OPINION
The Elizabeth Forward High School community unveiled its brand-new high school gym on Thursday, Jan. 29, hosting a girls basketball game against the Ringgold Rams. Prior to tipoff, the school held a ceremonial first-shot celebration for senior athletes on both the boys and girls basketball teams, passing drills for senior volleyball players, and wrestling demonstrations for senior wrestlers. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend those events or the first game played in the new gym, but I was able to be there the following night.
Even before stepping inside, it is clear that something has changed. The red-and-black brick accents on the exterior match the school’s identity and give the campus a look that finally reflects the colors students and alumni have proudly worn for years. The journey begins at the newly renovated high school main entrance, featuring an updated front portico supported by two striking pillars that will eventually display “Elizabeth Forward High School.”
One of the small but thoughtful details is the heated sidewalk near the front doors, designed to melt snow from shoes before entering and help keep the building clean. The entrance is completed with large new glass doors and windows that allow in an abundance of natural light.
The red-and-black brick design continues inside, carrying the exterior aesthetic into the interior and creating a sharp, cohesive look in the new lobby. The space features a white tile floor with a black square design at its center, black-painted ceilings with white drop panels, and a surround sound system built into the ceiling. The lobby is stunning. The Elizabeth Forward Winter Formal Court recently used the space for court photos, and it served as a perfect backdrop.
Beyond its appearance, the lobby is functional. It is now large and open enough to host events on its own, from college fairs to school board meetings and other community gatherings.
From the lobby, visitors enter the newest addition to the school — the gymnasium. It is hard not to look up and pause in amazement. You walk into the space and immediately feel the difference. The screens are on. The music is playing. Graphics flash across the new video board. For the first time in a long time, a game at Elizabeth Forward feels like an event, not just a place to sit and watch.
Technology is what truly sets this gym apart. The LED video board, digital graphics and sound system completely transform the atmosphere. When a foul is called or a three-pointer drops, it appears on the screen. When it’s time to get loud, the gym lets you know. The experience pulls people in — especially the student section — and that energy matters more than any single design feature.
The lighting is bright and evenly distributed. The red-and-black bleachers spell out “EF” whether they are pushed in or pulled out. The court looks clean and modern. Just as importantly, the space is comfortable. Even on a freezing winter night, the temperature inside remained steady — something longtime fans know was never guaranteed in the old gym, where the heat was often overwhelming.
What stands out most, though, is the reaction. You can see it on people’s faces the moment they walk in for the first time. Heads tilt up and smiles follow. Alumni point things out to one another. Parents look around and nod. Students reach for their phones. The message is always the same: this is different.
For years, Elizabeth Forward students competed in facilities that did not reflect the effort they put into their programs. That contrast was especially noticeable when visiting other schools. Now, that feeling is gone. This gym puts Elizabeth Forward on equal footing and, in many ways, moves it ahead. It shows visiting teams, returning alumni and current students that this district believes in what it offers.
This space also extends far beyond athletics. It will serve band, color guard, assemblies, physical education classes and students who simply need a safe, functional place to practice and perform. These programs are where students find their confidence, friendships and a lot of the time purpose which motivates them to come to school. Investing in spaces like this is, ultimately, an investment in the students themselves.
Large projects naturally come with questions and doubts. That is understandable. But after watching two home teams open this gym with wins — and seeing the pride in the stands — it is difficult to argue that this project was not worth doing. The value is visible in real time, playing out on the floor and throughout the crowd.
This gym feels like a turning point. With more renovations still ahead, it signals that Elizabeth Forward is not just fixing what is old — it is building something better. Something students can be proud of while they are here, and something alumni will want to return to see.
For a community that has waited a long time to feel this momentum, the message is simple and powerful: Elizabeth Forward is moving forward — and now it finally looks like it. This progress is the result of a community that stood behind the project, school board directors who took action and used the fire to redevelop EF when past boards did not have the opportunity to, a superintendent who stepped into the role just before a fire reshaped the district’s future, the workers who brought the vision to life — from the planning tables to laying brick in below-zero temperatures — and dedicated community members who have worked within our buildings every day to make it all possible.
This moment is significant. And for Elizabeth Forward, it is only the beginning.
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