Bedford North Lawrence High School, also known as "BNL", is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in the eastern part of Bedford, Indiana and is accredited by the Indiana State Department of Public Instruction and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Established in 1974, the school consolidated seven area high schools: Bedford, Tunnelton, Shawswick, Needmore, Fayetteville, Oolitic, and Heltonville. Bedford North Lawrence is fed from Bedford, Shawswick, and Oolitic Middle Schools, as well as the private St. Vincent de Paul School.
BNL's mission: "as a purposeful learning community that each student reaches his or her full potential."
History
The present school building was not complete in 1974, but the consolidation proceeded, busing all students to what was previously the Bedford High School. The school was also nearly known as Eastbrook High School, with their colors being green and gold, however, the name "Bedford North Lawrence (best known as "BNL") was the name chosen with the mascot being a 7-point star, hence, BNL Stars. Their colors are red, white and blue. BNL was remodeled in the 2005-06 school year, adding new classrooms, reconstructing hallways to improve congestion, and new IMC and Cafeteria.
In 2005-06, the Bedford North Lawrence graduating class averaged a composite 983 out of a 1600 possible on the SAT Reasoning Test. On the ACT test, students averaged a 22.3, which is above average for the state of Indiana. BNL has an 82% graduation rate, 64% of those pursuing higher education, and 32% graduating with honors. Bedford North Lawrence maintains a 93.3% attendance rate. BNL offers 18 Honors level courses for students, ranging from AP Psychology to AP Chemistry. Seven of these courses can also be taken for dual high school and college credit through Indiana University's Advanced College Project. The school features traditional eight-period scheduling and runs on two semesters, one August-to-December, the other January-to-May.
Demographics
Bedford North Lawrence is situated in the city of Bedford, Indiana. Ethnically, the school is 93.% White, the next closest group being Hispanics at 2%. 20% of the school is on Indiana's free-lunch program.
Athletics
The school offers boys and girls basketball, cross country, track, golf, baseball, softball, football, swimming, volleyball, tennis, soccer, and wrestling.
Basketball
The boys' basketball squad won a state title in 1990 with Indiana's all-time high school leading scorer Damon Bailey. The BNL Lady Stars won titles in 1983, 1991, and most recently in 2013. Damon and daughter Alexa, part of the 2013 state title team, became the first father-daughter combo to win state titles. The Stars have not won a sectional championship since 2001-02, when they were defeated by Notre Dame's Chris Thomas, Purdue's David Teague, and Pike High School at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Semi-State. From 2004-06, Bailey returned to his alma mater to coach the Stars to a 23-19 record over two seasons. BNL plays on the newly renamed and refurbished Damon Bailey Court, in BNL Fieldhouse, which consistently sold out through the early 90's all 5,600+ seats.
BNL Stars Tournament History
Sectionals (18)
1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001 (4A)
Regionals (7)
1976, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1995, 2001 (4A)
Semistates (3)
1987, 1988, 1990
State titles (1)
1990 Hoosier Dome (Largest crowd ever for a high school basketball game over 41,000)
BNL Lady Stars Tournament History
Sectionals (23)
1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2012 (4A), 2013 (4A), 2014 (4A), 2015 (4A), 2016 (4A), 2017 (4A)
Regionals (11)
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2013 (4A), 2014 (4A)
Semistates (6)
1983, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2013 (4A), 2014 (4A)
State titles (4)
1983, 1991, 2013 (4A), 2014 (4A)
Football
The BNL boys' football team finished the 2011 season with the first sectional championship in school history. The stars finished the season with an overall record of 9-4. This is the best year the Stars have had since winning the Hoosier Hills Conference in 2007, the same year they reached the Sectional Championship before falling to Evansville Reitz.
The Stars will begin the 2013 season with new coach, Steve Weber, as Coach Brett Szabo will begin his new head coaching position in Evansville. Coach Szabo lead the stars the BNL's first ever Sectional Championship in 2011. He had an overall record of 62-44 in 11 seasons with the Stars.
Notable alumni
- Damon Bailey - Former professional basketball player for the CBA and the French Professional League. Former Mr. Basketball USA (1990) and current Assistant Coach of the Butler Bulldogs women's basketball team
- Craig Bowden - Professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour.
- Ken Bowersox - Former NASA astronaut
- Mark Kinser - Two time World of Outlaws champion and member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame
See also
- List of high schools in Indiana
External links
- Bedford North Lawrence High School official website