BY DILLON HAWRYLAK
Staff Writer

Every student at every high school hears the same thing on their first day of freshman year: “Put yourself out there and sign up for as many activities as possible.”

Junior Jimmy Garvey says he didn’t grasp the importance of that advice for his first two years of high school, and so he wanted to make a change this year.  

“My goal was to get involved with my classmates and most importantly, help the school out as much as I could,” Garvey said.

Garvey accomplished his mission by doing something that requires interacting with the student body and supporting the school: winning the competition to become the school’s mascot, the Fighting Highlander.

“It’s a great feeling to know that you’re part of a great thing,” he said. “I get people hyped up while showing others that Baldwin has a great fan base. You can’t beat that.”

 Garvey won the position by auditioning in front of the whole school during an assembly against four other students. It was a close call, but Garvey’s passion for the position gave him the upper hand, according to Brad Schulte, assistant athletic director.

“You could tell he wanted it. He was so thankful for being granted the opportunity that he even shook (Vice Principal John) Saras’s hand at the following meeting and told him how much he appreciated it,” Schulte said.

The determination Garvey has for being the school’s mascot might not come as a surprise, considering that his cousin, Pat Sites, was the Highlander last year.

Of everything Garvey has experienced as a Highlander so far, he said one memory stands out.

“I got to do a lot of cool things over the last couple months but one of the best moments was crowning the homecoming king and queen. At that moment, I understood that I just wasn’t there for the teams, I was there for the school,” Garvey said.

There have been some growing pains associated with learning how to play the Highlander role, Garvey acknowledged. But he believes his best days are ahead of him.

“I’m new to this,” he said. “Every time I go out there I try to give 110 percent … I know I got it. It’s just going to take some time.”

The student section is pulling for him, said Shanke Perko, one of the leaders of the Highlander Huddle.

“I have faith in Jimmy to be prepared for basketball season,” Perko said. “He’s always putting in the effort, so it will just take some experience. We all know it’s not an easy job.”