Powerful portraits of Londonderry’s athletic leaders now hang in the hallways, providing what ALC adviser, Mrs. Rich, hopes is a bit of inspiration for students and teachers passing by.
Rich came up with the idea after the ALC applied for and received a grant from the NHIAA for the Life of an Athlete Program. The funds they received were for the use of “promoting the morals and standards by which Lancers are to live by,” and Rich thought these posters would do just that.
“The thought was that I really like photography and had seen similar posters,” Rich said. “I thought maybe if we try this and it works, it could be a pilot run and we could expand upon it.”
Rich contacted assistant soccer coach, Kevin Brassard, who owns Floki Designs, a photography company which focuses on creating unique portraits, and Brassard was right on board with the idea.
A date was set and ALC athletes gathered for two and a half days worth of straight shooting.
“It was a long process, but we had so much fun,” senior varsity basketball captain Jackie Luckhardt said.
It was a three-month long process, and there are now 10 posters in the school and 10 in the gym which feature the athletes with motivational quotes.
“The idea is that they hang in the hallways and people read the messages and are inspired,” Rich said. “My hope is that other kids will want to be on the walls too.”
Luckhardt and senior hockey captain Nick Donnelly said they think it’s cool knowing that they are examples whom people can look up to and follow.
“It feels good,” Donnelly said. “It feels like I can help people maybe try new things or make good choices.”
Being on the wall comes with a lot of responsibility: ALC members are not just hard working athletes, they are students who are also in NHS and other after school activities in which they commit a lot of their time.
“These kids represent more than just athletes,” Rich said. “They are leaders and great kids.”
Although the athletes themselves are getting a lot of recognition, Mrs. Rich said that in the hallways, it is not about them, but the good lessons and leadership skills which they are promoting.
The posters and their messages are reflective of the ALC’s motto about being a role model for others.
“Being a role model comes with great responsibility and if you can leave high school as a role model, you’ve been successful,” Rich said.
Although the posters have gotten a lot of positive feedback, Rich did say they have also been criticized by people who think these posters outwardly show favoritism for the school’s sports teams and athletes while disregarding students who perform outstandingly in academic and after-school activities.
“It bothers me because I think in the school we try to appreciate all walks of life and we have a lot of respect for kids that are involved in activities,” Rich said.
In the future, Rich and the ALC hope that this development will become much bigger and include portraits of students deemed as role models from the whole pool of clubs and organizations.
“Hopefully, next year, there will be ten more posters of ten more clubs,” Rich said.
Click any of the pictures below to check out Floki Designs:
