Prairie is a decently old school, its foundation dating back to 1979. Since then, it has undergone a lot of changes and met a lot of milestones, from Sports championships to important assemblies to new clubs and groups. Both students and teachers have seen a ton of change since they first got here, and it’s important to look at our past and how far we have come.
Prairie was established into the Battle Ground School District. It holds a history of spirit, competition, success, and pride. It has had many successful people come out of it, from former congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler to former NBA player and current broadcaster Dan Dickau. It holds multiple Girls Basketball State Championships, one coming recently from 2019, among other sports accomplishments. It has also grown in acceptance and inclusivity, having Clubs for people of any type, whether it be around race, culture, beliefs, passions, or more.
The change people have seen has been massive. “They’ve introduced the multicultural assembly,” English teacher Mindy Truelove, who’s been at Prairie for around 20 years, said in regards to things prairie has done well. “Which was fantastic, I thought. And we had a really good Black History Month assembly this year as well.”
Prairie has worked to make itself a safer community for all involved. It has security, counselor centers, safe spaces, and staff who all work to make student life better. It also has brought a wide variety of classes for students to take and explore, from baking to graphic design to yearbook to business.
Accomplishments aren’t just made in the far past, current students have noticed it too. “Sports Programs,” Junior Kaylee Newton responded in regards to prairie accomplishments she’s seen at her time here. “Um, I feel like they’ve progressively gotten better, and, like, we’ve been winning a lot more. We did make it to the football, volleyball, and basketball playoffs.”
Prairie has its ups and downs. It has pros and cons, strengths and flaws. But in the end, many believe it has improved vastly from its past, creating a more inclusive environment, providing more options and opportunities for its students, and improving its many clubs and athletic programs. It still has a ton more improvement to go, but it is certainly on the right track.
