![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Students in the National Art Honor Society work on the Mount Hood mural on the window of SouthLake Church. The students brought a variety of paints and mixed their own custom colors. “Instead of brushstrokes, we’re doing more dabbing, because it gives [a] better impression of tree foliage, rather than looking like actual brush strokes, because if we’re painting trees, we need it to look like trees,” Crawford said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_2397-1200x900.jpg)
Circle of Friends undergoes renovations
Leadership and the class of 1951 make space more accessible to students
The Circle of Friends is a place to remember students whose lives were taken too soon, such as Kyle Curran, 1979-1996.The area is now receiving new life through the work of Leadership and WLHS alumni. Located at the West A and Skyline intersection, The Circle of Friends has been renovated to include new lunch tables, trees and flowers.
“Every leadership class has been dedicating time to refurbish the area around the Circle of Friends,” Skye Walker, junior, said. “The hope is that this will turn into a place where people congregate at lunch and before and after school.”
The Circle of Friends was first dedicated in 2001 under the vision of Nancy Curran. Fourteen years later the space is being refurbished under the vision of Jim Thornbourg, Class of 1951, who originally helped Curran establish the Circle of Friends.
“We partnered with the Class of 1951 in order to make the space more usable for high school students,” Rachel Porche, junior, said. “Before, it wasn’t a place many students spent time in.”
Now, The Circle of Friends is both a memorial and a place for students to congregate in.
“I love what all of the leadership students did to make The Circle of Friends look nicer,” Morgan Mankin, junior, said. “I am looking forward to eating out in the sun!”
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Throughout Madison Staten’s life, she has always had a passion and admiration for journalism.
“I love that journalists have the power to tell stories...
![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-600x400.jpg)
