Dekalb Eastern | The Aaron Willard Student Activity Center

The Aaron Willard Student Activity Center is both a significant campus addition aimed at enhancing student athletics and a tribute to the lasting impact of longtime educator and alumnus Aaron Willard. A former student, teacher, assistant principal, coach, and athletic director, Willard has served the Dekalb Eastern Community School District for 36 years before retiring in 2025. Willard left a profound mark on the Blazers community, with decorated coaching legacy, leading the baseball, softball, and basketball teams to a total of 700+ victories across the course of his career.

"It’s really humbling and very much an honor to have my name on the building...it’s an awesome facility and it’ll serve our students very well." - Aaron Willard, Former Student Supervisor, Teacher, Coach, and Athletic Director, Dekalb Eastern Community School District

Improving Experiences in Sports

The new student activity center is 30,000 square feet of new construction designed by Barton Coe Vilamaa and built by Weigand. It includes:

IHSAA Rated Competition Court for Basketball and Volleyball 8 Retractable Basketball Hoops 2 Drop-Down Mesh Batting Cages Weight Room 3 Lane Running Track Bleachers Seating up to 900 People Locker Rooms Support Spaces Offices

These features allow for multiple sports teams to share the space, conducting practices or workouts at the same time without interrupting one another. It will also create opportunities for conditioning in the offseason when weather is unsuitable for outdoor training. The facility can be sectioned off into partitions, making it possible for several extracurricular groups to meet and conduct their various activities all at once. On top of this, the building is connected directly to the existing campus, providing a safe and simple pathway for students to access the activity center.

Building Blazers Up

We're thankful for the chance to partner with the Dekalb Eastern community in Butler, Indiana in successfully delivering the Aaron Willard Student Activity Center. Not only does operate as a place for students to grow, connect, and better themselves, but it also stands as a lasting memory of a leader who committed his life and career to enriching the lives of high schoolers through sports, teamwork, and grit.