GAINESVILLE — In the coming months, North Hall High School will transform its football stadium -- The Brickyard -- installing synthetic turf, a new video board and a new press box. Meanwhile, the Trojans main gymnasium will receive locker room upgrades and two video boards of its own, while the school's wrestling room also undergoes a facelift.
And it's all thanks to one Trojan alumna.
The school, in conjunction with the Hall County School System, announced on Thursday night that Mrs. Lynn Cottrell, who graduated from from North Hall in 1986, provided a generous donation to pave the way for all of said improvements.
“The Hall County Board of Education and I truly appreciate the generous financial contribution Mrs. Lynn Cottrell is making to our North Hall community for improvements to school facilities," said Hall County Schools Superintendent Will Schofield, expressing his gratitude on behalf of the district and the school board. "In Hall County, we have been blessed with a very giving community, especially in areas that support our children. As a proud alum of North Hall, Mrs. Cottrell continues that tradition through her generous gift.”
The Hall County School District will work in cooperative planning with the leadership of North Hall High School to implement the improvements to the schools facilities made possible by Mrs. Cottrell’s gift.
The progress will benefit a number of athletes and progams at the school, including football. And Trojans coach David Bishop, who has been at the school for almost two decades as both an assistant and now head coach, noted the excitement felt throughout the program.
“I arrived at North Hall High School 17 years ago, and I have watched the generosity of many community members over the years in support of the Trojan family," Bishop said. "I want to thank Mrs. Lynn Cottrell for investing so meaningfully in our continued pursuit of excellence.”
Yet the donation goes far beyond just football and will touch the entire the Trojan community.
"As a school, we have a culture of selflessly caring for others. Mrs. Lynn Cottrell has given us a new exemplar to rally around with her selfless gift to the Trojan family," North Hall principal Jamey Moore said. "We are proud that she calls North Hall High School her alma mater."
During his four years as North Hall athletic director Billy Wells said that he has often dreamed about the possibilities of what can be made available for students and community.
"Through the generosity of Mrs. Cottrell, we will soon see many of those dreams come to fruition,” Wells said.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/1/629654/alumna-donation-provides-massive-facilities-upgrade-for-north-hall-athletics