Mr. Brown's tremendous career

By Matt Estridge ‘12

Mr. Ken Brown is best known around Badin for being an assistant coach for the Badin varsity baseball team, but now he will be known as a school faculty member. After teaching for 37 years, Mr. Brown has let go of the main teaching reins but still holds onto the substitute teaching reins. Being a 1968 graduate of Badin High School, it's like being home for him.

Mr. Brown has wanted to be a teacher ever since high school. It was a dream come true for him and one that he is so grateful for and would not ask for anything different.

When asking about what he was going to major in college after high school, Mr. Brown responded, “I was set to major in Social Studies at Miami University but there was a Saturday tutor program for elementary kids at the university at the time, so I started attending. I enjoyed helping the kids, so right there, I knew that I was meant to teach elementary students.”

Mr. Brown later switched his Social Studies major to an Elementary Education major at Miami University. After graduation from Miami, Mr. Brown was drafted into the armed forces. In 1974, Mr. Brown returned from military service and right away his teaching career began. Three days after returning, to be exact.

When asked about starting to teach right after returning from the service, Mr. Brown said, “I was ready for it. It was on Sept. 3 when I got a call to teach seventh and eighth graders at St. Mary's on High Street.”

For one year, Mr. Brown taught the seventh and eighth graders at St. Mary's but then transferred to the Talawanda School District to teach. He taught for four years at Talawanda and then came back to the Hamilton City Schools, where he spent most of his teaching career.

Mr. Brown started his career for the Hamilton City Schools at Jefferson Elementary School. He spent three years at Jefferson and said that it was a “challenge.” Asked why it was a challenge, he said, “It was a challenge because I received all the undisciplined kids in the sixth grade. For the three years that I was there, I worked on reading with the kids. It's amazing when one of the students that I helped thanks me every time I see him when he umpires our varsity baseball games.”

Mr. Brown then moved his career over to Hayes Elementary, where he spent 27 years. He made the switch because he could walk to school and the school was close to his home. Mr. Brown taught every subject at Hayes but enjoyed teaching science and social studies the most.

“I taught for the kids,’’ he said of his love for teaching. “I didn't teach the subjects because I had to, I taught them because I did it for the kids.”

When Hayes closed because of the new schools opening up, Mr. Brown moved his teaching to Linden Elementary, where he spent the past two years before retiring.
During the summer after retiring, Mr. Brown came in contact with Badin principal Mr. Pendergest and began talking about a “teacher academy” at Badin.

The only problem with that is that there had to be enough students interested in the program. Unfortunately, not enough students were interested, but that didn't close the door on Mr. Brown.

Mr. Brown was then offered a job as the Resource Center monitor and as a substitute teacher as well. When asking Mr. Brown why he came to Badin he said, “Because I love this place. Badin is like a second home for me and I love it here. I love seeing the students succeed.”

Mr. P for principal of Badin

By Raphael Grollmus ‘12

Mr. Brian Pendergest, most commonly known as Mr. P, has just begun his first year as principal of Badin High School. After serving four years as vice principal for Badin, then going down to McNicholas High to serve as principal for two years, and returning to Badin to serve as vice principal for two more years, he has taken the helm of Ram-nation.

When asked if he was ready to take the helm of Badin, Mr. P responded, “Being vice principal for six years, I know the staff well, how the school operates and try to stay connected with students by interacting with them.”


The daily role of principal may seem hard and stressful work but he tries to make the best out of it. In a typical week he will attend meetings with the school board, Rotary Club, and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He also tries to interact with students as much as possible, whether just saying “hi” to students in the hallway or talking to them at sporting events or even outside of school.


Another role that he plays is talking to parents, whether it be Meet the Teacher Night or major problems that the students may be having during school. He has plans for the near future to sit in on several classes a day to observe the teachers as they do their duties.


The strengths of Mr. Pendergest are that he knows the history of the school, not only from being vice principal of Badin but also as a graduate of Badin, which helps boost his knowledge. The ability to relate to the students is critical, knowing what it is like to sit in the classrooms with 90 plus degree weather with no air conditioning. And to know how much Badin puts an emphasis on not only sports but also a top-of-the-line education.


The rewards of the job have been good for him. He enjoys working with the staff and seeing the students mature and excel in school.


With every strength there is a weakness and obstacles that he must overcome. Mr. Pendergest says that some of his weaknesses are making sure that he understands the job, and how the choices he makes may not only affect him but the whole school. Another hardship is trying to meet the needs of the students. With 450 students at Badin, people may think that's not a lot compared to other schools, but it is a handful trying to keep them happy with change.


Mr. Pendergest has taken the Rams by the horns starting late summer of 2011, hoping to start his career as principal off with a bang and to set the stage for many more enjoyable years to come.

Jessica Simpson visiting Badin!

By Caroline Beckman '13

Jessica Simpson is paying a visit to Badin High School.

Not Jessica Simpson the singer, of course, but Jessica Simpson the senior at Miami University. (She's in the black top in the middle of the second row at right, with the Badin journalism staff.)

“I'm used to it,” the statuesque brunette said when asked about sharing a name with the well-known starlet. However, the name is all the two share. This Jessica Simpson majors in English education, and may be interested in teaching journalism.

After graduating from Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio, Simpson started out as a business major, but ultimately decided it wasn't for her. She had always loved reading, writing, and working with people, leading her to her current major. She cites journalist writing as her favorite style.

“I love Miami,” Simpson said. She loves the classes, the beautiful campus, and the professors, whom she described as “helpful” and “passionate.”

In addition to schoolwork and helping out at Badin, Simpson is also a star on the Miami softball team, where she is the No. 1 pitcher. She describes the softball team as her “favorite thing about Miami.” She loves playing and competing. She has set records for career wins, single-season wins, single-season shut-outs, single-season strike-outs, and was fifth in the nation for shut-outs last year. “I had a really good year last year,” she said with a laugh.

Softball and schoolwork eat up much of her time. On a typical day, she practices for four hours, making it hard to do other things, such as tutoring or volunteering. When she travels, she must take her homework on the road. However, she says, the professors are “good about working with you.”

Simpson is not exactly a student teacher, but she is here for field experience. She will stay at Badin for two weeks, and then move on to middle school. She did not have her choice of schools, but is glad she was assigned Badin. “Everybody is friendly here,” she said.

She knows she wants to go into education, but is not entirely sure what she wants to do. However, she knows one thing: She wants to coach softball.

Mr. Imhoff Returns to Badin

By Kelly Cassano '12

When Mr. Sid Imhoff went to Badin High School back in the mid-1980s, he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up: an educator. After being the assistant principal at Hamilton High School for four years, Mr. Imhoff made his way back to Badin for the vacant assistant principal's job.

“When Mr. Pendergest stepped up as principal, he called to ask if I would be interested in being assistant principal,” Imhoff said. “We discussed the future of Badin and what direction it was headed, and I realized how important the success of this school was. After that, it wasn't hard to decide to come here.”

Why education? It has always been very important to Imhoff. He said, “There were many people that I looked up to through my years as a student. I wanted that opportunity to have a positive influence on kids, and coming to Badin has given me the chance to positively steer kids in the right direction.”

As a graduate of the Class of 1988, Mr. Imhoff believes that not much has changed. He believes that the same values are being taught, and that Badin is a very important place. Also, that there is a very “Welcome to the Family” environment through these halls.

“It's an environment that never goes away,” Imhoff remarked. “And that's the environment I'm trying to create for everyone else. Badin was so good to me when I came here as a student, and I'm so glad that I can give back professionally.”

When asked about the switch from Hamilton to Badin, Imhoff replied, “I don't have anything negative to say about Hamilton, it was just the right place and the right time. The city of Hamilton overall is very important to me. The success of the schools here is very dependent on the success of this town. Badin is a lot smaller-scale and close knit than Hamilton is. There are more opportunities to get involved traditionally and this is my chance to focus my energies on bettering this community.”

Mr. Imhoff's son, Austin Webb, also attends Badin High School. “It's really not that weird,” Imhoff said. “I've tried to give him his space and not cramp his style. I know how I would have felt as a student having my father here, so I made sure to ask his opinion before I took the job. But it's definitely been good for us coming to school together and we definitely have a lot more in common.”

When asked about Mr. Imhoff's return, Webb didn't think it was weird. “Nothing's really changed,” Austin said.

As principal of Badin High School, Mr. Pendergest is always in close contact with Mr. Imhoff. He emphasized that Imhoff was his No. 1 choice. When the position became vacant, there was really only one phone call to make: to Mr. Imhoff.

“I've known him for about 20 years now, and I really respect his approach to the students. His style in educating is a perfect fit for Badin. He has a lot of passion for helping the students become adults and I think he's done a tremendous job,” said Pendergest. “He has the ability to joke with the students, while keeping that level of respect with them. He was definitely our number one choice. He works well with me, and Mrs. Heinrich as well, and I'm glad to have him here. We have very similar styles, and that's just an added benefit.”

Mr. Imhoff plans to end his career at Badin and looks forward to the future success of this school.