Bend High students and staff etch their names in Lava Bears past, present and future

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- As Bend High ushers in a new chapter with their major expansion, some students became a permanent part of the school's history. On Wednesday, every student and staff member signed a massive 50ft tall steel beam. The new beam is a part of the expansion's foundation and will eventually become part of a classroom. Some students shared their reactions with KTVZ News.

Taj Erickson, president of the student council, told us, "I get to know the school before and the history that has built our culture. Hopefully, I get to come back one day and see the finished product, because I still obviously will care about the school and community. It's cool I get to be through all stages of the entire thing."

The new beam will be a cornerstone of the new campus, supporting the first of many new buildings to come. The expansion of Bend High is scheduled to take four years.