PHOTOS BY SHANNON RICHARDSON

A Year-Two Photo Tour of West Plains High School

A few days before the start of the 2023-2024 school year, Principal Eric Gomez leads a group through the halls of West Plains High School. The floors are sparkling. The abundant glass surfaces are clean. Images of the school’s wolf mascot adorn multiple walls. The space even smells good—like a high-end hotel or conference center.

But Gomez is telling a story about elephants. A visitor passed through an area where elephants were being trained, the educator explains. He saw these enormous creatures held in place by a thin rope staked to the ground. The elephants were strong enough to break free from the rope whenever they wanted, but the rope kept them there.

“What keeps the elephants in place?” the visitor asked a trainer. As the story goes, the elephants were confined from an early age by the smallest rope necessary to hold them. As babies, they couldn’t break the rope, so they stopped pulling against it. The rope held them back when they were small, so they assumed it would still contain them as five-ton adults.

PRINCIPAL ERIC GOMEZ

In other words, the elephants learned helplessness.

“They stop trying,” Gomez says. “I told our staff at the very beginning that we want to break the rope.”

Within earshot of the story, someone else says of the West Plains facility, “This just doesn’t feel like Amarillo.” 

Gomez agrees. That’s what happens when you break the rope.

In 2018, Canyon Independent School District voters, who live in Randall County from Canyon into the southwest part of Amarillo, approved a nearly $200 million bond election. Passing the bond set off a flurry of new construction within the district, including two new elementary schools (Heritage Hills and Spring Canyon), substantial renovations to Happy State Bank Stadium, the construction of a career and technology center, and other infrastructure investments.

The Randall High School West Campus saw major renovations and expansion, and the former Randall East Campus was transformed into Randall Junior High School.

But the shining gem of the new funding was the brand-new West Plains High School. Located at 10576 Arden Road—right outside the Loop and still mostly surrounded by empty space—the new high school was the result of several years of planning and construction.  

It left Gomez, a 17-year educator, with the task of launching the city’s first new high school in decades. Everything, from hiring staff and faculty to deciding where to put the trash cans, fell under his authority. “No one had been on campus yet,” he says of the 2022 start of the first year. “No freshman should have been nervous [last year], because everyone was new.” 

With year one under his belt and the second West Plains school year about to begin, Gomez guided Brick & Elm through his favorite parts of the still-new campus. 

Students entering the school are met with an enormous, open stairway and grand entrance next to a prominent display of the West Plains school song. During the school year, Gomez used the central, mid-stairway landing to celebrate students and athletes signing university letters of intent. “We put them right here [on the landing] and all our students gather around. It’s a really neat spot in the school,” he says.
Students entering the school are met with an enormous, open stairway and grand entrance next to a prominent display of the West Plains school song. During the school year, Gomez used the central, mid-stairway landing to celebrate students and athletes signing university letters of intent. “We put them right here [on the landing] and all our students gather around. It’s a really neat spot in the school,” he says.
Gomez describes this central iConnect help desk as “our in-house Geek Squad.” Fully staffed by students (with a teacher providing oversight), the iConnect team changes with every period but always features students helping students. “If a student walks up and a laptop or Chromebook isn’t working, we have a kid to see to that problem and assess it and fix the problem,” says Gomez. Along with basic tech support and problem-solving, the students learn valuable customer service skills.
Gomez describes this central iConnect help desk as “our in-house Geek Squad.” Fully staffed by students (with a teacher providing oversight), the iConnect team changes with every period but always features students helping students. “If a student walks up and a laptop or Chromebook isn’t working, we have a kid to see to that problem and assess it and fix the problem,” says Gomez. Along with basic tech support and problem-solving, the students learn valuable customer service skills.
Gomez wants West Plains teachers to think beyond the typical four walls of a classroom. These collaboration spaces are located throughout the building, providing gathering places between classes and environments for team-teaching. “Our students love it,” says Gomez, who tries to spend time in these spaces during the day. “These are my favorite parts of the campus.”
Gomez wants West Plains teachers to think beyond the typical four walls of a classroom. These collaboration spaces are located throughout the building, providing gathering places between classes and environments for team-teaching. “Our students love it,” says Gomez, who tries to spend time in these spaces during the day. “These are my favorite parts of the campus.”
The enormous West Plains auditorium serves as a natural gathering point for the student body. “When the kids come in, when the community comes in here, it feels like home,” Gomez says. Last year, with an inaugural enrollment of nearly 900, the school hosted a “Wolf Camp” to establish the school’s culture before its first full school year. “We brought them all in here and sat here first. We took a second to think about what was going to happen here. It was the most exciting moment,” he says. “I was new. They were new. We were going to do this together. It brought our school and the student body together quickly.” This year’s West Plains enrollment has grown to more than 1,100.
The enormous West Plains auditorium serves as a natural gathering point for the student body. “When the kids come in, when the community comes in here, it feels like home,” Gomez says. Last year, with an inaugural enrollment of nearly 900, the school hosted a “Wolf Camp” to establish the school’s culture before its first full school year. “We brought them all in here and sat here first. We took a second to think about what was going to happen here. It was the most exciting moment,” he says. “I was new. They were new. We were going to do this together. It brought our school and the student body together quickly.” This year’s West Plains enrollment has grown to more than 1,100.
Gomez calls the gym the school’s “living room,” noting that it’s where students and faculty come together to celebrate. “We meet here for competition, for pep rallies, sometimes for class meetings,” he says. The 360-degree wraparound seating—with a maximum capacity of 1,550—is unique among local high schools. “It brings a lot of atmosphere and energy,” he says. Last year, the West Plains Lady Wolves volleyball team, coached by Kaitlyn Cornelius, finished the season 32-9 and were regional quarterfinalists. They enter the new season with high expectations.
Gomez calls the gym the school’s “living room,” noting that it’s where students and faculty come together to celebrate. “We meet here for competition, for pep rallies, sometimes for class meetings,” he says. The 360-degree wraparound seating—with a maximum capacity of 1,550—is unique among local high schools. “It brings a lot of atmosphere and energy,” he says. Last year, the West Plains Lady Wolves volleyball team, coached by Kaitlyn Cornelius, finished the season 32-9 and were regional quarterfinalists. They enter the new season with high expectations.
Highlights of the cafeteria include bright natural lighting and multiple seating opportunities for students. Like the rest of the campus, West Plains branding is prominent throughout this space. “Where I grew up in Dalhart, you only saw the logo of the mascot on the gym floor,” says Gomez. “But if you walk our school and pay attention, you see the brand everywhere. It’s one of my favorite things about this school.”
Highlights of the cafeteria include bright natural lighting and multiple seating opportunities for students. Like the rest of the campus, West Plains branding is prominent throughout this space. “Where I grew up in Dalhart, you only saw the logo of the mascot on the gym floor,” says Gomez. “But if you walk our school and pay attention, you see the brand everywhere. It’s one of my favorite things about this school.”
“We wanted to create a collegiate atmosphere,” says Gomez about the West Plains classrooms, which offer multiple seating options and desk sizes. All desks are glass-topped, allowing students to write on them with dry-erase markers. Every classroom is equipped with a Promethean digital smartboard display, and teachers use laptops rather than bulky desktop computers. “Everyone can be completely mobile,” he adds. The classroom pictured here belongs to English II Honors teacher Jennifer Aduddell, who was named the Canyon ISD Secondary District Teacher of the Year for 2022-2023. “Be prepared to be challenged when you come in here,” says Gomez. “Our kids love her.”
“We wanted to create a collegiate atmosphere,” says Gomez about the West Plains classrooms, which offer multiple seating options and desk sizes. All desks are glass-topped, allowing students to write on them with dry-erase markers. Every classroom is equipped with a Promethean digital smartboard display, and teachers use laptops rather than bulky desktop computers. “Everyone can be completely mobile,” he adds. The classroom pictured here belongs to English II Honors teacher Jennifer Aduddell, who was named the Canyon ISD Secondary District Teacher of the Year for 2022-2023. “Be prepared to be challenged when you come in here,” says Gomez. “Our kids love her.”
The band hall and choir rooms are spacious, but the most interesting parts of the music suite are much smaller private practice studios. Students rehearse or take private lessons in these rooms, each of which is equipped with a Wenger Virtual Acoustic Enhancement System. The VAE interface uses advanced audio technology to mimic the sound of performances in different environments—from a cathedral to an arena. “They can practice anytime they want to, record it and play it back,” says Band Director Heath Nall, who pushes a button on the interface and snaps his fingers. Despite the tiny, sound-proof environment, the snap resonates as if echoing off the stage and walls of a recital hall. “It’s really nice.”
The band hall and choir rooms are spacious, but the most interesting parts of the music suite are much smaller private practice studios. Students rehearse or take private lessons in these rooms, each of which is equipped with a Wenger Virtual Acoustic Enhancement System. The VAE interface uses advanced audio technology to mimic the sound of performances in different environments—from a cathedral to an arena. “They can practice anytime they want to, record it and play it back,” says Band Director Heath Nall, who pushes a button on the interface and snaps his fingers. Despite the tiny, sound-proof environment, the snap resonates as if echoing off the stage and walls of a recital hall. “It’s really nice.”
The West Plains drama department operates out of a traditional “black box” theater space, which allows space and flexibility for rehearsals and intimate performances. Like the rest of the rooms in the school’s performance wing, the black box is sound-proof.
The West Plains drama department operates out of a traditional “black box” theater space, which allows space and flexibility for rehearsals and intimate performances. Like the rest of the rooms in the school’s performance wing, the black box is sound-proof.
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Despite a half-dozen seniors and plenty of freshmen starters, inaugural West Plains football coach Adam Cummings guided the team to a competitive 6-4 regular season and a victory in the first round of the playoffs. Building on last year’s success, the Wolves benefit from a massive practice facility, which includes indoor performance turf and a well-equipped weight room and locker room complex.
Despite a half-dozen seniors and plenty of freshmen starters, inaugural West Plains football coach Adam Cummings guided the team to a competitive 6-4 regular season and a victory in the first round of the playoffs. Building on last year’s success, the Wolves benefit from a massive practice facility, which includes indoor performance turf and a well-equipped weight room and locker room complex.

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