Bellevue East has had numerous beneficial changes to the building since last year. Returning East students may have noticed the new banners in the stadium, the new flooring in the library, and more. 

In his seven years at East, Principal Dr. Wagner has strived to improve the school in different ways over each summer. This year is no different. 

One area updated over the summer was the stadium surrounding the football field. “There’s some new stadium banners on the different tiers up there. There used to be concrete walls, now there’s some banners up there: home of Bellevue East, home of the Chieftains, some nice school colors,” Wagner said. “There’s been a lot of work just on the buildings and grounds, stuff people may not notice right away, but all the front signage and stuff has been painted.”

The banners referenced are located in the northeast corner of the stadium. East students have Head Custodian John Dengel to thank for the new banners, celebrating our school. The repainting of numerous signs adorning the school is another thing Wagner mentioned.

While the addition of the banners and repenting signs are aesthetically pleasing additions, a new center with the idea of assisting students was also created. 

“We’ve created a new student support center, that’s in the senior commons; we’ve moved the Chieftain Center over one room, so the Chieftain Center kind of got revamped also,”  Wagner said.

There was also structural changes to the building over the summer.

 “We had a new roof put on a portion of the building this summer, kind of over the gym and the weight room areas and so forth. [It] was kind of the last phase of our bond project we’ve been working on for the past six or seven years,” Wagner said. 

The Bellevue East Library, and Beast Brew Coffee Shop have also undergone some notable changes. Senior and returning employee Coleson Cummings noted the updates.

“There’s a new table, some chairs were moved, and there’s new wood flooring,” Cummings said. Cummings noted how much easier the new floor will be to clean, and that the changes have made the Beast Brew area more “inviting.”

Sophomore Shawn Graham also liked the new changes to the shop.

“The new hardwood floors and slightly different layout of the Beast Brew area are an improvement aesthetically and functionally,” Graham said, and that he appreciated all the things that have been changed to improve the school.

Overall, East had a number of updates, changes, and reworking of things done in the summer of 2022. to enhance student life at Bellevue East.