By LINDSAY ALEXANDER
A sidewalk square, an old track sweatshirt, a shared field, a similar classroom. The physical remnants of generational campus families are small, but memories, shared experiences and overwhelming community support strongly span the decades.
Among faculty, 10 are solely alumni, 34 have children who attended here or are currently enrolled and nine are graduates and have children who attend or have attended the school.
“The thing I’m most proud of [about being a graduate] is that kids who go to Boone now are just as proud to be Boone braves as my class was,”Dr. Margaret McMillen, 1966 graduate, said.
Junior John Townsend, freshman Thomas Townsend, 2011 graduate Clay Townsend, and their father, Clayton Townsend, have not only attended the same high school, but also share an athletic team. The Norton Baker stadium is 39-years-old, and it has hosted all of the Townsend’s home varsity football games.
“There’s a lot of Boone spirit [in my family]. All [of] my brothers have gone [here] and my aunts and uncles. My dad graduated from here, and my parents would take [my brothers and I] to the football games. We were coming [here] before we thought about high school,” J. Townsend said.
J. Townsend and his father both participated in Spanish Club, called Pan American club in C. Townsend’s campus years. Following its motto, “All are Welcome,” junior Megan Tracy and her father, John Tracy, a 1983 graduate, were members of Spanish Club as well.
While the stadium remains the same, other aspects of school have changed. Sophomore Ashleigh Simmerson’s relatives who attended school here (her mother, grandfather and aunt) all report how much the school has grown in size.
With the school’s growth, traditions and landmarks have been lost. Traditions like not stepping on the Bravehead in the 100 building and landmarks like the “infamous,” according to J. Tracy, “dippin’ tree” where students would go to dip tobacco are gone, but others remain, such as the football team sporting mohawks on Edgewater game days, students directing lost freshmen to the upstairs 300 building and rallying at the bonfire during spirit week.
Campus community also continues as a constant between family members. Simmerson’s grandfather still attends school football games, and her parents, along with C. Townsend, support the school through advertising fund raisers. C. Townsend has also served as a contact for Law Magnet interns.
“[There is] great tradition and sense of community. This is really apparent with people I went to Boone with whose kids are there [now]. The pride in being a brave is still huge,” C. Townsend said.
Remnants of M. Tracy’s father’s days on campus are throughout campus. M. Tracy occasionally wears J. Tracy’s 1983 track sweatshirt, and shares his 11th and 12th grade English classroom, which is currently Merrideth Buchanan’s.
For M. Tracy, the last line of the National Anthem, “Home of the brave” is permanently “Home of the Braves,” due to her father and aunt attending here and her mother’s Atlanta roots.
“I think it’s pretty awesome to go to the same school as my dad. Sometimes I will mention a class or building, and he will tell me about what it was like when he was at Boone,” M. Tracy said.
Academically, school is harder, with the institution of Advanced Placement courses, but the school still prepared past generations for the outside world.
“Friendships, community and a diverse group of people prepared me for my future at University of Florida undergrad law school and my restaurant and law careers,” C. Townsend said.
Continuing the same school tradition, son Clay Townsend is currently a freshman at UF.
Senior Morgan Gregory and sophomore Sydney Gregory’s uncle Todd Reese, graduated in 1984. M. Gregory shares this pride in the school.
“We’re not the same as other schools. You can’t hate it. Our morale and pride in our school— no other school has it. [Being a legacy] reaffirms the fact that [I’m part] of something special,” M. Gregory said.
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