MILFORD: Long after they have graduated, students walking into Hants East Rural High (HERH) School will be greeted by a colourful reminder of school pride thanks to two graduating Leadership 12 students.
Jessy Peters of Lantz and Adrian Ducharme of Enfield recently completed a project to paint the school’s front steps with the words “Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger,” creating a welcoming entrance that celebrates the school’s spirit while leaving a lasting legacy for future students. The project was part of the Leadership 12 “Be the Change” initiative.
“We thought it was just going to be a good way to make our school look a little bit nicer, a little bit fresher in a way that not only the students profit from, but also passerby and parents can,” said Peters.
The pair spent several days completing the project, although Mother Nature forced them to delay the work more than once.
“It was a fun process painting and we had lots of positive comments from people passing by,” said Ducharme.
“We had to delay several times due to weather, but ended up being able to get it done. Overall, they turned out pretty good.”
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Choosing the message took some thought.
The students considered several ideas before settling on the school’s familiar motto.
“The stairs were plain. There was nothing on them,” Ducharme explained. “That’s something I’ve seen before, just stairs painted like that, and our school hadn’t done that.”
Peters said the slogan was the perfect fit.
“It’s our school motto, and we wanted something that was inclusive to everyone, so it kind of fit,” she said. “I also like that we did ‘Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger’ because we’re graduating, so it’s for us to remember that we’re always a Tiger.”
Leadership teacher Alexa Isenor said the project grew out of the class’s “Be the Change” assignment, which challenged students to make a meaningful difference in their school or community.
“The whole idea of ‘Be the Change’ was to create some kind of positive, lasting impact in their school or community,” said Isenor. “They thought doing the stairs hit both marks, and including ‘Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger’ reminds everyone that even when you graduate, we’re still a very proud community of Tigers.”
Isenor said one of the most rewarding parts of the project was watching the community embrace it.
“They did everything themselves,” she said. “I would come out to check on them, and the people passing by kept giving them positive feedback. It just makes you feel good, like you’re truly doing something that’s impactful. A fresh coat of paint goes a long way.”
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The project also includes a personal touch that reflects the students’ contribution.
“I love that they signed it literally with their handprints,” Isenor said. “It’s quite literally leaving their mark.”
For Peters, that’s what makes the project so meaningful.
“It makes me really happy,” she said. “We do things like the ceiling tiles, which is really cool, but that’s not something we’d get to see years from now.
“This is something that when we’re passing by, we can see it, and it can bring the memories back of high school.”
Ducharme hopes the project inspires future classes to continue adding their own touches to the school.
“Even if it’s not the paint that we put down years from now, even if they choose to redo it, we were the ones that kind of got it started,” he said.
“Hopefully in the future there’s more stuff like that that comes about.”
With fresh paint, a message of school pride and two sets of handprints, Peters and Ducharme have ensured their legacy at Hants East Rural High will remain visible for years to come.
