Students appreciate Principal Brown’s support
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–
From being a crowd member in the bleachers during sports games, to walking around campus and checking up on the students in classes, Principal Will Brown has been friendly and welcoming during his first semester at Davis High.
One of the main issues brought to Brown’s attention this school year was the lack of school spirit. He has been spotted at various sporting and performing arts events on many occasions. These events are sometimes on campus such as home games for sports, the Junior Prom and the Madrigals dinner.
Brown has even taken the time to drive out to games that are farther away in order to support various DHS sports teams. By attending all these events, Brown believes he is a role model for showing his school spirit.
According to the Wallace Foundation, a foundation based in New York City seeking improvements in education and enrichment for children, being principal means you have to be there to support all the students to make them feel successful and cared for.
“[By attending student events], Mr. Brown is backing up his words with actions. I believe [the performers and athletes] appreciate the fact that their principal is there,” athletic director Dennis Foster said.
Foster believes that athletes and performers feel like what they are doing is not only important to their coaches and parents, but also to the principal.
Sophomore Lilly Purves has noticed Brown in the crowd during her volleyball games.
“Mr. Brown has been so supportive of our volleyball team and he’s attended all of our games, home or away. It’s nice to know our principal has been so involved with the sports teams and he shows so much school spirit,” Purves said.
Brown is usually seen attending games for sports like football, soccer, and even cross country and tennis. Brown keeps up with all the different sports at DHS and likes for the students to know they are supported.
“It’s nice knowing that your principal drove out to an away match to support girls tennis, which never gets support ever,” Angela Donahue said.
Donahue, who played on the tennis team, mentioned that it gets her more motivated for the game when she sees Brown spectating their matches.
Sports games are not all that Brown has attended to support the school, though. On Dec. 11, 2013, Brown was spotted in the wings during the Winter Choral Concert.
“It was strange because I was performing on stage, and I looked over for a second to the wings and it was kind of like ‘Oh. There’s the principal […] What is he doing here?’ but it’s nice to know that there are other people supporting what you do other than just your friends and family,” Elise Chu, a member of the Advanced Treble Choir said.
Brown has says he views himself attending all these events the way parents show up to their kid’s game or performance.
“I’m a parent 1700 times, so it’s my goal for them to know they matter. I want people to think that I care and that their success matters to me. If [they students] aren’t successful, I’m not successful,” Brown said.
As for other students around campus like sophomore Aidan DeAngelis, Principal Brown is not as noticeable.
“I haven’t seen him do anything besides walk into my classes occasionally,” DeAngelis said.
Junior Joaquin Manzanilla, who has attended DHS the previous school year with a different principal, compared the past principal with Brown.
“I haven’t noticed many differences between Mr. Brown and the past principals, but he is more interactive with students,” Manzanilla said.
