Barbara Ingram School nickname builds identity

November 26, 2009|By DAN DEARTH

HAGERSTOWN -- Students at the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts recently chose a school nickname with roots in the theater.

From now until the final curtain call, the school's nickname will be the Phantoms.

Chelsea Eells, president of the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Student Government, said she wasn't certain whether the nickname was inspired by "The Phantom of the Opera," but theater students lobbied hard for the designation by chanting, "Phantoms," "Phantoms," in the hallways between classes.

The school's 160 students chose the nickname by a landslide vote in September. The other two choices were the Bats and the Butterflies.

"Although we're a different school, we thought we should have a mascot," Eells said. "Some people thought we were the Elks because of a plaque."

Eells was referring to a symbol from an Elks lodge that several years ago had been in the building that houses the school.

The Barbara Ingram School for the Arts opened in August at 7-11 S. Potomac St. in Hagerstown. It was constructed to give area high school students a traditional education with an emphasis in the arts. The arts training includes dance, music and theater.

Christina Thompson, student council secretary, said art students at the school worked together to create the Phantom logo, which is a phantom wearing a black cape.

Eells said the students are hard at work raising money to support school activities. They recently sold Christmas wreaths to help pay for a winter formal in January, and held a talent show Tuesday. She said the admission price was $7 for adults and $5 for children.

"Half is going to the student government," Eells said, "but our main concern is raising money for the (winter formal) dance."

Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Principal Michael Thorsen said all of the recent student activity shows that the school is forming an identity.

"It's part of building the atmosphere and school spirit," Thorsen said. "It's something to bond the kids together."

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