Principal Edwina Thompson sat in a plastic chair in Lane stadium—it was an exciting and joyous occasion for her. It was Decision Day, and she was participating in the ice bucket challenge.
Decision Day was a big moment for her because Lane’s class of 2025 is the first graduating class for which Thompson has been the principal for all four years. “It’s rewarding, and it also brings me joy,” she said. Thompson was amazed by the variety in the students’ post-secondary plans and where they would be headed.
Prior to becoming principal, Thompson had a long history of dedication to Lane. She held a variety of positions at the school, including assistant principal, English teacher and even debate coach. She says Lane is a unique place. It was the community here and the sense of connection she feels in the environment that brought her back to Lane after she originally graduated from here.
“Having the opportunity to lead this special environment, I don’t know why anybody would pass that up in the first place,” she said.
Thompson has recently been offered another four-year contract by the LSC, which she has accepted. “I appreciate the community for being so supportive. I appreciate the staff, I appreciate the students, I appreciate the families, and I also appreciate our leadership team,” Thompson said.
She highlighted the importance of the team in running the school. It doesn’t just include admin and teachers, she said, but also clerks, school assistants, custodians, lunchroom staff, technicians and security. “It takes all of us, it takes a village, to make this space run and to allow it to run as a well-oiled machine, and so I’m grateful for the opportunity to be at the helm of that,” she said.
One thing Thompson feels she has accomplished is building relationships. “I believe wholeheartedly that if you want a school community to thrive, you really have to center individuals, their humanness, not just a test score, not just ‘did they teach everything correctly,’ but center who they are as a human being,” she said. Thompson makes the effort to engage in conversation with others, to listen to them and hear the feedback they give to her, because she wants people to feel connected with and welcome at Lane.
“I feel like people respond differently when they know, even if they know that you don’t agree with them, but they recognize that you will actually listen to them,” Thompson said.
That’s not the only thing she views as an accomplishment. Thompson says that the last four years with the class of 2025 have also been an accomplishment, not just for the seniors, but for her as well.
“I often say this, they really have been the best class,” she said. “And so I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to be with them for all four years, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where they will land, not just in their post-secondary institutions, but also in life thereafter.”
One of her favorite experiences with the class of 2025 has been the “usies”—a selfie that Thompson takes herself. She said she was first asked at Homecoming in 2021. A freshman had asked her if she could take a picture with them, and then from there more people started asking. Now, four years later, “usies” with Thompson have become extremely popular. “Having fun with each other and friends, and that brings me joy, and so I’m grateful that people even want to take a picture with their principal,” she said.
Over these last four years, Thompson has been able to say she is proud of Lane’s class of 2025. But her joy does not end there. She has hope, and she believes in the class of 2025; she believes in her champions. “You’re going to make a positive contribution to our society, which means that this world will be a better place with you in it,” she said.
