What it means to be a Viking can’t be summed up with a single word or item, but instead is made up of many parts to create the whole. Each activity, club, sport, and individual student comes together to make Bryan High a unique place where students are at the center. The idea that the sum is greater than the parts can be seen in the quilt principal Lane Buban’s mother Sharon Buban created for the school. The quilt is made of t-shirts from various groups around the school and will be hung in the Silver Cafeteria area as a reminder of the collective spirit of the Vikings.
“Quilting is something my mother does as her pastime,” Mr. Buban said. “She enjoys quilting and when I approached her about the quilt for BHS, she thought it was a great idea. When she started on it, it meant a lot because of the simple fact that my mom was involved.”
Faculty members frequently describe Mr. Buban as a man with a heart for education and students, and he saw this project as another way he could help make Bryan High a great place to be through a piece of art.
“Having something that combined the different activities students are involved with demonstrates the type of community Mr. Buban works to create at BHS,” career tech teacher Jessica McNeal said. ”The quilt is a beautiful representation of what it means to be a Viking.”
Students also see the quilt as something that can create unity and represent the Viking spirit for years to come.
“Having a quilt made by Mr. Buban’s mom is really cool because it brings students together,” senior Alyssa De Moya said. “It shows how Vikings are a family and how we stick together.”
Mr. Buban hopes the quilt will serve as a reminder of how each student is part of something bigger than themselves.
“The quilt is a good representation of Bryan High School itself,” Mr. Buban said. “It has special meaning to me because my mother made it and it’s like I had a hand in making the quilt. My family is not only giving back to education, but to Bryan High School.”
The quilt, which took about four months to complete, was a labor of love for Mrs. Buban since she sees the work her son does at Bryan High as important to the betterment of society as a whole.
“It’s the biggest honor I’ve ever received,” Mrs. Buban said. “I have had a lot of nice things happen to me in education. Education opens the door to whatever you want to do in life. It’s the ticket to society.”
Students are involved with different activities around campus that create separate groups, but it’s important for students to remember that they are all Vikings and that they all represent the same school.
“I see the pride in the students at BHS,” Mrs. Buban said “This quilt will add to the pride for all the students. I don’t care what organization they’re in or what grade they’re in, I just want every student to be proud of the school they attend and do their very best and to shine for Bryan High School.”
Education is not merely something Mr. Buban and his mother participate in, it is a part of who they are as individuals. Mr. Buban is a fourth-generation educator, behind his great grandfather, grandmother, father, and mother.
“To me, the importance of education has to do with relationships and giving back,” Mr. Buban said. “Helping society by working to put students into the world that are well educated and good citizens capable of giving back in some capacity is what makes this job important.”
The quilt has not only brought students and organizations together, but it has brought Mr. Buban and his parents closer to education and Bryan High.
“My husband and I are so happy that Lane is at Bryan High School and I feel like there’s a connection between the four of us me, my husband, Lane, and Bryan High School,” Mrs. Buban said. “I love them all.”
