By Lexy Praeger

A handful of high school students in the Briarcliff community have one or more permanent tattoos. While many students think of tattoos with a negative connotation, just as many are contemplating getting one of their own someday. Jessica Lynch, a senior at Briarcliff High School, comments, “If I were to get a tattoo, I would want it to be something that I would never regret, even when I’m 85.”

Javan Robinson, a junior at BHS, currently has two tattoos: one on his shoulder and another on his chest, and is planning on getting a third in the near future. He got his first tattoo during his freshman year, a lion on his shoulder, because in Jamaica, it’s a sign of strength and protection, and he feels that “it’s almost like a guardian” for him. His second tattoo, which he got as a sophomore, reads “est. 1995” across his chest. “I got this one because that’s the year I was born, so I feel like that’s where it all started. It’s up to me to make that the year someone great was born.” His tattoo is a constant reminder for him to live up to that goal. Javan’s next tattoo is going to be a rosary on his other shoulder in honor of his grandpa who passed away from cancer. Javan thinks, “It’s fine to get a tattoo in high school, if it is not something you’re going to feel stupid about in years to come.”

Another Briarcliff junior, Mike Lepore, also has two tattoos. He got both over the summer: one on his chest that says “from pain comes strength,” and one on his ankle with his sister’s name, because she passed away when he was young. Mike loves tattoos and recommends anyone who wants one to “go for it.”

Jared Jones, a senior at BHS, got his only tattoo a week before the start of this school year. On his upper arm is a rose with two banners and his parent’s names. Jared got this tattoo to represent how much he cares for his parents, and because he simply always been interested in having one. While discussing his thoughts on tattoos in high school, he said “I don’t really have a problem with them. I think that people today think that having a tattoo can mean a person is somehow a bad person, which is kind of ridiculous. It shouldn’t be the reason why you don’t get a certain job, it doesn’t represent who you are, and most people just get them to express something they care about or even just like.”