Bedford North Lawrence High School
Encyclopedia
Bedford North Lawrence High School http://www.nlcs.k12.in.us/bnlhs/ is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in the eastern part of Bedford, Indiana
and is accredited by the Indiana State Department of Public Instruction and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Established in 1974, the school consolidated seven area high schools: Bedford
, Tunnelton, Shawswick, Needmore, Fayetteville, Oolitic
, and Heltonville. Bedford North Lawrence, or simply known as "BNL" is fed from Bedford, Shawswick, and Oolitic Middle Schools, as well as the private St. Vincent de Paul School.
BNL's mission: "as a purposeful learning community that each student reaches his or her full potential."
The present school building was not complete in 1974, but the consolidation proceeded, busing all students to what was previously the Bedford High School. The school was also nearly known as Eastbrook High School, with their colors being green and gold, however, the name "BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (best known as "BNL") was the name chosen with the mascot being a 7 point star, hence, BNL Stars! Their colors are RED, WHITE and BLUE. BNL was remodeled in the 2005-06 school year, adding all new classrooms, reconstructing hallways to improve congestion, and brand new IMC and Cafeteria.
In 2005-06, the Bedford North Lawrence graduating class averaged a composite 983 out of a 1600 possible on the SAT
Reasoning Test. On the ACT
test, students averaged a 22.3, which is above average for the state of Indiana
. BNL has an 82% graduation rate, 64% of those pursuing higher education, and 32% graduating with honors. Bedford North Lawrence maintains a 93.3% attendance rate. BNL offers 18 Honors level courses for students, ranging from AP Psychology
to AP Chemistry
. Seven of these courses can also be taken for dual high school and college credit through Indiana University
's Advanced College Project. The school features traditional eight-period scheduling and runs on two semesters, one August-to-December, the other January-to-May.
. Ethnically, the school is 93.% White, the next closest group being Hispanics at 2%. 20% of the school is on Indiana's free-lunch program.
The school offers boys and girls basketball
, cross country
, track
, golf
, baseball
, softball
, football
, swimming
, volleyball
, tennis
, soccer, and wrestling
.
BNL is most widely known across the state of Indiana for its successes in boys' swimming, as well as boys' and girls' basketball and boys' golf.
and the girls won titles in 1983, with All-State player Kelly Fitzgerald, and in 1991, with Miss Basketball Marla Inman. The Stars have not won a sectional game since 2001-02, when All-State player Cole Sinclair and coach Mark Ryan led the team to a semi-State appearance where they were defeated by Notre Dame's Chris Thomas
, Purdue's David Teague
, and Pike High School at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Mark Ryan was forced to resign, despite his success as head coach, just prior to the start of the 2004-2005 season to former BNL standout, Damon Bailey
. Mark Ryan was 126-72 in nine seasons as the Stars coach and led the Stars to sectional championships in 1999 and 2001, as well as a regional championship in 2001. From 2004-06, Bailey returned to his alma mater to coach the Stars. However, his success on the court did not translate, leading the Stars to a mediocre 23-19 record over two seasons. BNL plays on the newly renamed and refurbished Damon Bailey Court, in BNL Fieldhouse, which consistently sold out through the early 90's all 7000-plus seats, and has seen the likes of Bob Knight and Gene Keady
in attendance, as well as Bailey, Jared Jeffries
, Sean May, Mike Conley, Jr.
and Greg Oden
grace the floor.
team has been consistently the top team for the Stars. In the late 80's PGA Tour
member Craig Bowden
and Redstone Country Club pro Derek Clouse led the Stars. The program has produced numerous Division I college players throughout their history. The golf
team has won 15 conference titles, 20 sectional titles, 7 regionals, and has had 27 state finals appearances. This is the most state finals appearances without a championship. They have also had 7 All-State performers. From 1974-2005, the Stars advanced to regional play, the longest streak of this kind in the school's history. After a down 2006 campaign, the spring 2007 Stars finished off the year with a sectional title and a 12th place ranking in the final poll.
38.880811°N 86.443842°W
Bedford, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,768 people, 6,054 households, and 3,644 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,157.1 people per square mile . There were 6,618 housing units at an average density of 556.2 per square mile...
and is accredited by the Indiana State Department of Public Instruction and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Established in 1974, the school consolidated seven area high schools: Bedford
Bedford, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,768 people, 6,054 households, and 3,644 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,157.1 people per square mile . There were 6,618 housing units at an average density of 556.2 per square mile...
, Tunnelton, Shawswick, Needmore, Fayetteville, Oolitic
Oolitic, Indiana
Oolitic is a town in Indian Creek and Shawswick townships, Lawrence County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,184 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Oolitic is located at ....
, and Heltonville. Bedford North Lawrence, or simply known as "BNL" is fed from Bedford, Shawswick, and Oolitic Middle Schools, as well as the private St. Vincent de Paul School.
BNL's mission: "as a purposeful learning community that each student reaches his or her full potential."
History/Recent News
In 2005-06, the Bedford North Lawrence graduating class averaged a composite 983 out of a 1600 possible on the SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
Reasoning Test. On the ACT
ACT (examination)
The ACT is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test...
test, students averaged a 22.3, which is above average for the state of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. BNL has an 82% graduation rate, 64% of those pursuing higher education, and 32% graduating with honors. Bedford North Lawrence maintains a 93.3% attendance rate. BNL offers 18 Honors level courses for students, ranging from AP Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
to AP Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. Seven of these courses can also be taken for dual high school and college credit through Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
's Advanced College Project. The school features traditional eight-period scheduling and runs on two semesters, one August-to-December, the other January-to-May.
Demographics
Bedford North Lawrence is situated in the city of Bedford, IndianaBedford, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,768 people, 6,054 households, and 3,644 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,157.1 people per square mile . There were 6,618 housing units at an average density of 556.2 per square mile...
. Ethnically, the school is 93.% White, the next closest group being Hispanics at 2%. 20% of the school is on Indiana's free-lunch program.
Athletics
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, soccer, and wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
.
BNL is most widely known across the state of Indiana for its successes in boys' swimming, as well as boys' and girls' basketball and boys' golf.
Basketball
The boys' basketball squad won a state title in 1990 with Indiana's all-time high school leading scorer Damon BaileyDamon Bailey
Damon Bailey is a retired American basketball player, who then-Indiana University head coach Bob Knight called a "hot prospect" while recruiting him when Bailey was in eighth grade, as mentioned in author John Feinstein's bestselling book A Season on the Brink.- High school career :Bailey was...
and the girls won titles in 1983, with All-State player Kelly Fitzgerald, and in 1991, with Miss Basketball Marla Inman. The Stars have not won a sectional game since 2001-02, when All-State player Cole Sinclair and coach Mark Ryan led the team to a semi-State appearance where they were defeated by Notre Dame's Chris Thomas
Chris Thomas (basketball)
Chris Thomas is a Polish-American professional basketball player who is an alumnus of Pike High School and the University of Notre Dame.-Personal:...
, Purdue's David Teague
David Teague (basketball)
David Teague is an American professional basketball player. He played collegiately at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana in the NCAA and in high school at Pike High School in Indianapolis....
, and Pike High School at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Mark Ryan was forced to resign, despite his success as head coach, just prior to the start of the 2004-2005 season to former BNL standout, Damon Bailey
Damon Bailey
Damon Bailey is a retired American basketball player, who then-Indiana University head coach Bob Knight called a "hot prospect" while recruiting him when Bailey was in eighth grade, as mentioned in author John Feinstein's bestselling book A Season on the Brink.- High school career :Bailey was...
. Mark Ryan was 126-72 in nine seasons as the Stars coach and led the Stars to sectional championships in 1999 and 2001, as well as a regional championship in 2001. From 2004-06, Bailey returned to his alma mater to coach the Stars. However, his success on the court did not translate, leading the Stars to a mediocre 23-19 record over two seasons. BNL plays on the newly renamed and refurbished Damon Bailey Court, in BNL Fieldhouse, which consistently sold out through the early 90's all 7000-plus seats, and has seen the likes of Bob Knight and Gene Keady
Gene Keady
Lloyd Eugene "Gene" Keady is a basketball coach. Currently an assistant coach at St. John's, he is most notable for being the head basketball coach at Purdue University for 25 years, from 1980 to 2005.-Kansas State :...
in attendance, as well as Bailey, Jared Jeffries
Jared Jeffries
Jared Scott Carter Jeffries is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks. He was drafted in 2002 by the Washington Wizards as the 11th overall pick...
, Sean May, Mike Conley, Jr.
Mike Conley, Jr.
Michael Alex "Mike" Conley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association.Conley is the son of Olympic gold and silver medalist triple jumper Mike Conley, Sr...
and Greg Oden
Greg Oden
Gregory Wayne Oden, Jr. is an American basketball player at the center position. Oden is a member of the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA....
grace the floor.
Football
The BNL boys' football team finished the 2011 season with the first sectional championship in school history. Led by sophomore QB Jessie Millikan and junior LB Jack Spreen, The stars finished the season with an overall record of 9-4. Senior Jay Thomas anchored the team with 2,268 all purpose yards (153 passing, 963 rushing, 514 receiving, 238 punt return, and 400 kick-off return) and 12 total touchdowns. Thomas' junior wingman, Kole Korvela added 954 yards on the ground, 278 receiving, and 9 total touchdowns. This is the best year the Stars have had since winning the Hoosier Hills Conference in 2007, the same year they reached the Sectional Championship before falling to Evansville Reitz. This was the Jessie's older brother Cory's senior season for the Stars.Golf
The BNL boys' golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
team has been consistently the top team for the Stars. In the late 80's PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
member Craig Bowden
Craig Bowden
Craig David Bowden is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Bowden has gone back and forth between the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour during his career. He is currently a member of the PGA Tour after finishing in the top 25 on the 2009...
and Redstone Country Club pro Derek Clouse led the Stars. The program has produced numerous Division I college players throughout their history. The golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
team has won 15 conference titles, 20 sectional titles, 7 regionals, and has had 27 state finals appearances. This is the most state finals appearances without a championship. They have also had 7 All-State performers. From 1974-2005, the Stars advanced to regional play, the longest streak of this kind in the school's history. After a down 2006 campaign, the spring 2007 Stars finished off the year with a sectional title and a 12th place ranking in the final poll.
Clubs
Clubs, organizations, and academic/arts groups at BNL include:
- Anime Club
- Athletic Training,
- Art Club,
- Beta Club,
- BNL Star Newspaper,
- Business Professionals of America
Business Professionals of AmericaBusiness Professionals of America is a career and technical student organization that is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. BPA aims to develop leadership, academic, and technological skills in the workplace among students and leaders within the community...
,- Chess Club
- Chorale,
- Drama Club,
- Drumline,
- EPICS,
- Environmental Club,
- Future Farmers of America,
- FCCLA-an amazing, life changing club,
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes,
- Fieldhouse Fanatics,
- French Club,
- German Club,
- Habitat for Humanity,
- I-Care Council,
- IMPACT Club,
- InSight C*Jazz and Concert Bands,
- Key Club
- Latin Club,
- Marching Band,
- Mixed Ensemble
- National Honor Society
National Honor SocietyThe National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
,- Yearbook,
- Orchestra,
- Renaissance,
- Science Club
- Spanish Club,
- Starlets
- Star Sound,
- Star Station 14 Television,
- Star System (color guard)
- Student Council,
- Symphony Orchestra,
- Teens For Kids First,
- VERITAS Magazine
Notable alumni
- Damon BaileyDamon BaileyDamon Bailey is a retired American basketball player, who then-Indiana University head coach Bob Knight called a "hot prospect" while recruiting him when Bailey was in eighth grade, as mentioned in author John Feinstein's bestselling book A Season on the Brink.- High school career :Bailey was...
, former professional basketball player - Craig BowdenCraig BowdenCraig David Bowden is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Bowden has gone back and forth between the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour during his career. He is currently a member of the PGA Tour after finishing in the top 25 on the 2009...
, professional golf - Ken BowersoxKen BowersoxKenneth Dwane "Sox" Bowersox is an engineer, United States Naval officer, and a former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of five Space Shuttle missions and an extended stay aboard the International Space Station....
, astronaut - Mark KinserMark KinserMark Kinser is a retired American sprint car racing driver. He hails from Oolitic, Indiana.Cousin to Steve Kinser, Mark won the 1996 and 1999 World of Outlaws championship and the 1996, 1999, and 2000 Knoxville Nationals....
, former World of OutlawsWorld of OutlawsThe World of Outlaws is an American motorsports sanctioning body. The body sanctions two major national touring series. It is best known for sanctioning a national tour of sprint cars. It later purchased a national tour of late model stockcars called the World of Outlaws Late Model Series...
champion
38.880811°N 86.443842°W