You see a person wearing a school sweater and you think to yourself, “What makes Lane so great?” Whether you have been here for almost four years or have not even been here for a year, there are always reasons why you should love Lane.

For many years now, Lane has held a high position in both local and national high school rankings. There are many qualities that make Lane “The School of Champions”; here are five that I came up with after asking students what it is that they love about Lane.

1. No uniforms and the adaptive dress code.

Sure, these may sound simple, but being able to wake up every morning and have a choice in what you wear that day is a freedom. We are not as severely restricted as past years or as other schools are when it comes to what we are allowed to wear; for example, how short girl’s short shorts can be, male earrings, etc. Dr. Dignam made it clear in the rules meetings this year that the times and styles have changed and he has seen it himself when clothes shopping with his daughters.

“I don’t understand why if the strap is two inches it was OK, but if it was one inch it wasn’t. I’m not a uniform policeman,” Dignam said.

If you have ever taken the time to really look at other students in the hallway you are able to see the variety of styles there are at Lane. From printed leggings to thrifted clothes to band tees and so much more. Part of what makes a school a school is the students. We are Lane, we are the ones that make it as diverse and cultured as it is. We are able to express who we are and Dr. Dignam has continued to show his support of that.

“It just seems like such a microcosm of America in this school,” Dignam said.

The culture of our modern society is shown all throughout Lane.

2. Off-campus lunch.

As everyone knows, when you become a sophomore at Lane, you have the privilege to go off campus for lunch. It is probably one of the main features of Lane that students look forward to.

Vincent Camacho, Div. 778, has been able to experience the privilege of off-campus lunch this year after a year of eating inside.

“I am very grateful because instead of having the cramped, muggy lunchroom to eat in, we have the entire campus and beyond to eat food and run around with our friends. It’s just refreshing,” Camacho said.

Camacho enjoys having more options than what was being served on the school lunch menu each day.

“I was very excited to have off-campus lunch because I saw all of the new restaurants around Lane,” Camacho said.

At first we appreciate off-campus lunch and are so in love with going outside, but we soon forget that it is a privilege. We are one of only two high schools in the district that permits off-campus lunch. So as you are outside with your friends, chowing down on some delicious chicken from Jewel or enjoying your burrito bowl from Chipotle, just think about how you could be inside eating a simple school lunch.

3. Broad and unique electives.

Whether you want to have a career in the field of science or just love history, there is most likely a class at Lane that will interest you. Electives can give students the opportunity to discover what they are passionate about and also open the door to expand their knowledge. Not every school out there has the 130 different electives that we do.

4. Clubs and sports.

With the long list of electives Lane offers, there are plenty more clubs and sports that follow. At Lane, you are going to be able to find a club or a sport that you can be a part of. In whatever clubs or sports you may decide to join you are going to make friends, maybe some of the best ones you will have at Lane.

According to the Lane website, there are 99 clubs and 19 sports, and there are always students having a difficult time deciding what they want to participate in.

Luis Concepcion, Div. 551, appreciates the many clubs at Lane because they have opened his eyes to other interests and have allowed him to meet people with the same interests. One of his fellow Anime Club members inspired him to take an economics course.

He was able to join Anime club and feel comfortable talking about his ideas because he knew that no one would criticize him there.

“I was able to meet more people [who] enjoy the stuff that I enjoy. It allows me to see that people thought what I thought,” Concepcion said.

When Miranda Kelliher, Div. 569, joined cheer leading her sophomore year it was the first thing that really made her feel a part of Lane. In cheerleading she met people that she is still great friends with to this day.

“I’ve just always been really glad I did it because the friends I made were really the first group of friends I felt I had,” Kelliher said.

International Days were a big part of Kelliher’s love for Lane because it was a completely new experience for her.

“What stood out the most was that you don’t know how amazing and fun I-Days are until you actually get the chance to be a part of them,” Kelliher said.

No matter what you join at Lane, you are bound to get something out of it, whether it be friendsor maybe a new outlook. It is a good idea to explore the different options Lane offers.

And finally:

5. The Lane family.

Sure, this may be true for a lot of schools, but one day you will realize, if you have not already, just how great it is. No matter what it may be — victory, loss, or just a school event such as Pep Rally or Homecoming — we all come together as a family.

We all become alumni when we graduate and Lane pride is truly shown in past generations that still look back on the four great years that they had being an “Indian.” Lane has been around for many years and generations that have changed it and molded it into an ever-growing school.

Regardless of what grade you are in, what your ethnicity is, what things you like, Lane is a family. There is always going to be someone to lean on at Lane, whether it be a teacher or a friend. We may all be different in our own ways, but when it comes down to it, we are all a part of Lane.

So next time you run into someone from another high school, I hope you wear your Lane sweater proudly.