Bridget Bell (16′) | Our Students Our Stories

Rotary Club of Beloit
Student of the Week
March 2016

From a Small High School

With graduation just past, Barrett sees BMHS as a place that allowed his daughter to reach new heights and in so doing reinforced his approach to parenting.

Barrett explained, “Bridget came to BMHS her junior year from a small high school in Illinois, graduating class of 54. She knew a big high school like BMHS was going to be an ‘eye-opener.’ To my surprise, she wanted the challenge and to broaden her horizons.

“The first day was terrible and she came home crying that she would never make friends and that this was a mistake. Nevertheless, we both committed to give it at least one semester. The second day was totally the opposite. She had found some girl friends and had gone out to lunch and was all smiles. And, from there on BMHS has been a great experience for her.

Academic Rigor

Continuing, Barrett said, “Academically, she was… not really challenged in Illinois. BMHS has allowed her to excel academically and she continues to maintain a straight 4.00 GPA.”

Specifically, Barrett said, “Guidance Counselor Angela Snow was particularly helpful getting her started and assuring her that things would be okay. AP Biology and AP Statistics classes were particularly challenging for Bridget and she has done well in them. …Those teachers really challenged her and really seemed to encourage her to succeed academically.”

Desire for Diversity

Outside of academics, Barrett said, “Although Bridget has not played any sports, mainly because she has been working at Target in Janesville, she has enjoyed going to the football games, volleyball games, swim meets, and plays. She likes to support her friends who participate in these activities, and it has been a good social connection for her.”

One of the best things BMHS has done for Bridget, in relation to life experiences, is to help her appreciate and understand the diversity of the community. In her old high school, they were practically no minority students and it was very ‘mainstream white.’ In other words, there was not the joy having friends and classmates from different background with much to teach one another.

Kite on a String

Thinking about what he might suggest for other parents, Barrett said, “The best advice I would have for other parents is to encourage you kids, as they desire, to stretch and try new endeavors. I often look at children as a kite on a string – as long as the kite is connected to the source of stability, it has all the freedom to soar to great heights and explore the clouds. But when the string is cut the kit will surely crash. As Parents, our job is to give our children a source of stability and encourage them to explore and soar and take on new challenges. As a single parent, that is what I have tried to do for Bridget.”

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