Burke leaves behind a legacy of kindness and commitment at BHS
An interview with Hall of Fame winner Sarah Burke
Sarah Burke has been announced as this year’s female Hall of Fame winner. She shared the stage with Riley Habisch, who was also named a Hall of Fame winner.
Every year, the staff selects one male and one female student as Hall of Fame winners for their contributions to the BHS community through academics, sports, activities, and leadership. Their portraits are hung in the front atrium and are among the very first things that visitors to Buffalo High School see when they enter the building.
“It’s really cool to think that future students can look at [my photo] and think ‘I wonder who that was and why she was chosen’,” Burke said.
Buffalo High School first opened the doors of its current building in 1997, but this tradition goes back much further. It has become one of the most sought after honors at BHS. Five male and five female students who impacted the school and are respected by their peers and teachers alike are nominated.
When asked how she made an impact, Burke explained that she was always making an effort to connect with her teachers.
“I think that I just made a really big effort to make relationships with my teachers,” Burke said, “and just talk to them about life, and make it more of a community and less of a teacher-student relationship.”
Burke believes that while she is proud to be pictured, she feels that the photo doesn’t match up to what matters most.
“I feel like the picture on the wall is just a little plaque,” Burke said, “and the connections I made would still be there without it. It’s just there to acknowledge it.”
Photo by Weiland Johnson
