle Plaine wrestlers entered the gym smiling, excited, and nervous. They weren’t necessarily nervous for the upcoming meet,well the mothers were, but it was that comfortable nervousness remembering the times they stood on that mat announced as Belle Plaine athletes ready to represent their school, community, family, and team. They remember the match, they remember their friends, they remember their family looking on, they remember the school day events from the week, they remember their teachers, and they remember a sense of pride in their school.
Some of those athletes or graduates have come back to Belle Plaine to coach and teach and although the experience I am describing was a Belle Plaine Wrestling meet, it’s not specific to wrestling. It’s just an example of the traditions and importance the school district places on family and pride in doing things the right way. The families that represent the foundation of this community are ever-present supporting our academics and activities throughout the years. You see them at local businesses, the golf course, civic events, the booster club, and parent-teacher conferences.
They share generations of memories of the quirky math teacher that held them to high expectations and smiled any time they were back. They talk about Friday night football and the “line” crew, stat keepers and announcers that they saw and heard generations later. They talk about the volleyball teams that made a run. They talk about FHA and FFA. They share a comment from one of their coaches. They talk about their trip to Washington DC, argue over who had the best homecoming float, or who should have been king and queen of prom. They remember experiences with friends.
Although those memories are easily recalled, most of these graduates finished college degrees or went on to succeed in the workforce with opportunities to go elsewhere to start a new life or start a family. Many returned to Belle Plaine because the BP Way is not the default way of operating everywhere. The Belle Plaine CSD staff members take pride in continuing to support students and demonstrate to our students these principles and foundations that have existed in this school district for generations, the BP Way: family, tradition, excellence and community. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.