This week I had the good fortune of celebrating my 50th birthday. In my half century on this rock, I have been lucky to meet so many incredible people. In fact, I would have to say that it is the people that are in my life that have made these 50 years so special. It goes without saying that my wife, children, and family are the most important people in my life; but I have been fortunate to meet so many other great people.

One of those people is my friend Mike. Thirty-three years ago, I met Mike, and we shared one year of high school together. After that, he and I went our separate ways, and we did not reconnect until about five years ago. In addition to celebrating my birthday, I had a chance to catch up with Mike this week. We spent an afternoon golfing together, and I pointed out the fact that our friendship had stood the test of time, despite only sharing one year of school together. It is his opinion, and I concur, that a shared experience, like going to school together, creates an anchoring experience that cements a friendship through time.

We are only a few weeks away from the start of the new school year, and without a doubt – the students at BHS will certainly have an opportunity to share an anchoring experience that is uniquely BHS. Some of our students will be starting their time at BHS in 5th grade and will have four years to make friends and share experiences. Others will be starting in 8th Grade and will have only one year at BHS. Regardless, a new school year provides an opportunity for new and returning students alike to develop friendships.

If the students are lucky, they too may develop a friendship or two that lasts the test of time. For as Mike pointed out, it was not the length of time that we shared together that anchored our friendship, rather it was the quality of that shared experience. With the dawning of the coming school year, I am confident that BHS students will have a number of opportunities to share many meaningful experiences with their friends.