High Five Friday is an iconic Friday tradition familiar to most students at Buffalo Grove High School. However, the origins of these weekly greetings – now a staple for the past two years – are not widely known. In interviews with Keith Bellof and Jeff Wardle, the origins of High Five Friday were revealed.

“The origins truly came from my mother-in-law,” stated Mr. Bellof. “She taught a First-Second grade class where she offered her students the option of a hug, high five, or handshake in the mornings. Initially, most chose a high five or handshake before transitioning to hugs.” While this may be the origin story, the true incorporation of High Five Friday at BGHS can be attributed to Jostens. Yes, you read that correctly: Jostens, the yearbook and class ring company. Mr. Bellof explained that before becoming the CTE Division Head, he served as a Student Coordinator. In this role, he attended a meeting with the Jostens company, along with other student coordinators from district schools, to discuss student greetings and ways to enhance student life. It was during this meeting that Mr. Bellof introduced the idea inspired by his mother-in-law’s classroom experience. He adapted his mother-in-law’s idea to make it more suitable for a high school setting.

Once Mr. Bellof presented the idea to Mr. Wardle, the Buffalo Grove High School Principal, Wardle enthusiastically embraced the concept of High Five Friday. Wardle later stated in an interview, “We already had a mini ‘High Five Friday’ in place, but it wasn’t on a consistent schedule. We usually had one person with a speaker playing music, which we rented during the 2021-2022 school year.” With everything in place, the initiative to integrate High Five Friday into the fabric of BGHS student life was implemented.